JOHNNY RIB!
Well I have been eating at West Newton since day one. I think they are going to engrave my name in one of the stools at some point. Other benefits of kindness have been implemented to acknowledge my frequent business. I am a southerner, but usually stay away from pork and beef, however- watch for the smoked cheese burger special- best burger I've ever had. Even if you stay away from the red meat diet- Arlington (and Newton) often has a Mahi Mahi roll-up, or other fish specials for real short money. You will not find anything like this anywhere in Boston for $5.95!!! And if the sauces are "not hot enough" for you, with extreme caution, try a drop, just a drop, of the habenera sauce. I think you should ignore any mention of sauces not being hot. The general menu is consistent for both restaurants and so is the quality (as of 2004). West Newton has Ruben and team creating new specials daily, where Scott in Arlington is exercising his own creativity with other spice treats. You can't go wrong here, unless you are on a low cal diet- well you could get a "big green salad" I guess. There is no other restaurant like this. You can't get these ingredients, done this well, at this price, on this planet, forget about north/south. But don't come here, I'm tired of waiting for a place to sit down and eat my lunch. Johnny Rib?
Recommended: Jerk Chicken Burrito- with 'gold sauce', or (special) Porchetta spiced chicken sandwich!
Overall: 10
- BrianHarrisPhotography.com (Waltham)

its good and i know it
I hate bar-b-q usualy because of the burnt food and the gallons of sauces used to hide the flavor of the meat. But at Blue Ribbon in Arlington it is the exact opposite. There is something there for every one. The meat quality and freshness is unmatched and the sauces are light enought that the savory beek or chicken flavor is present. The food comes in great porportions for the money you spend and the sides are unbeleivable. It is definatly worth the wait in line.
Recommended: Ribs with spicy bar-b-q sauce, mashed potatoes, green beens, corn bread, and sweet potato pie for dessert.
Food: 10
Service: 10
Ambiance: 10
Overall: 10

Very Tasty BBQ
I'm from Texas where real meat is smoked and slow cooked just like Adam said. Sorry, Dan, you may only know Northeast barbeque which is not the real thing. The burnt ends, though lean (to my liking) and tender, weren't burnt a bit. It was more like pulled pork and, though not what I expected, was good. The hot barbeque sauce was just right for me. The XXX was hot and not so tasty as the more mild hot, so we didn't enjoy it as much. We arrived before the rush and got to sit at a table. The ribs were moist and tender, tasty yet some were very burnt and served to us anyway. The inside dining situation is fine if you know what to expect...a counter with stools and a few tables with chairs. Don't expect fine dining. Rustic and quirky decor representing the major barbecuing regions of the U.S.
Recommended: Ribs (request they not be burnt) and burnt ends (they aren't burnt!), potato salad, baked beans
Food: 6
Service: 10
Ambiance: 10
Overall: 6
- Hyde Park

Best BBQ Around
I think Dan has not found the taste for real dry rub slow cooked meat. It had better be smoky and it is deliciously smoky and real. Better than Redbones or the Porterhouse on Mass Ave. in Cambridge. Thumbs up. I have been to both Arlington and Newton and prefer Arlington. This is a takeout heaven. Not so good for eat in.
Recommended: Everything
Food: 8
Service: 8
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 8

Almost the Real Thing
I live within smelling distance of this place, and I love BBQ! Real smoked BBQ is pretty hard to find in New England, probably due to the common attitudes represented by "Dan" above. A lot of people in this area seem to prefer bland food. Fortunately, there are enough to keep Blue Ribbon hopping pretty much all the time. They have a good selection of smoked meats, great mashed potatoes, and some other respectable side dishes. Portions are HUGE! One dinner plate is enough to feed two normal people. The quality and authenticity is easily enough to rank it the top BBQ in the Boston area. They've definitely got the smoking procedure DOWN! My only complaints are that the meat is often too lean to stay moist during the smoking process, and that the hot sauces are not really hot at all. Even the sauce marked "XXX Hot Sauce" is pretty darn tame.
Recommended: Pulled pork, burnt ends.
Food: 6
Service: 8
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 6

Delicious, Not Nutritious, and Proud of It
I can't say enough about this place. It's fast, friendly, reasonably priced and has a fun vintage atmosphere. I happen to prefer the smoky, dry-rubbed flavor of their ribs (I recommend the "one third slab + 2 sides" as a starting point, unless you're a lumberjack) and Texas brisket to the sloppy, saucy, sweet stuff slopped out over at Redbones in Davis Sq., the nearest BBQ competitor. Note there's no liquor license, and not too many tables, but hosted my birthday dinner there for 16 people and we all left happy. Yummy cookies and brownies, too, and the butteriest mashed potatoes. They also cater platters. My only regrets: I really can't eat there every day, and they took down the little beanie baby cow, pig, and chicken they used to have hanging over the pickup window. Enjoy!
Recommended: rib and sides platters; brisket sandwich; pulled pork or chicken platters; burnt ends!
Food: 8
Service: 8
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 8
- Somerville, MA

Not from Around Here...and Better for It
Anyone who is not from Mass. knows that the locals suffer from a peculiar backwardness when it comes to civilized eating. If you've ever tried to find Sunday brunch with good food _and_ good service at a reasonable price, you know what I mean. By those terms, Blue Ribbon Bar-B-Q is one of the saving graces of the Cambridge/Arlington area. It's almost enough to make up for the damnable traffic up here. Yes, it's that good.
Recommended: Full rack of ribs, dry rub. Chipotle mustard. Black-eyed corn. Peach cobbler.
Food: 8
Service: 8
Ambiance: 8
Overall: 8
- Not from Around Here...and Better for It
- Lubbock, Texas

What's the Big Deal?
OK, when Blue Ribbon first came to Arlington, it seemed to be enjoying immense popularity, and it made that particular part of Massachusetts Avenue smell like heaven. The sad truth is, it tastes like hell. The incredible smoky taste of the ribs or barbecue pork sandwiches is equivalent to sitting in a small room jam packed with heavy smokers. I figured this particular type of BBQ was an aquired taste that many southerners have learned to love. But I simply can't comprehend why a restaurant of this particular type of "pit-smoked" BBQ eight miles outside of Boston can be so popular. I can only rate this restaurant as being just so-so.
Recommended: Order at your own risk, everything has a very smoky taste
Food: 4
Service: 6
Ambiance: 6
Overall: 4
- Arlington, MA