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Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

246 W Willow St, Syracuse, NY 13202
315-476-4937
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Ranked #3 of 422 restaurants in Syracuse
Cuisines: Barbecue
Good for: Families with children, Bar scene, Local cuisine
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Takeout, Delivery, Late Night, Dessert
Restaurant details
Good for: Families with children, Bar scene, Local cuisine
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Takeout, Delivery, Late Night, Dessert
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593 reviews from our community

84% Recommend
    350
    150
    63
    21
    9
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 of 5 stars Reviewed May 21, 2013 NEW

I love this restaurant for their ribs and I have been there a few times. This time was not a good experience to the point that I don't think I will go back. For some reason they have decided to place tables in the middle of the corridor and sat us there. We were in the middle of the place... More

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Chicago, IL
Top Contributor
59 reviews 59 reviews
31 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 34 cities Reviews in 34 cities
28 helpful votes 28 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 20, 2013 NEW

Perhaps we should have known better than to try BBQ in New York State but there was nothing else open, it was crowded and the food looked great. However, that is where it all ended. The ribs were chewy and not cooked anywhere near enough, the sauces were too sweet with no complexity and all of the sides (mac n... More

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Manlius
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 16, 2013 NEW

Brooks' Chicken easily beats Dinosaur's, but their brisket is terrific. Just be prepared - not everywhere do the waiters wear extremely vulgar Tshirts even on Mother's Day.

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London, United Kingdom
Senior Contributor
36 reviews 36 reviews
19 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 17 cities Reviews in 17 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 12, 2013

This BBQ joint is a little outside the centre. I would recommend booking beforehand if you are going at the weekend, although there are a few tables near the bar that are available on a first come first served basis. Go easy on the ordering as the portions are pretty substantial (to be expected!) although you can get the leftovers... More

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1 review
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 12, 2013 via mobile

Went for lunch the food was very disappointing. I have lived in the area for 20 years and for the past 10 years the quality of food has declined over the years . I had a BBQ pork platter with tomatoes/ cucumber salad. The BBQ cold and the salad warm. Service was good. But quality of food is getting worse.... More

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Syracuse, New York
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
16 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 10, 2013

This restaurant is so popular you should just opt for takeout which is just as good as eating in, but much quicker. Love the rice and gravy and cornbread. BBQ is delicious.

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See 10 more reviews by syr_qlts for Syracuse
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
10 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 9, 2013

I've been to Dinosaur BBQ on three different occasions, all on different days/times with different types of people; the one thing that remained the same is how incredible all the food is. I can't wait to get back down to Syracuse to enjoy!

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Norfolk, Virginia
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
14 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 9, 2013

I'll start off by saying I live in Virginia-where the BBQ is taken VERY seriously...although not as seriously as it's taken "further south"! Lol! The trip to Dinosaur happened on a brief visit to Syracuse in Feb. 2013, traveling to meet friends of my boyfriend, and always on the lookout for really good food. The Sensory experience begins from the... More

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Rochester, New York
Top Contributor
426 reviews 426 reviews
294 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 89 cities Reviews in 89 cities
105 helpful votes 105 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 9, 2013

I went back to this favorite stomping grounds last night while in Syracuse, and it just keeps getting better! The Dinosaur is the Real Deal for BBQ, and the whole place just sort of vibrates with the soul of the BBQ concept. For dinner, I threw all caution to the wind and ordered 3/4 rack of baby back ribs, with... More

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See 22 more reviews by Larry W for Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
4 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 8, 2013

The best bar-b-que you'll ever taste, no matter where you travel. Grew up in Syracuse and lived in Rochester for 5 years so I was never far from the Dino. Now live an hour from Syracuse but make a point to get to Dino often!

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