Blue Ribbon Barbeque

(781) 648-7427

908 Massachusetts Ave
Arlington, MA 02476 42.4175 -71.1646

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Price:

$

Last updated 11.17.11

Category:

Restaurants, Barbecue Restaurants, Catering

Payment Methods:

Gift Certificate, Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch, Hidden Find, Family Style Dining, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Traditional American

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Blue Ribbon Barbeque

Featured Review

Eric Grossman

Contributor

The Scene – Families and young professionals come from far and wide to dig into heaping pulled pork platters and imposing slabs of ribs, amid a southern roadside environment (counter service only). Lunch and dinner hours yield vastly different atmospheres: Noontime visitors enjoy a quiet, relaxed environment and rarely have a problem nabbing an open seat (there are only 12), while most nights bring standing-room-only crowds, forcing larger groups to skip the wait for a seat and take their meals to go. – – The Food – Order an assortment of the Ribbon's slow-cooked meats…

Editor's Tips

Save Money:
Save a few bucks (and some tough decisions) by ordering a bountiful "feedbag" (assorted meats and sides) for either four or six.
Save Time:
The sparse seating means dinner is almost always crowded. Order to go to avoid a lengthy wait for a table.
Know Before You Go:
Craving a cold beer? You're out of luck; only soft drinks are available.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Traditional Southern BBQ places are family operations that are long on great food and a bit short on ambiance.”
drinks
50.0% positive
  1. “Too bad that the Newton place doesn't have a beer and wine license-a nice cold beer is all that is missing.”
food quality
85.41999816894531% positive
  1. “slow cooked pit smoked brisket sandwich and some light and tart coleslaw makes a great lunch or solo supper.”
  2. “Excellent food, plan take out not much seating.”
  3. “And the sauce is so good (my mouth is already watering).”
  4. “Thier fresh baked cornbread is so good that although it makes a great addition to dinner, it rarely makes it home!”
  5. “Highly recommend their sandwiches for a spectacular and very satisfying value.”
  6. “This place has much to learn about BBQ food, and food in general, you know the place is lame when they can't get cole slaw right.”
  7. “Traditional Southern BBQ places are family operations that are long on great food and a bit short on ambiance.”
  8. “Their mash potato is also really good.”
  9. “Exception barbecue, sides, wraps and sandwiches at reasonable prices for generous portions.”
  10. “The pulled pork is excellent, the baked beans are the best I've had anywhere, and the sauces are excellent as well.”
  11. “The BBQ sauce tasted like nothing, the baked beans were sour, and the cole slaw was awful as if it had been laying around for 2 weeks.”
  12. “This was not a sandwich, and it was tasteless for an authentic BBQ restaurant.”
  13. “This place is the best food for less than $10 on the planet.”
  14. “The pulled pork barbeque has a wonderful smokey taste and the sauces represent a number of regional tastes (Eastern Carolina, Western North Carolina, South Carolina as a minimum).”
  15. “The big green salad with spicy chicken salad is a meal unto itself.”
  16. “The people are awesome and the food is FABULOUS.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “good variety, large portions”
service
100.0% positive
  1. “The people are awesome and the food is FABULOUS.”
  2. “Great staff, never a long wait despite the occasional line.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “good variety, large portions”
  2. “Highly recommend their sandwiches for a spectacular and very satisfying value.”
  3. “Exception barbecue, sides, wraps and sandwiches at reasonable prices for generous portions.”
wait time
88.88999938964844% positive
  1. “slow cooked pit smoked brisket sandwich and some light and tart coleslaw makes a great lunch or solo supper.”
  2. “Traditional Southern BBQ places are family operations that are long on great food and a bit short on ambiance.”
  3. “Great staff, never a long wait despite the occasional line.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/26/10

Best in Show BBQ

by DovesandFigs , Citysearch Contributor

This is one of my favorite in town takeout places. A slow cooked pit smoked brisket sandwich and some light and tart coleslaw makes a great lunch or solo supper. And try the burnt ends which may sounds like a kitchen failure but are meltingly tender and filled with BBQ flavor.

If you need to feed a hungry crowd they offer family size platters of ribs, chicken and sides like baked beans or mashed potatoes. Thier fresh baked cornbread is so good that although it makes a great addition to dinner, it rarely makes it home! Please excuse the crumbs on the car seat...

With the generous portions, it may be hard to leave room for dessert but the sweet potato pie and pecan pie are worth it.

  • Pros: Delicous smoky Barbeque, reasonable prices
  • Cons: Seating is cramped, better for takeout
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/08/10

Great barbecue!

by newenglander2

My husband and I love Blue Ribbon. Sometimes we try other places, and we are always disappointed because nothing is as good as Blue Ribbon! We love their burritos and ribs! And the sauce is so good (my mouth is already watering). What a fantastic place! Too bad that the Newton place doesn't have a beer and wine license-a nice cold beer is all that is missing.

  • Pros: The sauce, meats, service
  • Cons: No liquor license in Newton
3 Star Rating: Average

10/06/09

good variety, large portions

by ncgalnew2ma

I'm from the South and they do a good job offering different kinds of barbeque. However, their sides are nothing special and I've had better in the South. Also, they are a little expensive and while they give very large portions, I'd rather get a normal portion and pay less.

  • Pros: varied menu, quick service
  • Cons: pricey, nothing unique
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/14/09

Blue Ribbon for Blue Ribbon

by ARL02476

I'm new here, and I lived down south for many years, so when I was this place I thought BBQ in MA. It can't be very good. Well I was wrong. This place is excellent. I have been a few times and though I want to try everything on the menu, I have ordered the pulled pork every time because it was so good the last time I went . . . though I have tasted other items off of friends' plates . . . all good . . . delicious tender brisket. Even the slaw is great . . . when a bbq place cares about the slaw, you know that they care about everything. MMM!!!

  • Pros: Excellent bbq
  • Cons: wish it were open later
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/17/06

Great taste of the South

by edsomers

Traditional Southern BBQ places are family operations that are long on great food and a bit short on ambiance. Each one provides a unique experience; the barbeque and sauces are treasured family secrets. Blue Ribbon brings these delightful traditions to the Boston area. The pulled pork barbeque has a wonderful smokey taste and the sauces represent a number of regional tastes (Eastern Carolina, Western North Carolina, South Carolina as a minimum). The only thing missing is true home-brewed sweet tea. If you go there hungry, you will leave satisifed.

  • Pros: Great tasting food; typical Southern BBQ experienc
  • Cons: Store-bought iced tea

The Details on Blue Ribbon Barbeque

Place Categories:

  • fabulous food
  • fantastic sauces
  • fantastic place
  • really like thier fresh baked cornbread
  • best bbq
  • juicy ribs
  • great smokey taste
  • love blue ribbon
  • quite good brisket
  • favorite blue ribbon barbeque
  • great barbecue
  • great slaw
  • good nothing
  • love burritos
  • cold beer
  • delightful traditions
  • nice cold beer
  • great solo supper
  • big green salad
  • great staff
  • dry rubbed ribs
  • slow cooked pit
  • awesome people
  • recommend highly
  • just fantastic balsamic vinegar dressing
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