Chicago Rib Shack

I have been to the shack twice now since it reopened and i have had a brilliant time on both occasions. Such a good atmosphere and classic rock music - I love it. Food is not fine dining but it is good at what it sets out to be - great ribs and burgers, large portions and the bibs are good fun and add to the theatre. On one of the occasions, I went with my girlfriend and her sister and two kids (aged 3 and 1). The staff were very accommodating and the 3 year old was kept amused by the children's menu ~(which is very good value) and the piggy pictures to colour in. A great place for the family but also with a group (booths) or with a few friends. Rock on!! I will definitely be going back.
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chrissy - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, July 24, 2008

Hurray for The Shack!!

Admittedly I had not heard great things but we had an amazing evening. The music and atmosphere was fantastic. The onion loaf was crispy and the skins to die for and the wings had just the right barbeque kick.

The service was brilliant our waiter was attentive and amusing and certainly knew what he was talking about. The mains were a good size and really well cooked. Melt in your mouth ribs and delicious burgers.

Desserts were chocolate heaven! Will certainly be revisiting!
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Louise
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The shack is most definitely back, food is great, service was excellent and friendly. Any teething problems they had at the start seem to have melted away.

My wife had to undo the top button of my strides at the end as she was nearer than me. My kids 16 and 14 (big babies!) coloured in the pig face for the exhi 'pig' tion. Next time I'm having the whole smoked piglet !

Welcome back old friend, you've been sorely missed. Came to £ 40.00 a head so not cheap for chicken and ribs, but hey they are paying Knightsbridge rent so what can you do.
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david - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Once the notable excitement of being back at the rib shack subsides, you are left with only the overcooked and tasteless ribs, stone cold onion loaf, greasy starters and fatty burgers/steaks.

A great shame - never has so much potential for a return of an icon been squandered.

Be warned that if you just turn up on the night without a reservation, they will inexplicably send you away because they are 'fully booked', even though it is plain for all to see (through the glass frontage!) that the restaurant is virtually empty!
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LG - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, July 02, 2008

We went on saturday night with a group of friends to 'find out for ourselves'. We had a great night, fabulous Mojitos in the bar before dinner and the meal was excellent. We had a mixture of Ribs, burgers, and fish - all of which were very good, hot and served with a smile. The coleslaw was exactly as I remembered and the bbq sauce served on the side brought back great memories. Loved the music.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, July 01, 2008

A friend of mine booked a private both and a whole smoked pig for 10 of us. £20 each for a massive feed and champagne; bargain!!
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Leila Guy
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 27, 2008

I am somewhat puzzled by the horrific reviews describing the Chicago Rib Shack and have been wondering if there are two restaurants that have opened!?

I was so excited when I heard the Rib Shack had re-opened. I long remember the days when I queued 1 hour or more for a table and the beaming face of Bob Paton as he surveyed his customers with pride. How sad he would be to read such terrible write-ups.

I have had the great fortune of having a few meals here. I have taken numerous friends, all of whom have thoroughly enjoyed their meals and who will most definitely return. The only problem I had was with the staff at the front door who seem totally uninterested in their customers and indeed, seem to see customers as an imposition. The place was pretty empty last Wednesday lunchtime and yet I was told that I could not have the table I wanted because it meant "changing round all the bookings". What bookings? By the time we left 2 hours later, no other tables had been taken!

Having said that, the Manager is extremely helpful and clearly only wants to please and we found our Beef Ribs and Burger absolutely delicious as were the sauce and scrummy Mud Pie dessert.

Teething problems? Most definitely! Will I be back? You just try and stop me!
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Mme Butterfly
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Thursday, June 26, 2008

I’m a big restaurant fan and I always like to go to a new place very early on and then back again a few weeks later.

I must say that my on my first visit things could definitely have been better food wise. We went in the first week and the general quality was around a 5/10 but the atmosphere and design was well worth the experience of average food. I went first of all on a Saturday night with a group of friends and overall would rate it 6/10. But boy was it busy – maybe that is half their problem!

My second visit was last week on Thursday and it was like eating in a different restaurant. From the welcome ( the strange French girl has been replaced by a lovely smiling ENGLISH girl ) to the bar staff the experience was far better.

10 of us went from work and had a private booth sharing a load of different dishes. I’m not a big rib fan but the guys pronounced them better than Bodeans – tender and smoky. My halibut was great - juicy and garlicky and I really liked the idea of the salads. Desserts were ok - the chocolate sundae got the thumbs up but pecan pie could be a lot better.

Would I go back - yes and I am pleased I gave it a second chance. The staff are nice and friendly and the music and atmosphere are very different to anything else in town.

It is what it Is – definitely not for a date or for the food alone but for a night out “up west” drinks and food for about £30 why not – if I want Ramsay or Japanese then I know not to go here but for what it is it hits the spot.
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Louise
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Went with 6 friends , they made a whole song and dance about getting a table at 8 pm, but it was half empty downstairs when we arrived. Waitresses were irritating and kept listening in to our chats and coming over to comment on things they over heard, which was just rude.

I am NOT a fussy eater, or normally someone that writes reviews, but after looking forward to this meal for ages, being a huge BBQ fan and just back from living in America, I was HUGELY disappointed.

The food was bad. Cold chips. Luke warm and tasteless ribs. Chicken that was barely cooked properly. The decor is bland, might as well go to TGIs and I would definitely RETURN to The Big Easy, not this rip off! Shame.
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Mark
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Sunday, June 22, 2008

Went back last night (same reviewer several reviews down who ate there for 17 odd years).

The Other Bits were more or less the same, although some of the outer "crispiness" of the originals was there, but still much like hash browns.

The ribs though - oh my god - what is going ON with the ribs?! Properly smoked bbq ribs should have a good pink smoke ring, and should not just fall off the bone like limp flacid flesh, which is what mine did last night. Whatever is going on in the kitchen is NOT the same thing as what was going on so consistently at the old restaurant. The one thing that this restaurant MUST do well above all else is get the ribs right...yet somehow it's getting them incredibly wrong. I actually left ribs on my plate last night, something you would NEVER have caught me doing back in the day at the original Shack.

I will endeavor to find out what is going on with the cooking procedure, but unfortunately, won't be returning until there is a fundamental change to the way the ribs are cooked. It astounds me that they are just so wrong, because the same chef who worked at the Rib Shack is back, apparently, as per my previous post. I don't know what's going on but if anyone in management is reading this, please address the rib situation asap.
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Dave
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, June 03, 2008