Ordered takeout for Father’s Day as eating Dino BBQ on a busy day is not the most pleasurable experience unless you enjoy deafening chatter from the building’s awful acoustics. The website would not let me order. Went to grubhub, said the restaurant was closed(no it wasn’t). Went to Eat 24. They let me put the order through. Cool. Eat 24 supposedly confirmed with the restaurant that the order went through. I showed up about 20 min later to pick it up. The girl behind the pickup counter either just started working there, has never held a customer service job, or maybe she just hates her life at Dino. Not really sure, but she was very confused when I appeared to pick up my food. Said«Eat 24?» to the guy packing food and he shrugged and looked exasperated. She pulled a fax out of the machine from Eat 24 that said to contact them and just stared at it. I told her I tried grubhub but that it was not working and she mumbled something about«Yeah we took it down for a while»(why?). The more experienced girl on the other register said we had to redo the order but it would just be 10 min. So I did the order again in person and waited. The order took at least 20 minutes throughout which I watched the original girl blatantly ignore the ringing phone, pick it up just to hang it up again and otherwise stare at the floor with hair in her face so as to not make any kind of eye contact with me or anyone else. It was pretty bizarre to be honest. Note that throughout this she never said sorry or looked concerned at all. The other girl apologized. Lots of shrugging going on in the kitchen behind her too. Employees getting visibly confused/frustrated at orders. When I got my order I drove home(literally a 5 minute drive) and yet most of it was already lukewarm. Probably because they started packing the boxes while half the food wasn’t done yet so they just sat. The food itself is fine. The wings are great, I’ll give them that. The ribs were tough. Sides are good enough. After all that, they forgot the cornbread. But the cornbread isn’t anything to write home about so I wasn’t too bothered. You should probably stay away from this place when it’s expected to be super busy. They are clearly overwhelmed.
Diana M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Such an awesome place to go to if you are craving a BBQ, I have been here 3 times already and I am always excited to go back!
Caryn M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Middletown, CT
I was really pleased with my experience at Dinosaur BBQ. I was originally planning to try the NYC location so was pleasantly surprised to discover a location in Stamford. No traffic, lots of parking. The restaurant was pretty busy so was able to secure seats at the bar. The drinks were tasty, tried the Margharita and some sort of spiked lemonade which were both pretty good. For entrees, the BBQ ribs were fall off the bone and seasoned well. The Mac and cheese was pretty good, better than you can get at a lot of other BBQ places. The brisket was super moist and delicious. The only knock I would have are the fries. They tasted like old fries that were refried to be heated which ultimately ended up in overcooking. They were like rocks! But overall in total, I would definitely come back here.
Larry P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Stamford, CT
Great ribs. My daughter had a nice gluten free meal too. Server was attentive.
Jake C.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Milford, CT
So my girlfriend and I went here last night to eat from Milford after my suggestion because of all the great things I’ve heard from this place. I got the brisket plate and it literally tasted like a step up from a school lunch, barely any sauce(that was smothered on top) and barely cooked and chewy. I was expecting real bbq the smoky flavorful meat. Then moving on to my sides the Harlem potato salad well nice and corn bread wasn’t very good but the Mac and cheese tasted like some quick box stuff! No effort or anything! I’m expecting some crunch or mixture from a bread crumb or something. I was very disappointed and it did ruin my night a bit because I was very excited for good bbq. My girlfriend got the pork and rib combo. She said the ribs were decent but I tried her pork and they put some tangy sauce on it and it was horrible. And on top of that our waitress tried pitching and selling us sauce at the end of the meal for 6 dollars and kept pushing it and asking the same question after how many times I said no! The last time I said it, she said she already charged it on the bill! She quickly said sorry before I could tell her to remove it and brought back a free sauce because she felt bad(she didn’t say that though she made up a bullshit story about some guy bought it but didn’t want it) anyway the two stars were from the appetizers good wings and fried green tomatoes with nice sauces I would say just a good place to come grab apps and a beer don’t waste your money on the food
Nina P.
Rating des Ortes: 2 New Haven, CT
*** Adding to this review *** I’ve looked at some of the other reviews and photos — It seems like other people have had similar experiences. However, the food in many of the photos looked awesome and NOTHING like what we were served! I’ve been to several bbq spots and after all the hype on this place, I was thoroughly disappointed. Maybe I’m biased because I lived in the south for a while, but I think it’s just that this bbq wasn’t good at all. The beer I got was really good. The server recommended it, she was right, but it was $ 8… $ 8 when most of the others were around the average price, $ 4/$ 5. The apps were the best part — the wings were fan-freaking-tastic! But you literally got only two of each in the sample platter! I get it’s «for two», but really guys? Two? As for the actual entrée. No smoke flavor. ATALL. I found that the sauces on the table were very good, but they must have used something different for the meats because they were tangy, vinegar-like and gross. I don’t really know how to describe the sides other than that they tasted like they came from a box or we’re pre-made. Don’t waste your money. Our server was pretty attentive and really friendly, but then kept pushing to sell sauce at the end… I’m all for donating and especially in name of the troops, but that was weird and made us feel really uncomfortable. She did give us an extra sauce, which was nice… But I’d probably go back and get a beer and the Korean wings but that’s about it.
J. Denise P.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Stamford, CT
Ok. Not great. The chopped beef brisket has a better flavor than the sliced brisket. Everything else, including sides are mediocre.
Dan S.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Bardonia, NY
After hearing about Dinosaur BBQ for so long from many people I was excited at the opportunity to finally eat at a location after spending the day in Stamford. Went with my daughter and her mother. The menu was really exciting and we chose this place because of the kid menu’s compatibility with our 4 year old daughter’s tastes. We started with an order of the Korean BBQ wings. These were really good, top notch. However after this it was almost 50 minutes since our arrival until we got out entrees. And it was like 2 in the afternoon, hardly peak time. I ordered a pick 2: St. Louis ribs and BBQ brisket with fries and a salad. My daughter got a hamburger with fries and Mac and cheese, and her mother got a taco. When our food finally came, the adults were served first, not good for a starving 4 year old. It was a few more minutes before our daughters plate arrives, physically so hot it could not be touched. My ribs were very tough, the brisket was okay, but my fries were undercooked as were my daughters. How do you screw up fries? My daughter ate her burger, but really wasn’t into the fries — and that is this kids sole reason for living! And the Mac and cheese… was that tarragon in it? Seriously, why would a kids meal have something exotic like that? Of course she didn’t eat Mac and cheese that tastes like black licorice. Her mother’s meal was just okay. Both of us left the place not feeling too well… Maybe it was just this location, but we were all thoroughly disappointed in Dinosaur BBQ
Better B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Bethel, CT
Great staff, simple menu, easy parking, outdoor dining, fair pricing. Dining area is wide open and comfy, noise is moderate, TVs and music sprinkled throughout to keep it lively. Clientele is often families and large groups of friends, with some daters sprinkled in here and there. Nicely done takeout counter for those that can’t stay. BBQ is good, nothing extraordinary, but some styles are properly dry, side orders are varied and quite good, salads are fresh. Always a nice visit and belly full in a developing neighborhood.
Andrew Z.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Wilton, CT
Whenever I see a place with such good reviews I am often skeptical. I was thoroughly impressed with this place, but more importantly, so was my entire family who went with me. Looking through their large menu I thought to myself«man oh man, I don’t think I can go wrong here» and the reality was, after tasting much of what the rest of my family had ordered, I would have to agree with that statement. i don’t think you can go wrong. Everything about this place just screamed awesome. The big huge room with tall ceilings. The big comfy table and unique wooden chairs. I don’t really know what to say except that I sort of felt like I was at the place where people go who are serious about BBQ. Now I get it I get it, yeah OK whatever, go down south if you want the«real» stuff. Whatever, everyone wants to tell you they make the best BBQ. This place was done right and it was done so well that you knew it was done right unquestionably so. I don’t see how you can be disappointed. Everything was exactly as it should have been. Do you want me to explain in great detail how every single menu item tasted? Just try it for yourself, you will be blown away by this place. I noticed the only stuff anyone had to say about this place that was negative was getting seated and the wait staff. We got seated as a group of 8 in less than 10 minutes and the waiter was friendly. We came on a Saturday afternoon so perhaps that is why. Come here Saturday afternoon if you want to be seated quickly.
Erica P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Stamford, CT
I had lunch with my mom and the food was baba bagging everything was very tasty. This is my second time eating here the first was a catering event and the food is much better this time around
Brooke Y.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Bedford, NY
Dinosaur is a good BBQ option in Stamford’s commercial district. There are a lot of positives here: ample parking, a roomey dining room that features gobs of sports on multiple TVs, a strong bar featuring excellent beer options, and a friendly waitstaff. More importantly, the food is strong in all the major BBQ staples. There are multiple wing options that are good. They also feature some great beer options, including Stone IPA(a classic American IPA). WHATTOORDER: The play here is the Pick Three with smoked sausage, brisket, and St. Louis ribs. The brisket is tender and juicy and the ribs are very flavorful. I know the temptation here is to go with the pulled pork but the sausage is the much better play. The pulled pork is fine — maybe a little dry and a little too reliant on the sauce, while the sausage is a flavor explosion and a can’t miss. You know pulled pork is average when it is served with sauce already on it – a good pulled pork shouldn’t need sauce(It should be optional). In any event, the pulled pork is a 3.5 and the sausage is a 5 so its no contest. WHATTOAVOID: The sides don’t measure up to the main BBQ staples. The BBQ Beans are more of a congealed paste. The cucumber salad is fine — but nothing great.
Dayday S.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Scarsdale, NY
We waited 1 hour and 15 minutes for our food at 5pm on Saturday while half of the tables were empty. The honey bbq wings were great, everything else was terrible. The salad was gross; I don’t think that it was washed. Our BBQ was served to us ICE cold; it just was not fresh. The sauce was fine. The mac and cheese we were served was spoiled. The rest of the sides were overcooked and flavorless. We ordered a pulled pork sandwich; it tasted like plastic it was so old. The service matched the food– low quality. I have heard that this was a great place; it has turned into a low quality chain. Stay away!
Shantell W.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Bronx, NY
Great drinks, decent food yet bad service. As usual, I sit at the bar. The bar only had 3 other people in it with 2 bartenders behind the bar and it took them about 7 minutes to acknowledge us. Dropped menus then walked away without asking for at least a drink. Second server greeted us for the second time as the first time. We told her we had menus just need at least drinks before deciding on food. We had to yet again call the server for our food, second round of drinks, and for our check. And none of those times we were asked was we ok, did we need anything, or no communication. Food: Brisker tacos was great ans would get again. Mac cheese was not good, this was not my second time here and tasted completely opposite from the first time. My friend ask before ordering was the honey bbq jumbo wings spicy cause he cant eat spicy food do to his throat swelling. And then the wings came out with the honey bbq on top of wings flashed cause it seemed like someone put the wrong sauce and instead of remaking it they just coat it on top. Again no servers to be found. Drinks: donkey punch was excellent the only good thing. Wouldnt reccommened this location to people.
Gloria M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Norwalk, CT
Anna of Dinosaur BBQ you rock. She was so fantastic with my family and I. Ana checked on us multiple times and made great suggestions. Food was very tasty. We were stuffed so did not ask to look at a desert menu. Next time we will have to try.
Tiffani G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brooklyn, NY
They really call this place by the name for a good reason. I’ve been to the one in Brooklyn before but only tried their Dino Poutine and wings which were absolutely delicious. This was my friends first time there and since I had only ever tried the two appetizers, it was pretty much my first time to try out their entrees. I ordered what I knew first and for her to try(Dino Poutine.) Then I ordered the brisket plate which comes with 4 lovely slices of heavenly brisket and two sides.(My choices was the French fries and the mashed potatoes.) My friend ordered the bbq half bird with Mac and cheese and a cucumber salad. Both in which we could not find ourselves to finish our plates. The waiter was very sweet and always came to make sure we were okay and had our water cups refilled. He would also come to personally thank us for his tip which he well deserved! Great job Stamford! You outdid the Brooklyn restaurant!
Colette H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 New York, NY
I love this Dino! I come here just for the sweet tea and mashed potatoes. But I love everything on the menu. There’s never a wait. The service is speedy and the staff is friendly. I love this place! I’ll definitely be back!
Lily S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Norwalk, CT
Great food, but slow service. I loved the brisket platter. The meat was so good and tender. The Mac and cheese was really good. However, I was disappointed when I saw that the sides came in little cups. The portions were so small! Our waitress did not come to refill our drinks. We only saw her three times. Maybe they need to hire more staff.
Linda C.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Stamford, CT
I went here for dinner with my roommates on a Sunday. I ordered a full rack of ribs and had Mac and cheese and chili the sides. The ribs were pretty decent after I used the BBQ sauce on the table, which is a shame since I should be able to eat it on its own. As for the sides, chili was decent but the Mac and cheese was disgusting. The macaroni was hard and the cheese seemed«fake» tasting. It’s strange for me to say that because I’m a huge fan of Mac and cheese, but they really failed in that department. I also took a star off because the server took a long time getting our order and never came back with our waters. Will I be back? Most likely not.
Rochelle C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Stamford, CT
Snowy and cold afternoon calls for hearty lunch so we went to dinosaur bbq. It was the first time either of us had come here so we didn’t know what were in for… Place was easy to find. The huge parking lot was a big plus; there’s nothing more I hate than going out for food and finding out that there’s no parking spots available. The interior is pretty cool, it’s industrialized yet homey and I love the smell of the burning firewood. Better wash your hands before you sit down because you’re gonna be using them! The beer selection was extensive– bf got an ipa which he enjoyed and i chose the lightning lemonade. My drink was subtle and very fruity which I liked, a lot. We started with some wings, we decided on garlic chipotle and honey bbq. Both flavors were spicy and delicious with just the right amount of heat. For our entrees, I got ¼ rack ribs with some bbq fried rice(I like everything with rice) and the potato salad. The ribs were seasoned well and fall off the bone tender. The bf got the brisket and pulled pork with some baked beans. Yummm! Those beans alone make me want to go back for more! I wish we had room for some dessert– definitely next time! Ps. The bathroom décor is not my favorite. I’m not a big fan of the whole graffiti design.