DINOSAUR RESTAURANT Reviews

Extremely good food and super friendly staff. Atmosphere is very relaxing and a nice.

Absolutely love the restaurant go there any time I'm in town

Stopped here going to Dundee. The food here was great as so was the service. We enjoyed it so much that on our way home we made a trip to go here again.

Absolutely amazing food. Great atmosphere. Best BBQ I have ever had ANYWHERE

Wings -- fantastic! They're smoked & grilled
Ribs -- good
Brisket -- amazing and moist
Coleslaw -- good
Chilli cheese fries -- very good
Corn bread -- it's OK, but a little dry

Wings and brisket are my absolute favourite.

Waitress was off her game. Forgot the beer, forgot the corn bread, and took forever to rectify the situation even after we told her (-1 star).

The band was an awesome touch!

Great food! Terrible wait for even a Monday night. But it was worth the wait. Anyway, we sneaked around to the to-go part and ordered our stuff so within 20 minutes we were outside (in the chilled air) eating. Again, totally worth it. Ribs are the best, pulled pork was good but smaller portions, fries are good, buy or use a BBQ sauce of theirs because it does add flavor on top of the already delicious food.

My absolute favorite barbecue in the world! Fast, great service too.

Had the Original brisket sandwich, it was excellent

Our first time here. Delicious food...we will be back!

Food was okay last visit, I've had better Dinosaur BBQ, plus they missed something in my bag, I had to wait ten minutes for it and everything else got cold. Felt like the pickup counter blamed me they didn't get it right, I had to argue that something was missing. I get that a mistake could be made, but fix it asap.

All is good at Dino. Wings are awesome.
Stop there every year on way up to the Salmon River.
Nikki always welcomes us.
Miss their Balt. spot.

Pulled pork and brisket were very good. Also had smoked portabello sandwich as a vegetarian option which almost never happens at a bbq joint. The bar had many options while we waited for table. To top dinner off, a slice of really good...and I say that rarely...really good key lime pie. Highly recommend for visitors and locals.

Great food and nice atmosphere! We visited in a Monday night, and there was really good live music and a friendly crowd. Will definately be back.

A little wait, but they were super accommodating with our children, one who was in a car seat. The best BBQ chicken I have ever eaten though!

The bbq is not bad. It gets very busy on the weekends. So be prepared to wait. If the weather is nice they might have a live music act outside.

I was expecting to be blown away by the food at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que based on everyones' recommendation and reviews. I liked it. It was good. It wasn't as spectacular as I had hoped. The fried green tomatoes were my favorite! Maybe I need to try it again with some live music or something?

Best BBQ in NY. Brisket is bomb. Mac n cheese is so good. Who am I kidding. Its all good!

Not what it used to be by a long shot... sadly. Growth mediocrity has taken over Dinosaurs BBQ. Ribs that were closer to Jerky. Cole Slaw that tasted like cabbage and vinegar. No longer have Carrit Salad available. Tomatoes and Cuc salad was warm and soaked in lame dressing. Three items from a to go order were completely missing despite being charged for them they had the right order on the invoice.... just couldn t manage to get those items in the bag. Highly disappointing experience at what was once a good BBQ joint.

Their staff is still unfamiliar with a hush puppy. Unacceptable.

Great atmosphere and of course great food! They always have a great selection of beer and at certain times they have live entertainment. I always leave there feeling full and whenever I am in the area I make a point of stopping by.

Food came quickly, even though the place was packed. Food was okay, nothing spectacular. My food was barely warm when it was served. Probably won't go back.

Very good Bar-B-Q. Open for carryout and we got some real good ribs, chicken and a hoggie brisket. Call to order and pick it up fast and hot.

I have to stop every time I'm in Syracuse. Some of the best BBQ around. Parking is a challenge, but that isn't their fault.

Again still a great place to eat great bbq and good beers! Great friendly staff as always! Cheers DBBQ!

Great atmosphere, excellent service and awesome Food

I had the pick two: wings and ribs. The smoked wings were great with the habanero devil's duel sauce. Very happy that they were actually spicy. The ribs had a great smokey taste and a good bark. The Cajun corn was so-so, a little on the bland side. The tomato and cucumber salad was nice and fresh. The cornbread could use some help - not a southern cornbread. Service was a tad slow due to the holiday weekend and that's ok. All in all, I was very impressed that new york BBQ had this great of a showing.

Food was amazing! Our name got lost on the wait but the hostess was able to get us sat promptly after the issue was discovered

It's a Syracuse staple for a reason. The food is damn good.

This place is epic. Great ribs, great chicken, skip the mac and cheese. Hot links are amazing. Girls that work there are ridiculously hot.

First time at the original Dinosaur. Lived for years near the one in Harlem and went regularly. Food is worth it especially if you like Mac and cheese and ribs.

Very small portions . Ribs were burnt and dry . Won t be going back.

Absolutely unreal, easily worth the hour+ wait! If you're ever in Syra and dont hit it up, bug off

Most popular place in Syracuse. Great atmosphere, very good food, friendly staff. We had to wait about an hour because of place was crowded with car show visitors as we are. But it's worth to wait

Amazing experience, service and food were spectacular!

Always delicious. The wait is sometimes long, but the food and service are worth it.

Fantastic place for BBQ! Great selection of craft beers. MUST GET CHILI NACHOS! You don't know me, but trust me! Jus' sayin! Nikki best bartender ever! Ask for her

Amazing drinks, food, and service! Triple A score in my book. Had a blast, the decor will keep your eyes busy the entire time. Great music as well! Definitely going back.

Simply the best BBQ around! I got the Sampler Extreme, because I couldn't decide on a full rack of ribs, the beef brisket, or the chicken. This came with a half chicken, half rack of ribs, half pound of brisket, cornbread, and two sides for 24 bucks. The quantity of food was awesome since I have a good appetite. The ribs were smoked and cooked perfectly, the chicken was moist the skin was perfectly crisp, and the brisket was to die for. I'm not normally a huge fan of cornbread, but they have it down to a science. The mashed potatoes tasted like instant potatoes, and the beans and rice didn't impress me. I came for the meat, and I left with a full belly. This will be a tradition every time I come to Syracuse!

For all the hype it definitely didn t meet the standards I thought it would have. Pulled pork was just fat, there was hardly any meat, ribs were dry and way over cooked, cornbread was so dry if you didn t have anything to drink it could be considered a choking hazard. The only thing this place has going for it is the friendly staff and atmosphere other than that if you want good bbq in NY you re better off going to a Famous Dave s or somewhere else.

Casual atmosphere, good service. Happily made an accommodation for my meal.

Food is great, staff is attentive, music is a great time....

Good ribs, excellent service. Deviled eggs and fried green tomatoes appetizers were yummy. Crazy busy on a Sunday afternoon, but we were seated after only ten minutes.

There is never a bad time to Dino. Great BBQ, atmosphere and staff!!

Amazing BBQ food, and a damn fine piece of cheesecake! I've sampled the ribs, wings, sausage, pulled pork, and brisket - all of which won't disappoint! If I had to choose 2, I'd go with the ribs and brisket however. The staff is also extremely friendly and down to Earth! Not from around here, but would frequent very often if I were!

Awesome place to get BBQ but make sure you get a reservation if you plan on going during dinner as it is always packed

Went here before a cuse game so it was packed. Wait was about 40 minutes and was standing room only. Food was excellent. Chicken was decent but the ribs were some of the best I've ever had.

Always great! Never been disappointed. The pulled pork and coleslaw are delicious!

Brisket all day!!! I eat Brisket when I go to BBQ spots. And this place has sum of the best around! Great music. We got in at 12am. Kitchen stays open till 1. Music goes later. Place is a must if passing through!!!

The best BBQ I've ever had! It can get extremely busy here but the employees can handle it. If you have to wait a while for a table.....do it..... it's worth it.

My husband and I recently had Dinosaur cater our wedding and the food was delicious! The meat was juicy, the potato salad and mac and cheese are seriously the best we have ever had and the salad was crisp and refreshing. They also accommodated our vegan and vegetarian guests with a mushroom stack and vegetable skewers that I was told were very good as well. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They even gave us a gift box with their signature sauces.

Well this is my very first time eating here I'm from ny city and I'm here to stay and I always ride past it and it's always crowded that's how u know its gotta b something good going on in here.....Stay tuned

Forgot bartenders name but she was awesome taking care of the customers at the bar taking drink orders non stopnrver missing a beat and never messing up an order.hope she's paid well. They all worked together no attitudes .worth the trip from orange county. Cudos to the owner , I'll be back food was awesome too.ty

Always good good and great service. It was my daughters 2nd birthday and they offered cup cakes no charge!!!!

WOW! Not something I expected in Syracuse. The place was packed but we got seated after only about half an hour. The service was quick and the food was great. The experience was like no other. I travel for work and get to many places. This is a must do if you are anywhere near. It a good thing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is not extinct. I might have to invent a reason to get back to upstate New York just for this food.

This establishment is well known people all over the states come to have a some of the best burgers Syracuse has to offer. Be prepared to wait at least 20min sometimes up to 40min

One of my favorite restaurants of all time. Food is to die for.

Ok if you are familiar to the people but not the greatest to just visit. Easy to feel out of place.

Food as good as always. Bar prices have gotten out of hand

Never a bad experience when we visit! Food is always delicious and the servers are always friendly :)

I couldn't be happier with Dinosaur BBQ's catering of our wedding. We got SO many comments about how delicious the food was, including from some family members who were originally concerned about whether BBQ is appropriate for a wedding (it is!) In addition to the straight up deliciousness (which is the most important thing!), the provided wonderful vegetarian options -- our vegetarian guests all felt like they got a satisfying meal. Everyone I worked with was also delightful. The crew that was there serving the food were all Super friendly and service was efficient, and everyone I spoke with on the phone leading up to the event was really kind and helpful. Dinosaur BBQ is an Awesome choice for catering -- highly recommend!

Had the 3 choice mixed plate of brisket, pulled pork and ribs with corn bread, black beans with rice and mac and cheese with some nice craft beers. The one plate was enough for two hungry people. We both liked the brisket the best but everything was great.

Great food and atmosphere. Wait staff were very nice. Ribs were out of this world. Good amount of food for the cost

Dinosaur BBQ was great the food was delicious and the service was outstanding

I love everything about this place. Food is delicious, staff is usually friendly, the atmosphere is unique. But I wish they had a parking lot!

Don t go here in a hurry! Don t whine about the wait. It s well worth the time it takes to get in and get eating.

Wait was about an hour at 4 on a saturday, place is loud and extremely crowded on the inside. Prepare to be bumped while eating. Staff was very friendly. Got the ribs and brisket combo. Ribs were seasoned well and tender. Brisket was very tender and smokey. Sauce is very vinegary. No sweet bbq sauce available, true Carolina style BBQ with the vinegar based sauces.

Great food. Great entertainment. Such a cool vibe to the place. No wonder it's a landmark in Syracuse.

No wait to get in, friendly staff, and really good food. What more could you ask for?

We stopped in at lunch time. Got our order to go. Service was good! Our order was delivered in a timely fashion.
The food was really good!! We had the pulled pork sliders with a side of mashed potatoes.

Even as a pskaterian I still found something good to eat!!

Food is still as good as I remember it and the beer selection is always great. Can't beat the atmosphere.

Great local treasure! The food is fantastic. Good selection of beers. It has a fun and festive roadhouse atmosphere.

Delicious food but the portion sizes were kinda small for the price.

Delicious BBQ, great beer selection with full bar, and live music almost every day. Typically there is a wait but it's definitely worth it.

Cool place. Great atmosphere. Good BBQ. Maybe not as good as a number of places in Memphis, but worth a visit for sure if in Syracuse.

Great food, condescending service, and an overwhelmed hostess. Don't rest on the laurels of your recipes Dinosaur...

Great food, made NY famous for BBQ. The service is a little slow but they are always super.busy. has a great room for private parties. This location is the original. The one that put dino BBQ on the map

Always an absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to come into Dinosaur. The service, as always, was quick, friendly, and the food always comes to the table correctly. I've never had to send anything back to be corrected. The dry rub that's at the table is out of this world and the sauces are amazing. If you can, get a sample EVERYTHING. It's all so good.

Really good food. Atmosphere borders on a little loud but still a good place to hang out. 20 beers on tap. Will look forward to my next visit to Syracuse so I can go again. Pictured is the ribs, wings, and hot link with mac and cheese, bbq beans and cornbread.

Pros:
If it's on the corner and its really crowded- then that is the place. The marketing looks great and the food smells delicious. Kids are everywhere so this is a great family place. I ordered the two meat special with two sides for about $20. BBQ chicken and brisket with collard greens and mashed potatoes. The brisket is very soft and tender, so if you like a little crunch and crisp like I do, don't get it. The rest of the meal was great and the waitress was friendly and patient.

Cons:
A little high priced for BBQ- $15 for one meal.
The inside is pretty small and crowded. So ordering carry out is standing room only and bothersome as you have to step in and out of people's way the whole time you wait. They need a bigger waiting area.

Going to Dinosaur is a good experience when you wanna see where Hilary Clinton calls the best BBQ. However I believe it was a little expensive for my taste and a little too crowded.

Food was great but it was 60 degrees in restaurant. Food came out hot but was cold in under 10 minutes.

Great BBQ at reasonable prices. Large variety of BBQ. Can get crowded and noisy but that's half the fun. Try out all their house sauces.

One of the best in town for barbecued ribs are collard greens their macaroni and cheese and the cornbread. Also pulled pork so dam yummy food there. .

It was a limited buffet menu but it was Okay. Unfortunately the Dinosaur is shell of its former self since it over expanded. 25 years ago, it was awesome. Those days are long gone.

Always a must as far as BBQ and several other choice options. Super cool atmosphere. Rent the second level for large group function