Stumbled upon while driving to Lake Placid. Lots of outdoor seating. Service was good. Food was tasty. read more

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Fun outdoor atmosphere- clean, well run, excellent staff, great food! Fun for families and pets. Would recommend as a great roadside attraction! read more

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3 stars so as not to skew the overall average. I was at Tail O' The Pup about 25 years ago and I remember two things: I was unimpressed and it was smoky inside. I haven't been back since until today. Apparently it's gone through a few ownership changes and now it's owned by Blue Line Brewery. They say on the menu that they don't serve Baby Back Ribs and only serve the Meaty St Louis Ribs, so I ordered a half rack of ribs and corn bread. It strangely came with a slice of watermelon that I think came out of the freezer. The taste of the corn bread was pretty good but it crumbled when I tried to pick a piece off. Finally the ribs: Unremarkable. They sure looked like baby back ribs (see photo). The taste of the BBQ was good. That's where the quality ends. I wouldn't call them meaty, especially since they say they are. They were difficult to eat. The meat was dry and hard for the most part and there was a lot of non edible gristle to pick through. I get that we're not in Texas, Kansas City, or the Carolinas, but if your establishment has a huge sign highlighting BBQ, for the last 30+ years, you better have good BBQ. And what's with a place that specializes in BBQ, but doesn't offer Brisket? I'm disappointed. This place is more of a hangout than a place to get BBQ. My advice is to lower your expectations and not order BBQ. You may get a good burger or a decent pulled pork sandwich, but then again, you may not. Maybe this was just a bad day for them (Saturday at 2:30), but it may be another 25 years before I try again. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Outdoor seating - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

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A unique roadside Restaurant! The bbq chicken was large and flavorful. Menu has good variety and the service was friendly and fast. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

The service was quick, attentive, and very friendly. The ribs were sweet and tender enough. There was live music, one singer with a great raw voice. She sang to the customers sitting in rows of picnic benches outside under a vaguely circus looking tent with lights. This is a very family friendly and dog friendly place. The crispy burnt bits on it were delish! They ran out of the ribs right after I placed my order around 7:30, so make sure to get there early to ensure you get it! I got a side of corn bread, which you could definitely skip maybe go for the potato salad or something. It was just cold and mid at best. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Just Ribs Homemade Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

Came in and asked if we were able to sit at the bar the hostess was clueless. I'm assuming the man who came out to speak to us was the owner, extremely rude and nasty. We went to the bar anyways and the girl behind the bar said she wasn't serving. We came to have a good time and spend our money here but after his horrible attitude, lack of professionalism, and the fact no one knew what was going on in that place we just walked out. Do not recommend. read more

We were on a layover in Lake Placid on our way to Quebec. Since it was a holiday weekend, most of the establishments in the village had an hour or more wait time. This place is a little hole in the wall out in the middle of nowhere with no waiting. We had the BBQ chicken and pork sandwich with sides of fries and onion rings. For what it was worth being a place that if you didn't know about, you wouldn't (it was recommended by friends) it was delicious and well worth skipping the wait in the village. read more

Stopped by on a rainy afternoon for a quick meal. First of all - huge shout out to the tent because we stayed dry even though it was absolutely pouring down rain. It was a quiet day, I'm assuming because of the weather. I noticed a sign that said live music everyday and I can see how this place would be a really fun hang in better weather and music. Service was pretty quick. Our table tasted a variety of items. Mac and cheese with pulled pork - not great, the mac and cheese was pretty dry, without the pork this would have been a total loss. Fried scallop plate - basic, scallops had nice texture, LOVED the waffle fries, came with slaw that could have used a little more flavor. Pulled pork plate - super tasty, really enjoyed the sauce (would buy bottles of this if I could). I wouldn't say this is my favorite bbq I've ever had, but I would give it another chance. Coming back, I'd probably stick to the actual bbq items and sides. I think that's where this place really shines. You're really here for the vibes, so I would suggest picking a day/night when there's lots of people around, there's music, and you can soak it all in. read more

We stopped here on our way to placid. The kids played on the playground (sanity for mom and dad who needed a break). Food was good, dogs were welcome and everyone seemed to enjoy their time there! Even the staff! Thanks for an awesome meal! We will be back. read more

The food is just.....okay, but the management staff is what's leading me here. When being sat, there is a very clear dip in the cement. I even commented to my partner to watch his step because I stumbled a little. No sign indicating this and the person seating us didn't mention it. The next group to be sat wasn't so lucky when a female fell very hard (we all heard the thud of her body hitting the cement). The servers were all young teenage boys and they left the area, congregating near the serving area watching as the rest of the group and bystanders assisted the lady. After the lady was safely at her seat, a bystander asked to speak to her a Manager. She pointed out that the cement dips - he said he didn't know what she meant. She walked him over, showed him, pointed at the lady and told him she just fell and it's unsafe. He snorted and in a very condescending manner said, "oh really? First time I've heard that in 100 years" and walked off. He never checked on the visibly injured lady, never offered her anything - not even ice. For the remaining 40 minutes I was there, he walked back and forth carrying a menu, never stopping to do any actual work (there were only 3 tables - not at all busy) and certainly never checked on the lady who was injured while he was in charge. Not to mention he looked very unkept - wrinkled, too big shirt, scraggly beard...he looked like he was hungover and recently woke up. Overall, we won't be back thanks to how this one employee treated someone who was injured while he was in charge. read more

Super unique place with plenty of outdoor seating under huge tents. Fun environment, especially for a group. Everything we got was good -- lobster roll, smoked mac & cheese, and pulled pork. Our server was super kind and the food was out in unbelievable time. We would definitely visit again. read more

The wife and and were staying in lake placid from CT. We are on a motorcycle and passed by ToP and thought the place looked very authentic and dive barish, which usually has the best food. We made it a point to track this place down before we left for home. It took a bit to relocate it, but so happy we did. We got the ribs, Cole slaw, and potato salad to go. It came out quick and it was devoured in our hotel room and everything was delicious!! We had bbq twice in downtown lake placid but nothing beat this. Also the place looked very entertaining as well. We would have loved to hang out and eat there, if we hadn't to had to go back to pack. read more

This place has really turned around the last couple years under the new owner. The BBQ is fantastic and the seafood is super fresh and delicious. We got the BBQ combo with ribs, chicken and pulled pork. It was all tender and cooked perfectly. The house BBQ sauce is amazing. We also got the fisherman's platter with breaded and fried scallops, shrimp and cod. The breading is light and delicious. I don't think we've ever had better. All the seafood is brought in multiple times per week from Boston, so it's always fresh. Our daughter was raving about the lobster roll. We all had a great time and we will probably be back again next week! read more

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Overall, solid BBQ spot. If you want to set $8 on fire and eat brains then order the lobster knuckle appetizer! Ribs and chicken are solid. Corn bread very good! The sinks in the bathroom are also cool and very kid friendly environment read more

Super slow service, and they ran out of all their bbq items at 3pm on Sunday of Labor Day weekend. They do t tell you they are out when seating g you of course. How do you operate a bbq restaurant with no bbq? Literally no ribs, wings or chicken, just burgers and seafood. Should probably take the bbq sign out front. They have a little disclaimer at the bottom of their menu that they run out of things quite a bit but maybe they should just call it a Sides since that's all they had. read more

Unpretentious, casual, and classic. Was it the world's greatest BBQ? No but the ambiance was lovely, the beer was cold, and the wait staff was polite and efficient. 5 stars is for the layout and ambiance. It looks like the owner works hard to keep things going. My kids had a blast and they are insisting we go back. If you're looking for a relaxing time where the kids can have some space to play at the playground - this is a great spot. Enjoy! read more

Tail O'the Pup - Core memory! - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

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Looking for a great lunch that won't break your budget! Fabulous Barbeque and the cornbread is great too. We sat at a sunny table outside which was very enjoyable. Just 4 tables here early in lunch times and the service was good. read more

After coming to Placid for 20 years and not visiting I was camping nearby so walked over. Staff was VERY friendly and efficient. Food (lobster roll and crab cakes) was delicious and there was an extensive list of local brews, fairly priced. It is under new ownership so some older reviews may reflect start up hiccups. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Dining area, live music - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

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Delicious BBQ flavor, crisp fries, mac and cheese was so good (a little flavor of beer cheese and bacon). I'm not a huge BBQ person and got the lobster roll, but when I tried my husband's ribs & chicken, I knew I should have gotten the dinner. Ribs weren't dry or tough and waffle fries were the best! read more

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The food was delicious. The service was great., the ambience was perfect for the area old time roadside food. Everything was delicious ribs chicken hotdogs, everything read more

Tail O'the Pup - Me and my husband split this and couldn't finish at all - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

Saw this place driving to the Olympic center and it was interesting enough that I decided to stop. It's a barbecue restaurant that mimicked a summer camp. They had a gift shop and bar in these cabin like sheds. Also a children's playground and fire pit. We were a little early for the entertainment but there was a live band setting up. It was a cool atmosphere. As for the food; The seafood chowder was great. Very flavorful and as described. I also ordered the steak tips with waffle fries and cornbread. The steak had a great flavor but was nearly inedible. It was so hard to chew. The cornbread was very sweet. It tasted more like a muffin top than cornbread. It was good on its own, just tasted weird after a bite of the smokey steak The waffle fries were the best I've had in a long while ( for all my French fry addicts ) and they also have the strongest coke I've ever had. Stronger than McDonald's Sprite. read more

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A decent find. It's a satisfying summer spot with mostly picnic table settings serving satisfactory BBQ and lobster bake. It's a throwback to summer BBQ joints that used to dot the area. They do have a playground for the kids and a decent beer list. Ribs which were tender and smokey. BBQ Chicken was also good. The BBQ sauce is more tangy than sweet. The sides are hit or miss depending on how you like your potato salad (theirs is tangy with a lot of mayo) or mac n cheese (white cheese and casserole elbows). Overall, worth a stop in. read more

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...great spot for bbq but they don't have their liquor license yet, then I discovered why. Dining is outside & there on a large white pine are finger-points to far-off destinations. One of them is for the redSUX fenGAY park. This is #NYYANKEES territory & y'all my never get that liquor license !!! BBQ Pulled Pork, Mac & Cheese w/coleslaw side... Service was spot on... Ray Brooke, NY...Rte. 86 East out of Saranac Lake read more

Tail O'the Pup - Yankee's Flag - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

So just hear me out. Is there better BBQ to be had? Yes this isn't the best I've ever had, but it was good, and the food came out almost instantly and the portion sizes were acceptable. Are there better brewery spot to visit? Yes but the beer here was cold and served in a huge mug. And the bartender was literally running drinks. Also the waitress was attentive and very friendly. They also had multiple young staff running food to the tables which is always great to see a family working together. The manager was out directing traffic the whole time too he seemed like he was really in tune with the guest experience which was great. They also have a guy who plays the guitar and sings. And he's worth the price of admission all on his own. He was great he did a rendition of Jimmy Hendrix's star spangled banner and everyone stood up saluted the flag and sang along. It was pretty awesome! Side note - I didn't order it but the fish and chips and the fried chicken sandwich looked completely awesome. I had a rack of ribs with potato salad, collard greens , and corn bread. They were all good the greens needed some more lovin but I would eat it all again! This is a great place to bring kids, dogs, and large parties too! read more

Big mistake. Should have checked Yelp first. Hot dog was cold, could have got that at yesterday's buffet as leftover. Waffle fries were warm at best. Potatoes skins were just that. Skin with a little potatoe on it. I mean that's all it was, plain. Cheese sticks were greasy as all get out. Ribs were fairly tasty but only warm. Never did get corn bread as on the menu. All I can ask is how on this earth can a place boasting 94 years make it selling food I would be ashamed of giving a homeless person. Are there that many gullible people in the world? I can only warn others to save your money. Better choices in either direction of that place. Never again read more

Good solid bbq joint, total Upstate NY vibe. Unique outdoor dining with lots of menu options. Not pretentious or trying to be something it's not. Server Vladimir was very courteous & food arrived quickly. Will come back! read more

Ok - let's start by saying you know what you're getting when you pull up. It's a kitschy place that has a motel attached to it. We were drawn in by the lobster clambake sign when we drove past. With that said, it was a fun night with live music - band was great! We arrived to long lines, but puzzled because several tables were wide open but were told it would be a 20-30 minute wait for 9 people (not too bad). This place just seems run down, staff doesn't clean/bus tables in time and you're lucky if the bar is open. I heard one waitress telling a customer that she had asked the manager to man the bar but to no avail. Hostess seated us in about half the time (she was very friendly) and out waitress was amazing. I would give her 4 stars. The food was just ok. Teens ordered calamari, poutine (which is weird to have in the summer on the menu), mozzarella sticks, and buffalo wings. I can only recommend the buffalo wings - had a nice kick to them. The BBQ smells amazing, but my friend ordered the ribs and brisket and to be quite honest - was WAY over cooked, dried out and bbq sauce available on the table. My lobster was just ok and the clams were unfortunately dying in water. Corn was over cooked and tasteless & the cornbread was more like cake - didn't taste like cornbread at all. Definitely fell flat. Would have been better off ordering a burger. Wouldn't come back but glad we stopped in. Walked across the street for ice cream. read more

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Generally speaking, for a tourist area, the Adirondacks suffers from a dearth of good restaurants. Tail O the Pup is typical of that. I have a theory about their business model: in an area filled with tourists (ie, hungry people, often with children, who don't know any better) and a lot of parking problems (parking in downtown Lake Placid is ghastly, and Tail O'the Pup is outside of town, right on the side of the road, with plenty of parking) they basically survive - or thrive, as far as I know; they've been around for years and years - by capturing unwitting diners and serving them their untasty, disappointing food a single time (at least, I doubt anyone ever eats there twice). With the set-up they have, I cannot for the life of me understand why they don't just recruit a cook who really knows something about BBQ, or simply learn how to do it themselves. Perhaps even some time spent watching instructional videos on YouTube would help... It's the sort of unassuming place that could be great. But they seem resolute in slinging the pretty bad food they always have, and living with their "fool them once" business model. I don't think they're actually killing puppies and serving their tails, but I cannot guarantee it. In any case, I ate there once - steer clear. read more

Great place to stop for beer and bbq. Once order was placed, service was quick and food fresh. Will be back.

Service was not good, food was just ok, missing the chili sauce they used to serve. Been coming here for years and are disappointed - probably won't stop again. read more

The reasons to come: Good ambiance, Good beer (recently ownership changed), Love the live music, Food - usually stellar , Drinks - good The needs improvement: Tables- need some cleaning, [some] staff not wearing masks (only wearing the plastic shield), unclear if tables are 6ft apart, table was somewhat dirty. Unfortunately, the food this time around wasn't stellar. My onion rings were soggy, and my fries were overcooked. The salad was not very fresh, either. We used to love Tail O The Pup, making it our yearly stop in town. With new management, some things have changed, such as the now lack of vegetarian options on the menu, and the gift shop is almost non-existent, and no longer shows off the ADK spirit it once did. The people in my group who had the ribs were happy, but everyone else had minor issues with their meals. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

We have been here several times and it is fun. Today they were busy and short staffed - I felt bad they were running around so much. The reason I am giving one star is I ordered the whole lobster It came out with just a pair of plastic scissors. I asked the manager for a cracker and he said there is a shortage. Again, not their fault. When I said I couldn't crack or eat it he says oh well and made a snide comment. I didn't eat any because I couldn't crack it. The couple behind me asked for it to go because they couldn't crack their lobsters too and said they had a cracker at home. Another couple also said they couldn't eat their lobster like me. The manager was rude to all of us. So, if they know multiple people can't crack or eat them- shouldn't they tell you when you order it? Also. Why would the manager be so rude about it and didn't even attempt to apologize ? read more

We had a good time despite the lack of alcohol due to a pending license. Potato skins were great, bbq ribs too and fish and chips were solid. Good simple food in a rural setting the way you'd expect, but in our case it was made fresh and tasted good. If we are in ADK again, we'll stop by. Just use bug spray as black fly bites are no fun. read more

Tail O'the Pup - Potato skins - Barbeque Near Me - Ray Brook, New York

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Slow down as you drive by to see what it looks like. That's all you really need to do here. Food isn't great and neither is the service. We were here on a Monday afternoon at about 2pm so the place wasn't very busy. Ordered the pulled pork dinner which arrived with very little bbq sauce and the pork was sitting in a surprising amount of water. Pork was very dry - it needed much more bbq sauce than was initially provided. Before it was half finished, there was no sauce left. I asked our waiter for more sauce but when he returned 15 minutes later, he had forgotten about it. Food was cold by then so got our check and left. They took the price of our two beers off the bill which was appreciated, but as the bad experience here is consistent across time, they won't see us as guest again. My wife's dinner was a half rack of ribs. Meat was dry and had to be carved off the bone with a fair amount of effort. I was here 5 years ago and left feeling very disappointed. Their web site suggested things were different, but nothing was. Do yourself a HUGE favor when you get here and look directly across the street. The people you see over there are enjoying some excellent food and drink! See my related review. read more

I don't get why this place has a low rating. Their staffing is apparently short and we did wait a decently long time for our food- but all things considered, they are doing a phenomenal job. I had the pulled pork with corn bread and fries. All delicious! Pretty much cleaned my whole plate. Washed it down with Saranac root beer which is great. I only deducted a point because it's not the BEST bbq I've ever had. Definitely really, really good BBQ. I hope these guys continue to do well! read more

The live music was amazing! However, that is where it ends. Although the people are friendly, the food was horrible.

Agree with Samantha S. Not sure why this place has such a low rating. We stopped by after a morning of hiking and got a big mess of food to replace all those calories we left on the trail. We got one of the BBQ samplers we put together from different meats and sides. I prefer my ribs to fall off the bone, I know there is a large group of people who really like a little tooth to their ribs but not I. The chicken was delicious and smokey with a nice crispy skin. The waffle fries were crispy and well seasoned. The host was super friendly and we struck up a conversation, found out he's from Philly, how cool! After staying in the Adirondacks for about 3.5 weeks, I can honestly say, you can do worse than to check out this spot. read more

I ordered the Barbecued Half Chicken and Potato Salad for Takeout for $18.00 on Saturday evening, July 6, 2024. Surprisingly, there were not many customers eating at the tables despite a band playing outside. The order arrived in 5 minutes. The potato salad was very good, but the main attraction, the barbecued half chicken, was the smallest scrawniest half chicken I've ever had. I would have been better off to go to a local market and purchase a rotisserie chicken with barbecue sauce on it. The chicken didn't have a smoky flavor, only the barbecue sauce had flavor. read more

It's always sad to go back to one of your childhood favorite restaurants and realize that it has dropped significantly in quality. Growing up nearby in Clinton County, my family and I would often go to Tail O'the Pup after hiking. After not eating here for years, my brother and I decided to dine here after a hiking while visiting home over Fourth of July Weekend. Unfortunately, the nostalgia of childhood bliss was wiped away by a horrible experience here. After arriving, we were told there would be a 30 minute wait, which is understandable given that it was the Friday after Fourth of July. After we finally got our tables and placed our order, it took almost an hour to get our food. When we did get it, we were extremely disappointed. Our basket cheese curds were pitiable, and honestly didn't even taste that cheesy. Our brisket also came in a small portion relative to what you would expect from an outdoor bbq joint. In addition it was extremely dry and tough. Literally some pieces were so over cooked that you couldn't chew it and had to spit it out. The ribs were the best item we ordered, and honestly they were just mediocre. Average ribs, not very tender or flavorful but at least they didn't have a jerky-like consistency. Our subpar experience has forever tainted our childhood nostalgia. My dad mentioned that he read in a local paper that the place recently came under new management, so if that is true then the new management has really run the once family friendly have to the ground. Sadly, I don't think I will ever come back. read more

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Not bad for BBQ up in the mountains.. a little salty but the corn did it justice.. friendly staff and pet friendly was a plus.. definitely would go back!!! read more