Best Ribs in TO

[rapsrealm]

I was wondering where is the best ribs in Toronto are? I'm looking for baby back ribs and the best i've tried are at Baton Rouge. i wanted to know if anyone has had better somewhere else?

[dobyblue]

The best ribs in Toronto are at Turtle Jacks - you'll have tried them before if you've ever attended ribfest in Toronto, Burlington or Brampton and even St. Catharines. At every ribfest I've been to in the last 5 years TJ's ribs, amongst the 10~16 people I usually pig out with, get the biggest nod of approval.

If you love ribs it's worth getting down to Burlington over the Labour Day week-end this September - 18 RIBBERS will be competing, so take friends and you can try multiple vendors ribs without breaking the bank. There' s no other ribfest in Canada as big as this one.

If you can't travel though...you're better off smoking your own ribs. There's no great ribs in Toronto.

[jayt90]

Looking at the website, I don't see any information on the food or the ribs.

http://www.turtlejacks.com/locations....

[tjr]

Are Turtle Jack's ribs smoked, or are they "smoked" like Montana's? TJ is a chain restaurant, kind of like a Montana's or Kelsey's, so... I'm not too sure. I recall them having okay wings, but I haven't been to one in a few years.

[duckdown]

Had the TJ's ribs a million times. I live right near their Brampton South location at Ray Lawson

The ribs you order when you go there for dinner are nothing like the ones they do at ribfest

They have no smoker and do no smoking in the restauraunt at all, sadly. The ribs they serve are either pre-cooked or boiled :(

[allanc]

We went to the Ribfeast during the long weekend in July on the last day at about 7:30 (just before the fireworks).
I have to admit that I was very disappointed by the ribs from one vendor and the wings from another.
The one redeeming taste was the bloomin' onion ... expensive but excellent.

[atomeyes]

Foxly's ribs haven't been mentioned?
they are unique and the best i've had in Toronto.

[hbada]

Hands down Tony Romas. If your really big on ribs, I suggest home made...either BBQ grill or kitchen smoker. If you need tips on this, let me know.

[lunchboy]

Hmmm. I used to be a fan of Tony Roma's years ago. But after trying real BBQ ribs (as opposed to Tony Roma's oven-made ribs), I have to say that Tony Roma's is like the McDonald's of ribs. They don't have nearly the same flavour as true BBQ ribs, like the ones you find at Phil's, for instance. And by true rib standards, they're fall-off-the-boneness is not such a good thing, as it indicates they're overdone.

lunchboy

http://nofreelunchonbayst.blogspot.com/

[cooksified]

The best i've had north of Mason/Dixon is Phils Original on College st. Haven't been there in a while though, I hope it hasn't changed too much. Swiss Chalet ribs are better then Baton Rouge (Whitby).

[blindbunny]

despite all the neg stuff said, i still think cluck, grunt & low has great ribs. very tasty and i love all the sides.

[allanc]

There isn't actually a restaurant named 'Cluck, grunt & low' is there?

[redearth]

Looky at what I found:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/567559?tag=search_results;results_list
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/569216?tag=search_results;results_list
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5887...

[allanc]

Thanks for that.
I guess I just have not been hanging around here long enough to have followed these sagas.

[Snarf]

Nice word, saga. Reminiscent of soap operas, complicated plots, and manufactured emotions. Definitely applies to many of the discussions here.

Back to the ribs. If you want maximum flavour for a single rib, try Spice Room. Asian influenced and mind-blowing. For racks, Allen's does a nice one finished on the Q on warmer days; St Louis gets the texture right, but a bit dry; and Highway 61 gets the texture perfect with a great sauce, though without the sauce the mild rub doesn't work for some people.

[allanc]

From what you have said Spice Room and Highway 61 seem to be the ones to try.
Now, what was the name of that TV program from the 60's with Martin Milner?
It was Highway 'something'.

[OnDaGo]

Spice room really is not a goto place for ribs it is a fine dining restaurant in Hazelton Lanes Mall in Yorkville... While they may make a good rib the experience is not rib joint....

[allanc]

Thank you for that information.

[Dimbulb]

Route 66

[kitfo]

I've found the pork ribs waaaay too fatty at Highway 61, but the beef ribs are too dry, BQ sauce not withstanding. And there isn't enough flavour in the rub they use. We're not rushing back there in any hurry.

[allanc]

I had three bad experiences in a row at Baton Rouge.
They will never see me or my money again.

[OnDaGo]

What kind of ribs do you like? Fall off the bone, smoked etc?

[rapsrealm]

Fall off the bone. I read through some of the threads mentioned above but it seems that there really is no consensus other than Toronto doesn't really have a good ribs joint.

[OnDaGo]

And the "rib fanatics" on this site will slam you for "fall off the bone" they want the southern US "chew".. Actually Remys Patio in the summer used to have a nice half rack that was fall off the bone and finished on their outdoor charcoal BBQ for some nice flavour... not sure if they will have them this year.... but their patio was open today... Welcome SUMMER!

[redearth]

Behold, the power of the search engine:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/321617
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/104243
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/596933
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/529119