I was a big fan of Rubs when they first opened years ago on Prince Arthur in Montreal. They then shut down for a while due to a flood and opened a new location on Curé Labelle Laval. I have gone to both those locations several times over the years and sadly the service, prices and portions just keep going downhill.
There's still lots to love about Rubs, if you want juicy burgers, ribs, and classic bbq, you can find it all, but a lot of the extras that used to be included free of charge are now more expensive. For example, sweet potato fries and mac and cheese used to be free sides, then they upped the price to $1.98 and now it's $3 for a tiny container of mac and cheese that barely has 3 bites. This side dish is so small, it should be used for sauces only, not actual food.
The recipe for the mac and cheese, which was one of my favorites has also changed. They previously used very flavorful smoked cheese, the dish was creamy and decadent. Now the mac and cheese is rather bland with very mild cheese and not enough bechamel sauce.
In the past, big squeeze bottles of sauces were available on every table for you to use as needed, now you only get 1 tiny portion of sauce and any others you may want to taste are extra $$. I mean we're at a BBQ place and the sauce isn't even included?!
I noticed most portions look large but 2/3 of the plates are in fact just covered with fries.
This isn't BBQ like how it's served in the states and I understand restaurants have to re-invent themselves and keep increasing prices over the years to stay competitive, but the overall flavors and portions are shrinking for what you pay for. For someone who has been going since the start, it's tough to see such a change.
This new location is in a rather quiet residential area, in the past 5 years I believe there were at least 2 other businesses that have closed down at this exact spot therefore we'll see how long Rubs survives.
If the owners are reading this, please at least bring back the regular BBQ sauce on every table. I hope you guys don't make us start paying for ketchup or salt and pepper too! read more