5 Restaurant Chains With the Best BBQ Ribs and Fries, According to Diners
What’s even better than a rack or half-rack of ribs? Ribs served alongside French fries. In my opinion, the only way to eat ribs is with fries and coleslaw, because the trio hits all the right flavor and texture notes: Sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, balanced by cooling, creamy coleslaw, and French fries for a salty, crispy finish. Where can you get the best BBQ ribs and fries? Here are 5 restaurant chains that have the best, according to diners.
Famous Dave’s
Famous Dave’s Award-Winning ribs are hand-rubbed with spices, slow-smoked in a pit, and basted in scratch-made sauces. The ribs are smoked for approximately 3 hours with pure hickory. The rub in the restaurant is primarily smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic, and a little cayenne pepper. The celery seeds are added after the rib rub and only on the top side of ribs,” a former pitmaster revealed on Reddit. They can be served alongside their signature “Famous Fries”—seasoned, thick-cut fries with a classic skin-on texture, perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse serves up slow-cooked, hand-rubbed ribs that diners adore. The ribs are glazed in their signature barbecue sauce. “Pleasantly surprised by the ribs at Texas Roadhouse last night, beautiful delicious crust and fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender!” said a Redditor. “As far as chains go…they make the most solid rib,” another added. They pair perfectly with the chain’s thick-cut, hearty steak fries seasoned with their signature savory spice blend.
Mission BBQ
Mission BBQ‘s baby-back ribs, served by the bone, are delicious, according to diners. The fall-off-the-bone ribs are super tender and pair well with Tupelo Honey Heat sauce. “The food was the best I had ever tasted,” one diner says. The chain’s Fresh Cut Fries are also a favorite, hand-cut daily from Idaho potatoes, soaked, cooked to order, and seasoned with a house-made blend.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Ribs
b
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is a Texas-born chain famous for serving slow-smoked ribs. One Redditor called them “solid” in a review, maintaining they are as authentic as southern dives. “Very good, my wife and I go to smokehouses all over the USA. Certainly for the offerings you will get here. It’s pretty good.” Dickey’s also serves crispy, hand-cut seasoned fries cooked fresh in-store and tossed in their signature Foo Foo Powder.
Houston’s/Hillstone
I will die on the hill that Houston has the best ribs of any non-BBQ specific restaurant. “Those ribs are finger-lickin’ good. My favorite part is making a mess with it and licking the plate clean. I’ll like the sauce no matter where it ends up,” one Redditor says about the Knife & Fok Barbeque Ribs. They are “slow cooked and fall-off-the-bone tender.” They come with coleslaw and fries, which are ultra-tasty and crispy matchstick fries.