I attended Syracuse University for four years, but I never dined at the famous Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, although I heard people rave about the establishment constantly. Since my time in the city, the eatery has appeared on such TV shows as Man vs. Food and opened several new branches, surging in popularity.

I visited my alma mater this week with friends, none of whom had been before, for a basketball game and made sure Dinosaur Bar-B-Que was on the itinerary this time around. Dating back to 1983, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que started on the road, bringing delicious barbecue to motorcycle shows, fairs and festivals. In 1988, the Syracuse outpost opened as a quick-service restaurant before expanding to include a full bar, full-service dining and live music in 1990. Rochester opened in 1998; Harlem in 2004; Troy, N.Y., in 2012; and Newark and Stamford in 2012.

I can’t believe I missed out on four years of indulging at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que — it was delicious. To start, we ordered extra-fancy fried green tomatoes with shrimp, cheddar and bacon; and the Dino poutine, fries topped with beef gravy, house-made pimento cheese; and pulled pork. It is a must to sample the pulled pork on your visit. It was all uniquely tasty. I’m not a tomato fan, but I did try a small bite of the extra-fancy fried green tomatoes and found myself pleasantly surprised. 

While my friends tried the famous pork ribs and a burger, I opted for the mojito chicken steak with black beans and rice, a green salad with bar-b-blues house dressing, and coleslaw as my side options. Again, everything was delicious. I used a bit of the mango tango bbq sauce on my chicken and loved the coleslaw — tangy but sweet and plentiful. I also stole a bit of macaroni and cheese from my friends — yum is all I can say. 

Should your travels find you in any of the many locations with a Dinosaur Bar-B-Que outpost, make sure to make time for a visit!

— Kim Krol, managing editor