Work took me to Rochester, New York. Of course, where to eat? The search took us to The Dinosaur Bar. Melt in your mouth brisket, delicious ribs, and Barbecue chicken. Washed down with beers. Wonderful way to end the day. Far away as it is from SoCal, I'd still say it. Socal Weekend Walkarounds definitely recommends The Dinosaur Bar! Try the Brisket!!!! The best barbecue in Rochester Located in the heart of downtown Rochester, Dinosaur BBQ Rochester is situated in the former Lehigh Valley Railroad Station, a picturesque location overlooking the Genesee River and situated near the Blue Cross Arena. https://dinosaurbarbque.com/locations/rochester Check out my Video on the Dinosaur Bar-B-Cue on IG and FB! https://fb.watch/oiGJ2W-ZLV/?mibextid=Nif5oz read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

First time trying this place when I was visiting my boyfriend in Rochester. Had heard many good reviews from many University of Rochester students and the food did not disappoint. We ordered the 1/2 family style and it literally came with so much food. So much so that my boyfriend and I ate it for dinner as well! We got the brisket with the 2 sides of Mac and cheese and pulled pork with beans. At first, I was hesitant in the pulled pork with beans, but it turned out so good!! It was slightly sweet with a creamier texture. The Mac and cheese had so much flavor to it. But I think the best part was the cornbread. Oh my gosh, the cornbread was AMAZING. You could tell that they really put effort into making the cornbread fresh and buttery. The corn flavor itself wasn't too overpowering and the texture wasn't too crumbly. OVERALL, it was just really good. I also ordered the Shirley Temple drink which was really good. However, it came in a glass bottle which I was not expecting. The price was pretty reasonable for the portion size, 10/10 would come back again :) read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Shirley Temple - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I took my wife to Dinosaur for Mother's Day lunch. We love this place. They have the best BBQ of any restaurant that I have ever eaten at . Our server was great. She was friendly and mentioned that some items were back on the menu if we're interested. We both decided to get the pulled pork sandwich on DiPaolo buns with a side of potato salad. The hickory smoked pork, the bbq sauce on a DiPaolo bun makes an amazing sandwich! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Pulled pork sandwich and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Not sure how I've never done a review of Dinosaur - Rochester before since it's a "must" when in town for work. First- staff is awesome. They manage to be friendly in a loud, crazy environment. Everyone we came in contact with was fabulous. I've been to other Dinosaur locations and, in my opinion, this one is the best quality-wise. Food is always hot, made to order and top notch in "flavortown". We shared fried green tomatoes and smoked wings. Loved the tomatoes and the wings are perfect. I could go back and just do wings for a meal. But I ordered a bowl-perhaps something new to the menu? A mix of rice, black beans, salad and a choice of protein (or mushroom!). I had the pulled chicken and the portion was just right. Everything tasted great and I loved the chipotle dressing on the side. Others at the table had combination plates, burgers, brisket and a build your own salad. Rave reviews all around. Shared two desserts that are also house made-key lime pie and salted caramel cookie...both off the hook. Fun, festive, loud, delish. Love that there are now choices for non meat eaters, too. read more

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I really did enjoy this place. I felt like it had a nice atmosphere and our service wasn't bad. I'm a big brisket guy, and it didn't disappoint here. They were exceptionally made and one of the best I'd had from a restaurant. The ribs, however, didn't stand out to me, and neither did the sides. Certainly not bad by any means - just not much to them. Overall, it was a pretty good experience! I don't get to go to Rochester very often, but if I have the opportunity, I think there's a decent shot that I'd come back here. read more

A to go place for nice BBQ dine in. Parking is very limited. Most is parking on street in front of the restaurant. When I got there and parked, it was a parking officer going around giving people tickets because they park where there is sign No parking. So be sure to check. My family came here Friday around 6:45pm and was on waiting list for half hour. There was few benches for siting near front door, may fit 10 people for waiting. The restaurant was very busy. We got a round table in the middle of the room and next to door to go the 2nd room. Table was not enough room to fit out food and drinks. And people walked pass our table a lots due to near door, which I wasn't happy. We ordered crispy chicken and family meal, and it sure way enough to fill our bellies and some left over. Food was good. The baked beans got little spicy seasoning. The corn bread a bit dry. We didn't like the BBQ brisket, the rest was good. Staffs are friendly read more

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Bbq dinosaur is a hometown favorite!! They never disappoint, the food always exceeds my standards they smoke all of the meats there everyday I get the brisket or the plate with three meats on it every time! Their bbq sauce is also amazing, a little tangy but really good The staff is very nice and quick to the point, the bartenders seem to try to avoid you if your just trying to get a drink (went two days in a row) the wait times can get up to over an hour so come early! The inside is cozy and I love all of the wood in the restaurant, you can see the falls from some of the seats inside! Overall this place has exceptional bbq for the price. I would recommend any bbq lover to try this place out! read more

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I consider myself an expert on bbq brisket and I have to say this place is amazing. Upon walking up you are greeted with the savory smell of their smokers. Inside the atmosphere is perfect for a bbq restaurant. I ordered a 1/2 pound of their lean brisket. It had a nice smoke ring, lean but very juicy and I was able to cut it with a plastic fork. They put a small amount of sauce in the kitchen so one could actually taste the meat itself. It was perfect! Quite a find, you won't be disappointed! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

This spot was one of my fav dine out experiences during my short trip to Rochester. We ordered the SweetHeart Deal for 2, which includes a full rack of ribs and 4 sides for $47 usd. I don't remember too much about the sides but hey had a lot to choose from but I remember liking the fries, corn and the collard greens. Everything I had was pretty good. This was one of the few spots that's bustling with customers Downtown. They also have various BBQ sauces for you to try on the side and you can also make a purchase of a bottle too. If you sit next to the window you can get a view of the outside waterway. Definitely a great spot to eat when in Rochester. I just wished I had more people at our table so we can try more. read more

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Been there numerous times and I have yet to have a bad meal. Ribs were tender every time. :)

Came here with my crew for some dinner. Very expensive so I went with the fried chicken sandwich with mashed potatoes and coleslaw which I think was around $15 if I remember correctly. The sandwich was good. I got it with bbq sauce which was good but not the best I'd ever had. Mashed potatoes were good. I like that they actually make them and it's not from a box. The coleslaw on the other hand.....NASTY!!!!!!!! Took one bite and wanted to vomit. I think they make it with oil and vinegar or something. YUCK!!! Wish I could have gotten a nice platter but there was NO WAY I was gonna spend that much. Lower your d*mn prices!! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Fried chicken sandwich with mashed potatoes and coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Got the 3 meat combo and I was glad I did! Ribs were a highlight but all meats were great. I love the collard greens as well. The restaurant was built out of an old train station which was near to see. Get there early because it can get busy on the weekend--but the wait is worth it! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

TLDR; ordered take out and it was delicious. Ordered the family style package which was definitely a hefty portion but so satisfying. Definitely add the cheddar jalapeno sausage (not included in the family style package). I was looking for some good American barbeque and I was surprised that there was a Dinosaur BBQ here cause I've only seen it around NYC. Now I know that they have a few locations upstate NY as well! Since it was a Friday night and we were a big group looking for dinner, I decided to opt for take out incase we couldn't get seats. Good thing I did cause when I came to pick up, the place was packed both indoors and outdoors, with several parties waiting for a table. I ordered online and it estimated ~30 mins for the food to be ready. It was pretty accurate cause I received a text just a little over 30 mins that my order was ready. The pick up was smooth and the staff was very kind, making sure that I had everything and that I would be able to carry it back to the car myself. Like I mentioned, we were a big group so I decided to order the family style package which comes with a whole chicken, full rack of ribs, one pound brisket or pork (we chose brisket), 3 sides, and cornbread. We also decided to add another 2 meat platter on top of that with brisket and cheddar jalapeno sausage. I wished they gave at least two sausage links rather than just one but it was definitely a lot of food and we devoured it all! The meats were great quality, so tender and plenty of flavor but it also came with a whole jar of Dinosaur BBQ's own sauce which we had to add over the meats too. For sides, we got to try almost all of them - collard greens, mac & cheese, tomato cucumber salad, mac salad, and baked beans. Loved every bite. The only thing I didn't really expect was for the tomato cucumber salad to be a little sour, almost pickled but it helped to contrast the heavy BBQ flavors. The corn bread was also nice and fluffy, definitely would be best warmed up but still deliciously sweet (but not too sweet). read more

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Coming from Houston I don't know what I expected. I ordered the brisket, ribs, and the pulled pork with a side of mac & cheese and whipped sweet potatoes. The only good thing I can say about this restaurant was that their sides were good. The brisket was decent but felt sacrilegious with the additional bbq sauce on top, the pulled pork didn't have enough fat so was a little dry, and the ribs were DRY. Service was fast and the ambiance felt like I was back in Texas for a bit, but I really do wish the meats were better. read more

I've come to Rochester many times and always said BBQ could never taste good in NY I stand corrected. That 2 meat combo with baked beans, tomato cucumber salad was SO good. read more

I always appreciate a venue with a great connection to local history and I loved hearing about how Dinosaur BBQ used to be an old train station. Our waitress, Casey, told us all about the fun ghost stories people had from working and dining in the restaurant. We got a great table with a view of the river and the little ducks fishing for their lunch. I had the ribs and a side of the corn and cucumber salad. All of it was delicious! Casey was a fantastic server who gave great recommendations and was very personal. Definitely highly recommend Dinosaur BBQ as a wonderful and delicious local restaurant in Rochester! read more

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I woke up craving it all over again, I'm sad. I didn't take leftovers home. This Meal is fantastic -- on top of that. We got a seat by the river, & our waitress well; She was delightful and a joy to have she deserves all the tips so make sure you tip right and go enjoy this wonderful food. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

The Food is amazing!!! Most of the employees are wonderful except one. Story time, I apparently was in the way of a bus person, they said move in a kind way, I said I am sorry and they said " yes you are". So I gave five stars because of everyone else around them. I obviously did not appreciate that type of response. Now I hope that the individual was not disrespectful because of my skin color and he is just a normal angry person. Either which way that type of terminology will receive a proper verbal response. Which I gave. I will never come back to this establishment on principle. Yes the food is amazing. Thank you again. Oh by the way the angry person needs a hug. read more

First of all, meats were really good as were the baked beans and I enjoyed the cornbread. Something about the Mac n cheese wasn't great to me but I believe it's one of the more popular sides so to each their own. Secondly, they serve southern style sweet tea which was a nice treat for a girl that's been in the south almost 2 decades now. Although, I asked for a to go drink and it came out in the smallest cup so I am not sure if that's because the bar filled it or if that is just the size of the to go drinks overall. I thought the prices were really reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. The only downside was the server and bartender trash talking patrons right beside me as I ate... not a good look for business but overall the food was great and I would recommend you try it. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Sampler Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Restaurant almost feels like a bike bar when you enter and has a unique ambience. Service was good, food was delicious - pulled pork and Cajun corn were spot on. The cornbread and chicken wings were mediocre, especially for a bar joint. read more

BBQ Bowl with Pulled Pork $15 + 3 Chicken Wings in hot Hello Buffalo source $ 6, pairing draft beer flight of 4: Genesee 12 Horse Ale, Swiftwater Hefeweizen, Three Heads The Kind IPA, Rohrbach Scotch Ale. The BBQ Bowl comes with plenty of green salads, the wings are hot indeed, and local tap brews are nice. Last but the most, the Friday night band is amazing! Esp. the guitar player is performing just above the top! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Super good wings. Loved the garlic habañero sauce. I had tres niños which was a sampler platter and was somewhat less impressed but thought it was solid. Fries are forgettable. Service was awesome. Come for the smells and kitsch if nothing else. read more

Pretty mediocre BBQ which is quite too pricy too. Not that good and wouldn't come get it.

Hey yall I'm back at it again! I feel like it's been a hot minute since my last actual food review buy I won't hold ya now! Why we went: Today is my 20th birthday so I decided to go to Rochester to go out to eat with my Rochesterian friend. We choose Dinosaur bbq! It's my first time going and her second time going! So we were excited! First impression look wise: On the outside it really sticks out ya know. Looks kinda flashy and it's screaming at people to come in lol. Coming in there are regular seats and tables and booths with a nice view in the window as you will see if you swipe to the second thing (video) Service: My friend arrived early and we had a reservation for 4pm. Waitress didn't hesitate to seat her as she waited for me. Waitress was kind, patient, and quick with our orders! Very food service! What did we order?: Because it's my birthday, I decided to order a pear cocktail. I wanna feel all adult so I decided to try that. Food wise, I got the 3 meat combo with 2 sides. So I got pulled pork, cheddar cheese and jalapeño sausage, and chicken with Mac and cheese and BBQ baked beans with some meat in there. My friend got the ribs How'd it taste?: The chicken was so good! Had a smokey flavor to it! I paired it with the Habanero sauce that they had on the table. The sauce made it twice as good! Pulled pork was also good and I poured their original BBQ sauce onto it! The sausage was my favorite. There was a jalapeño stuffed into it and some cheese but it isn't overwhelming and burning you with heat. It is just right. So if you're not a fan of spice I think it's still good to try. Meaty and flavorful! My friend felt the ribs were questionable based on unfamiliar flavoring but it tasted good the more she ate of it! The Mac and cheese was fantastic! We have never in our lives ever had Mac and cheese that tasted like that. It is very flavorful serving you a nice punch! It's so different than anything I've had. The baked beans were good too and the meat making or more filling. You also get cornbread for free I suppose The drink tasted a bit weird though. A little too sour for my liking. Pricing: Good for the amount you get! x 4.5 read more

This was my first time here and it won't be my last. They have an area for takeout and lots of table and booths to accommodate most parties. They told us the wait would be 25-30minutes; I think we waited only about 10-15 minutes. Adrienne is the best server ever!! She gave great, honest recommendations about the menu. The food was simply delicious. They give you a side of cornbread, just enough to kill that sweet craving. I will have to try the key lime pie though; it sounded yummy. The mango margarita was good - had a spicy salt rim. The collards are cooked in smoked turkey and had great flavor. Let's talk about those ribs, St. Louis style, were excellent!! The chicken was good too. I will deod I'll go back the next time I'm in the ROC. read more

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Their chili.... Normally tasty but this had 3 insanely huge chunks of just fat slabs the size of my thumb. It was horrific and about half the chili. Dino has been going downhill. lately when I order nothing is what made it great. It's just shit bbq now that sells sauce in wegmans. No wonder Beale street broke off with you as a partner. As soon as you got money, quality dropped hard. read more

I was in town for the weekend and my coworker told me Dino BBQ is a MUST try in Rochester. We got the family style for 2-3 people and it was massive!! We were stuffed and still had leftover. The Cajun corn was delicious! Everything was amazing, you really can't go wrong with any choice. read more

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Always love Dinosaur BBQ!!! This place was the highlight of my work trip to Rochester. The petite Trio was the perfect size for myself along with some appetizers as well. I always get the spicy shrimp boil which really isn't too spicy. My coworkers got the fried green tomatoes which I had a sample of which was absolutely delicious. And the Creole deviled eggs, they were perfectly seasoned and fluffy egg filling. With the petite sampler you got pulled pork ribs and brisket you can get two sides with it which I got the mashed potatoes and gravy and the collard greens.. If you're ever near a Dinosaur BBQ I highly recommend going to any location. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great staff, bar tender James knows his beers and is great at recommendations. Bbq ribs fell off the bone and brisket was lean, 2 meat combo was James idea, he had it right, corn bread to small, creamy Mac and cheese staff all friendly and fun To full today, bearly finished, but had to read more

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Best BBQ we have had in a long time! Visiting from Florida and wish we had one near us. Restaurant is a funky style, lots of music posters and music related art on the walls, lot of vintage pieces. Drinks were great, lot of beers, IPA's, wines, mixed drinks, and shockingly they had sweet tea! As should any bbq place. Food. Incredible! I had brisket and ribs, ribs were solid but the brisket was to die for, highly recommend that. We were a party of 4, and everyone loved what they had. Even the sides were great. Side dishes can be throwaways at times, but their Mac and cheese was really good. Staff was really great and accommodating, wife is gluten-free and our server really took an interest in making everything acceptable. Definitely recommend this BBQ spot!! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Brisket & ribs. Mac & Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

This place was recommended to me and I'm glad I drove the 30 minutes. It was definitely worth it. Parking was free in the evening and the restaurant was not as busy as I thought it might be. I started with fried green tomatoes; they had a slight zing and they were hot and crispy. The combo was perfect! The meats were falling off the bone and moist (I said it!.. MOIST!) the baked beans were fire!. Coleslaw was savory and my beer cold and hit the spot! The bar was clean and the people were friendly and helpful. I forgot my glasses and a bystander read the menu to me. The servers are great! You need to come down and visit. Make it there on a hot day but expect large crowds because I believe they are normally packed. read more

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Delicious food, amazing service, and great atmosphere. Definitely a place you want to check out when visiting. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

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SO GOOD! get the poutine fries to start, our server reccomened them and it was so delicious !! So good we talked about it all day after getting lunch there. read more

Fantastic ambience, rustic, and overlooking the river so close you could reach out and touch it.. Great food if not marvelous food.. that's a great choices of food, including many, which are quite healthy and some very decadent. Either way, anyway you have a great visit for eating enjoyment. And I oughta know I'm from Buffalo, New York the home of the best food on the planet....!! read more

The food, the service is outstanding at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que! I had the brisket, melt in your mouth deliciousness!!

I ordered the two-meat combo with brisket and pork ribs, and both were tender, well-seasoned, and delicious. One of the highlights of the meal was the macaroni--it tasted fantastic. The ambiance captured the classic barbecue joint vibe, and I enjoyed sitting at the bar, where the service was good! read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Brisket, ribs, macaroni - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great BBQ - I love the taste of the brisket, ribs and sausage - Wango BBQ Sauce is very tasty as well

I'm from Texas so I didn't have the grandest of expectations but it was good. Staff was very friendly and entertaining. The place filled up very quickly around 5pm read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Creole Spiced Deviled Eggs Bar - B - Que Beans Macaroni Salad Bar - B - Que Pork Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

So surprised by this legit BBQ spot in Rochester! As a lover of Texas BBQ, I am always looking for a good brisket or ribs. This place was so busy at 3 pm on a Saturday. I was told 30 min wait but only waited about 10 minutes. Menu is versatile! The brisket tacos were so delicious. The cheese gets crispy and makes a beautiful crust on the top of the tortilla. The meat is tender and the whole taco together with the peppers is very flavorful. The Mac and cheese was solid and a very generous serving. Side salad was also a good amount of veg, I love the house ranch with the fresh herbs. The ribs were also fantastic, very tender and flavorful. Would come back if I lived in Rochester! Definitely recommend. read more

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Half rack ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Super popular spot in Rochester for a reason. Always busy, vibrant and lively atmosphere, friendly staff, reasonable prices, large quantities of tasty food. The pulled pork, ribs and brisket were all very good, though a bit inconsistent. My brisket was really lean and tender, but my son's was very fatty (as brisket can be). He didn't enjoy it - perhaps they should give customers the option based on their preference. When not getting a half or full rack of ribs, that same inconsistency can occur as 3 ribs from one end of the slab can be very different from the other end. The sides received mixed reviews. The collards and skin on fries were very good, and the Mac and cheese really enjoyable (though very salty). Beans and cole slaw are solid, but I would certainly skip the macaroni salad...very mayonnaise-y, boring noodles. Reservations highly recommended, but if you have to wait, they have a good selection of beer available. read more

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