Authentic Downhome-Style Southern BBQ

(617) 628-2200

55 Chester St
Somerville, MA 02144 42.394946 -71.122451

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Neighborhood: Davis Square

www.redbones.com

Years in business

Established in 1987

Hours:

Lunch daily at 11:30am (Noon on Sundays)

Dinner 4pm-10:30pm

Fri-Sat 4pm-11pm

Price:

$

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Restaurants, Barbecue Restaurants, Catering

Payment Methods:

American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch, Lunch Spot, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Southern, Cajun & Creole

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Redbones

The Owner

Redbones

Owner

Redbones, a popular destination in Davis Square, Somerville, since 1987, serves authentic real pit Southern BBQ. All items from the tasty menu are available in the restaurant, for take out and delivery. Catering for all sized groups is a specialty.Redbones serves 28 standard-setting and fan favorite brews on tap and a wide selection of bottled beers. The full bar also offers specialty drinks including Margaritas and Mexican Martinis and an array of spirits.Redbones is open seven days for lunch, dinner, late night dining and brunch on Sundays. Free bicycle valet parking is available evenings…

Provided by CityGrid

Read more from the owner

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Davis Square, the spicy tradition of Cajun Louisiana collides with the Southern home-cooking of Arkansas and the twangy strut of Texas--seasoned with a healthy dose of Delta blues. It's the kind of place where waitresses fling sass, authentic cornbread comes with every meal and you're likely to hear Hammie Nixon's corn-pone harp playing in the background. Pork and beef ribs, brisket, chicken and Texas-style pulled pork share the menu with well-executed sides like hush puppies and cat fingers. Save room for caramel custard. To drink, Redbones offers 24 microbrews on tap and more than a dozen…

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Burn off your dinner by leaving the car at home and taking the bike out for a spin. The nation's first free bicycle valet service is available on weeknights and all day on weekends.
Save Money:
While the restaurant's dinner menu is a treat, there's no beating the daily all-you-can-eat buffet, which offers endless amounts of meats and sides for $10 until 4pm.
When to Go:
Half-priced appetizers are served at the bar, weekdays from 4pm to 6pm.
Where to Sit:
It's jumping almost every night--both in the smoke-free upstairs, popular with families, and the darker, bar-dominated downstairs.
ambiance
90.0% positive
  1. “overall a great experience, lots of fun.”
  2. “First off, let me say that the staff and the atmosphere there is great.”
  3. “The table service can be scetchy at best; if you have no patience for parking I recommend the take out service.”
  4. “Very interesting decor!”
  5. “Cheap booze, good food and a cool atmosphere too.”
  6. “And the downstairs dining room has the best decor, with original art adorning every surface.”
  7. “Great atmosphere, not so great food”
  8. “Sometimes the waiters/waitresses are rude, supposedly that's part of the atmosphere.”
  9. “Great food, fun atmosphere”
  10. “Redbones is just fun.”
dessert
0.0% positive
  1. “soggy and dry at the same time the ribs are not very good , i guess if you just drink a lot of beer you cant tell the the food is tastless and nasty, but i have to give the credit for there pecan pie!”
drinks
90.0% positive
  1. “Decent BBQ, great bar downstairs”
  2. “The variety of ribs is great, the catfish is awesome, and there are too many beers to choose from.”
  3. “soggy and dry at the same time the ribs are not very good , i guess if you just drink a lot of beer you cant tell the the food is tastless and nasty, but i have to give the credit for there pecan pie!”
  4. “all the other drinks are fabulous!”
  5. “it has great beer on tap.”
  6. “drinks are good too!”
  7. “It's a great place to have a few drinks!”
  8. “Excellent beer selection.”
  9. “The menu is large, the food is excellent, the beer selection is fantastic, and the service is very friendly.”
  10. “The bar downstairs is also great, it can get crowded, but they have amazing microbrews that they change based on the seasons.”
  11. “will say that their service, beer selection, corn bread and bbq sauce are all stupendous.”
  12. “One of the best restaurants in Boston, for beer, Bones and great times.”
  13. “Their brisket was not my favorite however their ribs and quality beer selection make up for it.”
  14. “If you're starving, just head downstairs to the bar and have some drinks and order your food there!”
  15. “As someone who has lived in Houston, Texas for many years, and who seasons even her breakfast cereal with hot sauce, I can't recommend RedBones to anyone who takes their bar-b-que even semi-seriously.”
  16. “They have a great drink menu too.”
  17. “Downstairs, called Underbones, you can find 25 microbrews (delicious ones at that) on tap everynite, a friendly waitstaff, quick bartenders, great prices, fantastic bar food & barbeque, and good tunes.”
  18. “know a lot of people from NE love this place but that's because the bar has been set low when it comes to BBQ standards.”
  19. “The place, hands down, has the best bar around.”
  20. “We went there in a big group of around 20 people and just wanted to hang out by the bar for the most part.”
food quality
83.66999626159668% positive
  1. “The portions are huge., so, that makes up for the dryness and they also give mild, medium or hot sauce.”
  2. “There are all sorts of tasty side dishes.”
  3. “Although good bbq is hard to come by in New England, Redbones is not the place to find it.”
  4. “Despite Citysearch's ridiculous statement that BBQ is "All about the sauce", it is really allabout the meat.”
  5. “The service was great, except that our food came before the appetizer.”
  6. “Great messy food- and good service.”
  7. “Their food is good.”
  8. “Their meat is big 'n meaty, but a bit on the dry side.”
  9. “redbones the best bbq in Boston?”
  10. “The food is decent, but I'd recommend the ribs.”
  11. “the pulled pork is amazing and i've tried almost all the rib types and you can't go wrong.”
  12. “RedBones - the side dishes are the best”
  13. “soggy and dry at the same time the ribs are not very good , i guess if you just drink a lot of beer you cant tell the the food is tastless and nasty, but i have to give the credit for there pecan pie!”
  14. “The Brisket and ribs are excellent, the pulled pork is top notch and the sides can be great.”
  15. “The appetizer, Hushpuppies, wasn't very good and had to be soaked in the vinegar 'sauce' provided in order to get down.”
  16. “grew up in a family with Southern roots and know good Southern food when I taste it.”
  17. “Good bbq places are also acclaimed for their sauces.”
  18. “Catfish fingers are a great appetizer, comes with dipping sauce, pulled pork (solo or a plate), and the mahi mahi are great entrees.”
  19. “If you like meat, you will love Redbones.”
  20. “Try their barbeque Belt or the all you can eat chicken and Ribs during the day it is a great value!”
  21. “The food was okay - the fried catfish and potato salad was good but the hush puppies were tough and dry.”
  22. “will say that their service, beer selection, corn bread and bbq sauce are all stupendous.”
  23. “had a steak special that was swimming in this nasty watery "au jus.”
  24. “best bbq north of the mason dixon”
  25. “The ribs, pulled pork, buffalo wings & okra are excellent!”
  26. “Great food, good service and right in Davis Square, can't beat it!”
  27. “don't know why people rave about ANY of the food here, but it must be because they like 'blah food' instead of 'soul food'.”
  28. “If you're starving, just head downstairs to the bar and have some drinks and order your food there!”
  29. “My pulled pork w/garlicky mashed potato & veggies were perfect partners.”
  30. “The portions are huge so skip the appetizers to save $6 and you will still have plenty of food.”
  31. “The menu is large, the food is excellent, the beer selection is fantastic, and the service is very friendly.”
  32. “As someone who has lived in Houston, Texas for many years, and who seasons even her breakfast cereal with hot sauce, I can't recommend RedBones to anyone who takes their bar-b-que even semi-seriously.”
  33. “But the food is excellent!”
  34. “The best BBQ food in the north suburbs.”
  35. “Great atmosphere, not so great food”
  36. “home of the best seafood, clam chowdah, football dynasty & the World Champion Red Sox.”
  37. “The yams are from a can, the mac & cheese tastes like Kraft, kfc's cole slaw taste more authentic southern than theirs, and I'm not quite sure what to say that stuff they call soccoutash is.”
  38. “Great food, fun atmosphere”
  39. “St. Louis ribs and BBQ chicken are indescribably delicious.”
  40. “The service isn't the best, they rush you right through the meal.”
  41. “Unique restaurant with OK food and terrible service.”
  42. “this place has the rep as a good bbq joint , and i dont know why!”
  43. “The chicken was dry as well.”
  44. “it's too bad because they are located in a good spot--Boston definitely needs better bbq places!”
  45. “The ribs were just not very tasty; pretty tender, but I've made better myself.”
  46. “The pulled pork there is amazing!”
  47. “Their mild sauce is better than the sweet, but all the sauces had a good flavor to them.”
  48. “Downstairs, called Underbones, you can find 25 microbrews (delicious ones at that) on tap everynite, a friendly waitstaff, quick bartenders, great prices, fantastic bar food & barbeque, and good tunes.”
  49. “Cheap booze, good food and a cool atmosphere too.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “will say that their service, beer selection, corn bread and bbq sauce are all stupendous.”
  2. “They have a great drink menu too.”
  3. “Abundance of brews was on the menu - excellent.”
  4. “Excellent beer selection.”
  5. “The menu is large, the food is excellent, the beer selection is fantastic, and the service is very friendly.”
  6. “The variety of ribs is great, the catfish is awesome, and there are too many beers to choose from.”
  7. “Their brisket was not my favorite however their ribs and quality beer selection make up for it.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “It's a great place to have a few drinks!”
  2. “I've tried all the best places and this place definitely wins!”
  3. “After hearing how great this place was for several years, finally had to belly up.”
  4. “Overall, for New England, I would say this would be a good low key, low cost place to have dinner.”
  5. “once had the best stout ever there, from some small microbrew place, but sadly I could not remember the name and it never was there again.”
  6. “Although good bbq is hard to come by in New England, Redbones is not the place to find it.”
  7. “Redbones is a great place for a large family gathering.”
service
90.90999603271484% positive
  1. “Even though it was busy, service was prompt and waitress was extra friendly.”
  2. “We went there in a big group of around 20 people and just wanted to hang out by the bar for the most part.”
  3. “Drinks are great, the bartenders are fab!”
  4. “Unique restaurant with OK food and terrible service.”
  5. “The service was great, except that our food came before the appetizer.”
  6. “The menu is large, the food is excellent, the beer selection is fantastic, and the service is very friendly.”
  7. “Sometimes the waiters/waitresses are rude, supposedly that's part of the atmosphere.”
  8. “The service isn't the best, they rush you right through the meal.”
  9. “but I just wanted to say that I was there last night and the service was impeccable.”
  10. “Downstairs, called Underbones, you can find 25 microbrews (delicious ones at that) on tap everynite, a friendly waitstaff, quick bartenders, great prices, fantastic bar food & barbeque, and good tunes.”
  11. “don't know why people rave about ANY of the food here, but it must be because they like 'blah food' instead of 'soul food'.”
  12. “The service was excellent though.”
  13. “know a lot of people from NE love this place but that's because the bar has been set low when it comes to BBQ standards.”
  14. “Great messy food- and good service.”
  15. “First off, let me say that the staff and the atmosphere there is great.”
  16. “will say that their service, beer selection, corn bread and bbq sauce are all stupendous.”
  17. “The table service can be scetchy at best; if you have no patience for parking I recommend the take out service.”
  18. “I've even heard people from the south/midwest say that these are the best ribs they've found in New England.”
  19. “The waitress was helpful explaining different types of ribs and genuinely seemed to care if we liked everything.”
  20. “the service is friendly, with a family-like somerville attitude.”
  21. “Great food, good service and right in Davis Square, can't beat it!”
  22. “highly recommend doing it family style if you like the people you're with!”
value
90.90999603271484% positive
  1. “the portions are huge and its hard to decide on just one.”
  2. “It would be an all around '10' in my book, except my favorite ribs-sampler platter The BBQ Belt, seems to have gotten more expensive (but with smaller portions) the last two times I was there.”
  3. “The portions are huge., so, that makes up for the dryness and they also give mild, medium or hot sauce.”
  4. “And it's easy walking distance from the T. Not to mention the artwork inside this place is VERY interesting, it's almost worth a trip there just for that!”
  5. “Downstairs, called Underbones, you can find 25 microbrews (delicious ones at that) on tap everynite, a friendly waitstaff, quick bartenders, great prices, fantastic bar food & barbeque, and good tunes.”
  6. “YES, there portions are big but that doesn't matter when you can't get past 3 bites.”
  7. “wasnt a huge fan of the Hush Puppies (fried cornbread) but thats just a personal thing.”
  8. “great value.”
  9. “Try their barbeque Belt or the all you can eat chicken and Ribs during the day it is a great value!”
  10. “portions are huge”
  11. “The portions are huge so skip the appetizers to save $6 and you will still have plenty of food.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “Downstairs, called Underbones, you can find 25 microbrews (delicious ones at that) on tap everynite, a friendly waitstaff, quick bartenders, great prices, fantastic bar food & barbeque, and good tunes.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/27/11

The Best!!!!!!!

by makeroftoys at Citysearch

I moved away from the Boston area a few years ago. The only restaurant I have not been able to duplicate in my new home (or get out of my mind)... is Redbones.

RB does BBQ right. Arkansas and Baby Back!!!!!

I miss you Redbones!!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

11/11/10

$50 gift certificate to Redbones? Hell yeah!!!

by Henrietta26 at Citysearch

Redbones is awesome. By far and away the best BBQ place in the area.

Wanted to share this gift cert I found.

All you need to do is 'Like' them on Facebook and then tell them your favorite BBQ place. Check it out:

www.bit.ly/b88EOJ

How great is that?!?!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/23/10

RedBones - the side dishes are the best

by Smacww at Citysearch

Seeing as there's 72 reviews already up here, it's not as though we NEED another one... but I just wanted to say that I was there last night and the service was impeccable. Friendly, courteous, and timely. Had the chicken sandwich - hit the spot perfectly at 11:45. But the best thing about RedBones are the sides. Last night my meal came with mashed potatoes and black beans... amazing. Another side dish to try is the collard greens.

  • Pros: Great service, solid beer menu
  • Cons: can't think of any, except that sometimes its pretty crowded
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/26/10

Am I a "Regular" Yet?

by Allie Beau , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

I think my boyfriend is still pretty miffed that I waited almost a solid year of him living in Medford before the words, "You know where we should go? ...Redbones" came tumbling out of my mouth. A solid twelve months of Regina's at Station Landing, the J Tree in Davis, and all our usual downtown spots for lunch or dinner...and I had never so much as thought to bring my favorite scruffy hippy to what he would later deem "Heaven".

I'm a touch of a beer snob, and so is he. I also tend to spend the bulk of my negligible income on important things like rent, vodka, flip flops and premium cable. So it is no wonder why I absolutely LOVE me some Redbones.

The beer list is extensive and always changing. The fact that the staff can keep up with the various brews and be able to help you find one--and then find it themselves on the tap tower despite all the taps being unlabeled, carved wood--is mind blowing.

And then, of course, there's the food.

The cheap, delicious, most comforting of comfort foods. The pulled pork sandwich makes me happy I stopped the whole "I don't eat pigs cause they're as smart as dogs" tangent I went on for a year or so. Brain capacity aside, dear Piggy, you are effing delicious when slow cooked.

I also highly, highly recommend the mac and cheese (my boyfriend said he wanted to "put it down his pants". That's a good thing. I swear), the RIBS, the hush puppies, the fried pickles, the buffalo scallops, the BBQ hash...

I could continue, but you get the point. You could drunkenly throw a dart at this menu to choose and would probably love what you got.

And finally, must give a particular nod to the staff. I worked service industry for so long that I feel I must acknowledge when people go above and beyond to be accommodating, interested and funny. This has consistently been the case every time at Redbones.

See ya next Saturday.

  • Pros: Awesome staff, cheap and delicious food
  • Cons: Crowded on Saturday afternoons--my fav time to go
4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/19/10

Nice Restaurant

by romilbm at Citysearch

On my qst visit to boston i tried a few other restaurants....and then i tried this one... was gr8

  • Pros: Great 1st Impression

The Details on Redbones

Place Categories:

  • good bbq food
  • good service
  • love redbones
  • great low cost place
  • good bbq
  • best great baby back ribs
  • huge portions
  • just not very tasty ribs
  • best southern barbecue
  • great family restaurant
  • fabulous other drinks
  • great fun atmosphere
  • big group
  • helpful waitress
  • interesting decor
  • great value
  • good fried catfish
  • great drink menu
  • like people
  • great beer
  • tasty side dishes
  • favorite brisket
  • not very good hushpuppies
  • great bar downstairs
  • great price

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

Boston

Message from Redbones

  • 24 Fresh Microbrews on Tap
  • Catering & Delivery
  • Hosts Local Brew Fests

Redbones, a popular destination in Davis Square, Somerville, since 1987, serves authentic real pit Southern BBQ. All items from the tasty menu are available in the restaurant, for take out and delivery. Catering for all sized groups is a specialty.

Redbones serves 28 standard-setting and fan favorite brews on tap and a wide selection of bottled beers. The full bar also offers specialty drinks including Margaritas and Mexican Martinis and an array of spirits.

Redbones is open seven days for lunch, dinner, late night dining and brunch on Sundays. Free bicycle valet parking is available evenings to cyclists coming to Davis Square. Special events are scheduled throughout the year.

Customers and staffers alike share the spirit of Redbones, where community rather than commercialism has been the order of the day since 1987. For information visit redbones.com and Facebook.