Review: OC's Fat Boy BBQ

Name: OC's Fat Boy BBQ
Address: 317 N Salina St Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 435-2453
Neighborhood: Near Northeast
Website: www.ocssportsbar.com
Menu: View menu
Cuisine: Barbecue, Pizza, Calzones, Standard Bar-Fare
Kitchen Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 AM - 12 AM
Bar Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 AM to close
Parking: On-street, Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: No
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes

Yes, there is barbecue joint just north of Clinton Square. And no, I am not at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. It's OC's Fat Boy BBQ.

I was finally able to check this place out recently. It's been on my "to go to" list for a few years now and figured during an SU game was as good as any time to stop in for some food and a beer.

OC's is situated on North Salina Street just a few blocks away from Vinomania and Columbus Baking Co and across the street from Thanos Imported Grocery and Barbieri's Italian Diner.

While the outside of this old, 4-story brick building could probably use a facelift, the inside was awesome. It's a classic dive bar: old wooden flooring, neon signs in the window, tin ceilings, tables and cocktail tables in the back room near the kitchen and ordering station, framed pictures all over the walls, SU memorabilia hanging up, and about 8 or so TVs scattered around the place. It's an excellent dive. And judging by the fact that I've heard literally nothing about this place since living in 'cuse for about 6 years, I'd say it's a very underrated one, at that. Especially for catching a game on TV.

There's an ordering station near the kitchen with a big chalkboard overhead displaying everything on the menu. The menu is huge (really huge), so I'll have to summarize. Ready?

Specialty pizzas, calzones, wings, pastas (stuffed shells, chicken riggies, baked ziti, lasagna...), desserts (deep fried oreos, frosted M&M brownies...), fish diner on Fridays, salads, 1/2 pound burgers, wraps, hot and cold subs, appetizers (burritos, garlic knots, nachos, loaded fries...), barbecue dishes (NY strip steak, pulled pork, bbq chicken...), and entree sides (mac and cheese, tomato and cucumber salad, roasted potatoes, chili...). Give their menu a gander for a whole list.

Plenty of things looked intriguing, but I was there to get a taste of their barbecue.

The order...

Blue Moon: $4.50
BBQ Lovers Fiesta: $13.95
Total amount with tax and tip: $22

Before the meal, the waitress brought over a few plastic squirt bottles of their house-made sauces. There was their original (classic barbecue style, but a tad ketchupy for my liking), the Louisiana (sweet and spicy), the Chipotle (spicy and smoky), and Blazzing (peppery, oniony, and very spicy with a hint of cilantro). The Blazzing was probably my favorite as it had the most flavor, followed by the Louisiana.

Pictured above is the BBQ Lovers Fiesta: pulled pork, beef brisket, 1/4 rack of ribs, coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread.

The standout for me were the ribs. I'm normally not a rib guy, but these were very good. They weren't fall-off-the-bone style, but they were a bit more tough and meaty. Some of the house sauces made an excellent (and pleasantly messy) combo when drizzled on top.

Also good was the pulled pork, which was sweet and had some nice flavor in there with all the excess fat.

The thinly sliced brisket was different. I'm used to a dry and smoked brisket and this was more like braised beef with a thick barbecue sauce. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I didn't shy away from it, as it was juicy and flavorful, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it brisket in the traditional sense.

The sides were so-so. The cornbread was moist and dense and had a nice texture, but was served a bit on the cold side. Coleslaw was fresh and crunchy, but kind of overly dressed for my liking (I prefer a lower ratio of mayo to cabbage, but it was still tasty, none the less). And I'm fairly certain that the baked beans were of the canned variety with a hefty squirting of their original BBQ sauce in the middle of it. Normally I'd find this strange, but it tasted just like the brand I usually get at the grocery store and one that I'm kind of partial to, so I suppose I can't criticize too much.

Other notes...

- "League night" for darts seemed a little intense on this night. There's about 2 or 3 boards here. If you like darts, I'd recommend it (it's electronic though).

- No free water. Bottled water only.

- Beer selection was good. About 15 drafts, if I recall correctly. Mostly standard stuff you'd find in upstate NY bars.

- The bartenders had nice ta tas were very friendly and helpful with the menu and any questions. This guy had no complains in being called "babe" and "sweetie". It's the little things that count sometimes.

- OC's does catering and also delivers.

- Parking is on-street, but there's also a private lot for OC's customers across the street next to Thanos.

Overall, I liked their sauces and the dive bar atmosphere the best. As of right now, I'd opt for a beer over food, but there's plenty on the menu to test out, so I'll be back again to give some other stuff a try for next time. And as you can tell, there's a lot there to think about ordering for the next visit.

If you're looking for a change of scenery, are into dive bars, or looking for a good place to catch a game, I'd say give OC's a shot.

My rating of OC's Fat Boy BBQ:

Dinosaur Take-Out

Pictured below is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's Carolina style pulled pork sandwich.

"Now... look at this sorry, miserable, squashed thing. Can anybody tell me what's wrong with this picture?"

Granted, it was tasty as ever, but take-out from any of your go-to restaurants can be a gamble sometimes. Dino's coleslaw was on the mark as usual: crunchy, fresh, and slightly tangy but just piling out of the sandwich all over the place creating a huge mess on a squashed bun. After picking about 2/3rds of it out with a fork, it basically became a free, third side dish. Bonus. It was tasty, but not quite there aesthetically.

Speaking of sides, I usually love their choices, especially the tomato cucumber salad, but on this occasion the veggies were slightly wilted, flavorless, and not quite as good as usual.

At any rate, the smokey BBQ beans and amazing wings helped overshadow any minor complaints. Still so good, Dino.

Review: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Name: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Address: 246 W Willow St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown
Website: www.dinosaurbarbque.com/syrIndex.php
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Barbecue
Alcohol: Full Bar
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 AM - 12 AM, Friday to Saturday 11 AM - 1 AM, Sunday 12 PM - 10 PM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Reservations: No
Take-out: Yes
Delivery: Yes (available through TakeOut Xpress)

There comes those days when I have a complete and overwhelming hankering for Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. I don't know if it's some kind of weather pattern or new moon or what, but every once in a while it will hit me and all I think about is getting my fingers messy and stuffing my face full of barbecue chicken.

In case you live in a bubble, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is the itso-facto for barbecue food in Syracuse - if not all of Upstate New York. They have three locations (1 in 'cuse, 1 in Rochester, and 1 in Harlem) with the one on the corner of Willow and Franklin Streets being the original. It first opened in 1988 strictly as a take-out barbecue establishment, and by 1990 had grown to double its size while adding a full bar and waitress staff. Fast forward to 2009 when they have expanded even further - knocking down the bathrooms, moving them back, and opening up more floor space for tables, as well as expanding to the 2nd floor in a space that can seat large groups for predominantly banquets and receptions.

I walked over to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on a Sunday evening. I suppose I could have driven over, but the walk ended up doing me good as I had one of the best meals that I've ever had at Dinosaur and in hindsight, really needed to walk off the extra weight I had amassed from such a large and wonderful meal. I was about a block away from Dinosaur when I could smell the outdoor cookers in the air. It got me so pumped. Walking up along side the building, you'll see a few picnic tables for outdoor dining, hear blues music over the PA system, and more often than not, see a row of motorcycles along Willow Street (that is, if the weather is nice - in the winter, it's not uncommon to see a row of snowmobiles).

It's a loud and rowdy biker bar, and the interior reflects that with vintage music posters, provocative bumper stickers, and name carvings adorning just about every spot on the walls and around the bar. It's a crowded, noisy, and boisterous atmosphere. It might sound intimidating or off-putting, but it isn't. It's a fun vibe and as you might not expect, the crowd demographic isn't all rough and tough. Inside you'll find a wide range of people like townies, bikers, suburbanites, tourists, white-collars, blue-collars, college students, and families.

Odds are going to be that it's crowded and you'll likely have to wait for a table, so you can grab a spot near the bar to kill some time, get a drink, or people-watch. Once it's your turn for a seat, don't expect to be lead to a table. Keep your ears open, as the hostess will announce your name over the loud speaker and tell you where to sit. On it, you'll find a vinyl table cloth (this makes the wiping the table clean of various barbecue sauces easier for the waitresses), wet naps, and a tray of hot sauces, canned hot peppers, and various Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauces like Wango Tango, Garlic Chipotle Pepper sauce, and their Foreplay dry-rub.

The menu has everything you would imagine from a barbecue joint: pulled pork, Texas brisket, ribeye steaks, and pork sandwiches to name a few and even has a few surprises like fried green tomatoes, deviled eggs, and catfish strips. The beer selection is decent with regionals from Middle Agess Brewing Co, Ommegang, Saranac, and Ithaca Beer Co among others.

The order...

Middle Ages Ape Hanger Ale: $5
Jumbo Roaster BBQ Chicken Wings (w/ Wango Tango): $11.95
Leg, Thigh, & Ribs House Special: $12.50
1/4 lb of Drunken Spicy Shrimp: $5.95
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $44.50

Pictured here is the Ape Hanger Ale from Middle Ages Brewery.

This was good. I don't know how often I would drink this beer on its own, but something about the flavor went really well with the smokiness and tanginess of food. It had an fruity and apricot finish to it that seemed to tie in really well with the barbecue chicken, shrimp, and wings.

Pictured above are the Jumbo Roaster Bar-B-Que Chicken Wings with Wango Tango sauce: spice rubbed, pit smoked, then finished on the grill. Served with blue cheese dressing, celery and carrot sticks.

These were some of the best wings that I've ever had. They might not be wings in the traditional sense of the word, but they were sooo delicious. Big pieces with juicy chicken, slightly crispy skin, with a tangy and spicy Wango Tango sauce. I wish I could come up with better words, but these wings were absolutely amazing. And you wouldn't think so coming from a place that is barbecue oriented. If you are skeptical and haven't had them yet, I would suggest giving these a shot. I want them again right now.

Pictured here is the meat combo (chicken leg and thigh, 1/4 rack of ribs, fries, macaroni and cheese, and honey hush cornbread) with a 1/4 pound of drunken, spicy shrimp.

The chicken was cooked perfectly. Nice and moist. And the skin and barbecue sauce were both amazing. A little bit of kick and very sweet. The ribs were good: tangy, tender, smokey and almost fall-off-the-bone (I hate that expression, but it's true). The peel and eat shrimp were excellent: cooked in boiled beer, Old Bay seasoning, cayenne, and other spices and served with a cold, habanero cocktail sauce. The shrimp were delicious and decent-sized too. The seasoning was good. It didn't hold on to the shrimp after peeling the shell, but the flavor is all there when you lick your fingers (which I was guilty of doing over and over again). It probably could have been a little spicier, but I couldn't complain because the cocktail sauce elevates the heat level. It was a bit more like a barbecue sauce than a cocktail sauce, but it was still very tasty. The fresh-cut fries were awesome. Lightly salted and crispy (not crunchy) left with a little bit of skin on them. Just excellent. The macaroni and cheese was good. It was a bit of kick to it, though it was a little too heavy for my liking. That didn't stop me from chowing down though. And finally, the cornbread was good. I could definitely taste the honey. Though, I thought it leaned on the dry side.

Some other things of note...

- The have a full take-out section, known as the Express, located on the side facing Willow Street

- There are very few vegetarian options on the menu

- It can be a tourist trap on the weekends and during local and University events, so plan accordingly

- Your clothes will reek of barbecue afterwards

- Happy hour is from 3:30 PM to 7 PM Monday through Friday

- The waitresses are sassy

- There's live music every night from Monday to Saturday

Overall, this was a fantastic meal. It was one of those meals that I'd be happy eating over and over again forever. 5 stars. Hands down. And I'm not giving it 5 stars just for the sake of giving it 5 stars. It's easy to do that when you're reviewing a place that is so regionally well-known and a place that you've come to love. Honestly, this was really the best meal that I've ever had here and possibly one of the best that I've had in Syracuse.

My rating of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: