“if it ain’t barbecue it ain’t food”

Virgil’s Real Barbeque
152 W 44th St, New York,
NY 10036
Telefon:(212) 921-9494
$$ – American BBQ
Hours:
Monday 11:30am-11pm
Tuesday-Friday 11:30am-Midnight
Saturday 11am-Midnight
Sunday 11am-11pm
Brunch served Sat & Sun 11am – 3pm

I’m not done with NYC – yet, working my way backwards through our experiences. Closer to the truth – I’m all over the place. *smile
Our first full day, a Sunday… we spent the time walking all the way down to 9/11 memorial, about 60 blocks in total from our hotel – our feet had a rough day.
So back at the hotel in the late afternoon we had a little nap, we were close to starving when we woke up – it was time to get some proper food into us.

Can’t been visiting US without have a taste of true American BBQ, so I chose “Virgil’s” just off Time Square, in pleasant walking distance from our hotel, because our feet wasn’t in the best of mood.

Virgil’s has been around since 1994. They have two genuine Southern Pride smokers were installed (each holding up to 1,400 pounds of Memphis pork spare ribs, Texas sliced beef brisket, whole barbecued chickens, and Carolina pulled pork shoulder) – now also  a restaurant on Bahamas and in Mohegan Sun, Connecticut.

When checking out BBQ restaurants is there quite a few very highly rated – but I chose “Virgil’s” because it looks so genuine – with their red/white checked table clothes and even if being a big restaurant it looked cozy and welcoming. The place has terrific reviews and have also outdoor seating. All taken in the warm September evening.

The restaurant lived up to its reputation – we got a table upstairs and there wasn’t many tables free – had reserved table through “OpenTable” for 8.30pm. Our waiter Rigo was very casual, relaxed and very entertaining.

As a dinner pre-drink I went for one of their famous frozen Margarita, a VIRGIL’S MARGARITA and Anna-Liisa had a Marker’s Mark Whiskey, what I understand it comes from Loretto, Kentucky, a small brand. Anna-Liisa, drinks normally only Single Malt – but she really liked it.

We didn’t have a starter, because I understood that our main course was going to be massive and looking around what other guests had in front of them … better safe than gorged. And I was SO right in my premonitions.

So we both went for their signature dishes:
Anna-Liisa had; . Memphis Style Pork Spare Ribs
½ rack, dry rubbed and hickory smoked  $24.95
And I had: Texas Beef Brisket
Beef brisket, slow smoked, sliced to order and finished with Virgil’s Barbecue Sauce $22.95
With our mains we got the most wonderful thick cut fries, cornbread and 2 side orders of choice:  we had coleslaw and mac n’cheese.
A Bud for Anna-Liisa and I had a sparkling mineral water.

What a meal we had – it was BBQ at its best. Not hard to understand why the place was so packed. If I lived in NYC I would be at “Virgil’s” at least once a week. Maybe the portions were a bit too big for my liking. I ate all my brisket that was served in a lovely bun, far too big side orders and too many potato fries. Anna-Liisa’s bibs would had filled 3 people, so she couldn’t finish it all – but she ate for 2.

Can’t be in US wit out a piece of Key Lime Pie – $6.95 . Only me had a dessert – but 2 coffee. The whole bill came to $101.53/£63.00/€75.00/660.00SEK plus the 20% tips that we very willingly gave to Rigo.

As we were waiting on our bill – the tables was still filling up and it was close to 11pm and closing time – and there was families having their massive food orders that time of the day, never seen anything like it.

The restaurant is only 2 min walk from Time Square so we decided to soak up the madness there before we walked back to the hotel. What a place it’s – it’s like an amusement park, both day and night.

“The most wasted of all days
is one without barbecue”
Unkown

Photos provided by and thanks to; virgilsbbq.com/zagat.com/storeboard.com/nbcconnecticut.com/tripadvisor.com/
friendseat.com/kenrockwell.com/newsroom.mohegansun.com/zazzle.com