Fun place for groups downstairs at the bar but it gets very busy and difficult to get service. Some waitresses are great though and will find their way to you. Restaurant upstairs is nice too although it could definitely use some updating.
Great view, really good food, excellent wait staff.
Fun place always. Great music. Always mediocre food. But you have to go anyway. Great steady bartenders for years.
Nice spot with good views, tables adhered to social distancing rules. Food was fresh and hot, a little expensive in my opinion but the food was great!
Service was great but the food less so. You would think the ribs would be good but they were not and the fries seemed stale.
Had the fish basket of cod with onion rings and coleslaw it was very good. Service was very good. Enjoyed the ocean view from the patio . A nice setting it was earlier in the day so it was not crowded yet.
Had to send the food back twice but all in all it came out good in the end,,, and the atmosphere was great
The bartender Marina was GREAT.. Nice place.. We didn't eat so don't know anything about the food.. But what I seen coming out of the kitchen looked YUMMY...
Food is mediocre but the bands they book are great. I'm fairly certain their live entertainment is what keeps them in business. Which is unfortunate because they're situated in such an awesome location with a great view. We've been to Sunset Ribs numerous times, only because of who happened to be playing. Over time we've ordered a variety of foods off the menu, but it's always the same result..... Unimpressed.
For a rib place, the ribs were not good at all. I think they were cooked days before they were served to us with seriously gross bbq sauce on them. The view itself was beautiful but not worth the long ride to end the day on that kind of food.
The service was great and very friendly. We were seated quickly. But they were out of champagne and other wines, cucumbers and beef ribs.
They are shutting down for the season next month so the menu is getting sparse.
Two of us ordered the prime rib sandwich. One had a huge thick piece of prime rib cooked medium. Perfect.
Mine was a thin barely there piece that had the consistency of shoe leather. Good flavor but so tough. Part of it was as thin as shaved steak, while the other side was 1/4"thick.
Clam chowder was good. My husband enjoyed his pork ribs. He ordered strawberry shortcake and it was in a margaritas glass. Strawberries in the glass with a piece of cake on top of the rim with whipped cream on top. Really hard to eat with a plastic spoon.
First time there. Don't know if I would go back again at the beginning of the season next year.
Waitstaff was very nice, great surroundings. Our waitress was very nice.
Great atmosphere overlooking the water good food very relaxing
Food is ok and one of the bartender had no people skills. The outside tables were wet & the waitress never came back to pick the mess. Would not go back or recommend.
I loved the place , the food was great and I have a great time .
Food was good but this is the second time we have been here with more than ten people and no beef ridds. I don't think we will be back to soon.
Ordered the 23.00 steak and when it came out it was burned to a crisp. Worst food Ive ever had. On top of that there was this really friendly who was drinking on the job. His boss came over and started getting on to him for drinking on the job. the employee apologized but got fired. After the employee left I saw his boss went behind the counter and got a jack and coke for free. NO respect for this place and will never eat there again. Horrible customer service, horrible employee atmosphere, Absolutely disappointed especially after everyone told me it was a good place to eat. Also who has managers with full on beards in crappy clothing representing the restaurant. i understand regular cooks and people behind the scenes but seriously.
Food was very poor especially for the price. Nachos were disappointing, and they had very limited toppings. The nachos were soggy like they were just microwaved. I got a salad which was supposed to have chicken, avocado, and bacon and there was so little of each of those items (especially the avocado) that it was hard to justify the $12 price. I have had salads for far cheaper with far more. The only redeemable thing about this restaurant is the live music and their location, but The Dock restaurant is right down the road and even though it has a much more limited menu it is far superior. The service here is also sketchy. We went one night and we ended up being the last people there. My mother forgot her wallet there (knew exactly where she left it and everything) so she called to let them know we were returning to get it. Their response was that there was no wallet and we couldn't come back to look for it. Overall, this restaurant has seen much better days and really just feels unsatisfying all around.
Update:
In addition to having incredibly terrible service, food, and prices Sunset Ribs has also now started taking ideas from other restaurants. They just added to their menu what they call a "Lobster Blast" which is a bread bowl filled with lobster and then topped with lobster bisque. Ford's restaurant in Noank has EXACTLY the same menu item for years now just called the lobster bomb. They have gotten lots of recognition for it and many articles written about it and recognitions so it's not as if it is unknown that Ford's had this item on their menu. It's a blatant rip off. If you feel like trying it, I highly recommend driving to Ford's instead because they at least use fresh seafood and their food tastes good unlike Sunset. It really is a shame because this restaurant used to be incredible.
Excellent views, generally good food...and when the risotto and sauce aren't the great servers make it right.
This place is a classic summer institution for a reason. It's that good.
The ribs are outstanding but everything else on their menu is strong...especially the seafood in season if you are a seafood lover.
Never had a bad server. Always a couple fongreat beers on tap and they rotate some new brews every so often. Entertainment on the patio is not uncommon.
And the prices are reasonable for the meal.
Recommended - especially outdoors in the summer.
My boyfriend went there last Saturday for the first time to pick up food for us to celebrate my birthday. The prime rib sandwich was good, but the fish sandwich he asked for no tomatoes and they gave him a sandwich with a broken roll and with no tartar sauce, it was terrible. Not going back
If could give zero stars I would. The staff and management was terrible and didn't care for their customers. I do not recommend going here to anyone.
First time visit... good food....good music...awesome gift of a great sunset ...thank you Jesus!
Floors were sticky to the point I could feel my feet peeling off them..Got the LOADED Lobster mac and cheese...LOADED was 4 pieces of lobster..I paid 19.00 for mac and cheese, dry mac and cheese may I add.....never again.
This place is all about location, beautiful view of the Niantic river on a hot summer afternoon and the old route 156 where the old swing bridge used to be in my childhood. My how the times have changed in this location. The outdoor area usually has an act singing away, usually entertaining. The staff is for the most part attentive and kind, they do have their moments however when I feel like I am at the Jersey shore fighting for attention and service. The only thing I can't recommend is the food, mediocre bar food and just too many bad experiences. Eat at Lillian's Cafe or Blacksheep up the street in downtown niantic, then go to sunset...for sunset and enjoy the music and a drink, the deck can really get rocking with a fun crowd. They also have the outdoor propane heaters for when the nights turn cool.
Beautiful place to watch sunsets and a water view. Live music! Good menu to choose from for any taste and reasonable prices. Give it a try, great experience.
Such a hidden gem. Right on the water with beautiful views of boats and the bridge. Delicious food. The service was great too. Can't complain.
I stopped on a rainy day to have lunch. They served me an ice cold beer. For lunch I had a classic bacon cheeseburger and fries. The burger appeared to be flame cooked. Tasty and juicy. The fries were delicious. My only comment was that the bun was too big for the burger. The burger was a good size but the fluffy bun was hard to get through the bacon and beef. Great place, friendly staff, and view of the Niantic River.
Omg...this place - the food/drinks, live music, service and atmosphere was so worth the hour drive!!!
Food was average and tap list was pretty weak. Put some craftbrews on from local breweries!
Friend raved about this place. Not impressed by the ribs. Service was great
Service was great, atmosphere was lovely. Extra special thank you to Hannah and her father who made the dining experience wonderful and unforgettable. Dad you are a true blessing!!
Waitress very pleasant, food and drinks we're very delicious and the view was speechless!!! Will be coming again!
Great food! Their advocado appetizer is to die for!!!
Because of Corvette 19 right now, things for a limited. That said, I still enjoy myself were able to eat some food have a drink and listen to some live music it was OK
This place used to be awesome. It had been a family favorite for 10 years plus. We came by this year, and the food was awful. My dad ordered a "half chicken" that was a tiny thigh and a buffalo-wing sized leg that was burnt to a crisp. My ahi tuna was in a nasty teriyaki sauce that overpowered the fish. Wait staff were friendly, but acted like nothing was wrong with thr food. If you MUST come here, order something fried. Hard to mess that up.
Sexy bar tender very charming believe his name is Danny
Fantastic views! Extremely biker friendly. Good is delicious as well!
Went for dinner got calamari for appetizer and it more hot peppers fried than calamari. The food was good.
Plenty of outdoor seating. Good food and great service.
Great day by the water, food was good, band was great. Great place to be out side and enjoy the weather.
Foods great prices reasonable. The fully loaded nachos were amazing. Was just expecting nachos with chz and chicken on top........came out with layer after layer of chix, chz and salsa. More than enough for 4 ppl to eat. Well b coming back soon
My family had all seafood was awesome!! Heard they had a new chef.
They let people smoke in the restaurant which is against state law. Their waitresses are completely inattentive and did not once refill a cup of water. Their drinks are filled with ice and not worth the cost. The food and service was awful and I left smelling like smoke. Do not come here looking for good food or service. It feels like a crappy college dive bar.
Worst service I ve ever had. I didn t get my food for 3 hours!
Good food and beautiful view!! They have 2 nice decks that overlook the water and live music on Sunday afternoon . The ribs are very tasty and the there are a lot of other choices on the menu. I had the fried fish sandwich that was very good and substituted a side salad for the French fries, I was happy to be able to do that. Well worth a visit n
It s all in he title. Great ribs and better sunsets
It's a nice place with live music on some days. The delicious salads, the ribs. Good attention.
This place has been around for years and has some great food selections. Check out the fish sandwich and wing flavors. Of course a full bar each upper and lower floors. Wait even better great view of Niantic bay at sunset. Of course ribs too.
The food was pretty good - the view and atmosphere outside were enjoyable.
Great place to grab a cold beer while listening to great music and enjoying good food!!
Food was great, service by bartender was disappointing, restaurant needs a major update.
Outside seating is great ... On a sunny day you can't beat it ... Food is ok.
Ribs were delicious although I'm not a fan of meat.
Great food and great service... And of course the view is amazing! I will definitely be back.
Waitress was wonderful. Mahi Rueben was delicious . Burger cooked perfectly. View was great.
sunsetrib.com