Good Eats: Redbones

I had my inaugural trip to Redbones this weekend and it was fantastic. For those not in the know, Redbones is a BBQ joint in Somerville’s Davis Square neighborhood that was recently voted Best Barbecue in Boston.

We went at 6 pm on Saturday and there was a line well out the door. It’s not a hidden gem… everyone knows about it. We decided to wait in the bar which was packed with (what else?) more people waiting to be seated. We had a couple beers before a server came around and asked for a party of 2 willing to sit at the counter. We jumped at the chance. It was actually a great spot because we were able to watch the cooks working right in front of us. It was amazing how quickly they finished plates and how only one of them spoke and was in control of the whole kitchen situation. It was as if he were conducting a symphony orchestra.

When seated, we each received a piece of cornbread. Additionally, we ordered 3 appetizers: steamed broccoli, mac & cheese and hushpuppies. Per the menu, hushpuppies are described as “fried cornbread flavored w/ scallions & garlic, served w/ vinegar sauce.” I guess it’s true that everything is better fried because they alone were worth the price of admission. The sauce added a nice bite too.

For our entrée we both ordered pulled pork sandwiches which came topped with pickles, onions and coleslaw, and with beans and potato salad as sides. The sweet sauce that we asked for was the perfect complement to the pulled pork. Ours came piping hot (again, we were seated right there) but once it cooled down enough it was absolutely delicious. I’m not a big potato salad guy but even that was well done.

I recommend Redbones to anyone with a hankering for some good BBQ at competitive prices and I can’t wait to make a return trip.