After eating at SriPraPhai in Woodside, Queens, my next Queens stop was……….the Butcher Bar. I was pretty excited to try this place and had made plans with friends to try it. Seeing all those delicious looking photos, I had my mind set on the PBLT sandwich and some double smoked burnt ends. Though just a few hours before heading out to Astoria, the INTERNET spoke and said that I should go to John Brown Smokehouse instead. Being a cheap aZZ, the cheaper price at John Brown Smokehouse quickly won my over.

Located across from a school, it was a bit of a walk from the train station. The inside was tiny with just a handful of tables. Looking at the menu on the board, they have daily specials and a list of people that get to eat there for free…like President Obama. New goal in life? TRY TO GET ON THAT LIST.

For $14.50 I got the 2 meat platter with 2 sides. I really wanted the burnt ends but they were out of it so I ended up getting rib tips and pork belly. For the 2 sides I got collard greens and mac n cheese.

I wonder if I went on an off night. I wasn’t too thrilled with the meats that I got. They tasted delicious but the rib tips were a little tough and dry. The slices of pork belly were mostly fat (I know pork belly is fatty), may I ask for half lean and half fatty next time?

I ate half of my friend’s pulled pork sandwich and that was mighty tasty.

The stars of that night were definitely the sides. Mac n cheese, heck yeah! Fries, oh yeah! Collard greens, may I have more?!

Couple pieces of chewy rib tips is not going to stop me from going back to this place. My friends truly enjoyed their meal and went back couple weeks later. I have to go back and try the burnt ends and eat more collard greens.

John Brown Smokehouse, 25-08 37th Ave. Long Island City, Queens