Rub Authentic Texas Barbeque

Although the atmosphere was nice and they have outside seating, I would not recommend eating here if you are looking for authentic Texas Barbeque. I know they compare themselves to Rudy's in Austin, but they don't even come close. The chopped beef sandwich was more like a Manwich sandwich I could make at home, and the sliced brisket was incredibly dry and flavorless. I've actually been to eat here a few times hoping it will improve, but it continually gets worse. I'm a native Texan of over 20 years and I just think this place doesn't even come close to good Texas Barbeque. Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Food more

My husband and I dined at Rub BBQ tonight. The atmosphere for a restaurant in the city is awesome....you walk in and feel like you are in a BBQ joint in Memphis. There's blues playing, dark wood furnishings, true atmosphere! The joint has everything going for it when it comes to the decor! As far as the BBQ, I have to say we were both pretty disappointed. There is a difference between slow roasted meats and BBQed meats. We had wonderful BBQ in San Antonio at Rudy's where we tasted the wood smoke in the meat. We have also eaten at many other BBQ joints and are very aware there are many different cooking styles. I am not sure where the wood taste was at Rub, but it certainly wasn't in the meat we had. This was more like slowly cooked cuts of meat that you add your own BBQ sauce to. For the prices we paid, I could have thrown it on our propane grill at home to achieve the same effect! We really were not impressed by any of the meats.....we had the Lone Star Platter which was pretty much everything. I will give one dish total kudos though and that is the corn casserole side dish. It was very tasty, had a lovely brown crust and the inside was sweet and tender. It was the highlight of the meal! If we go there again, it would probably be for beer, appetizers (chix wings looked good!) and the corn casserole....possibly a dessert. This review really pains me because Rub has a lot of the best elements that you want in a sit down BBQ, but it is missing two key things....the smell of BBQ food enticing you through their door and true BBQ flavors! It's a neat place, but prices reflect the area....not the food! Pros: Great atmosphere, tasty corn casserole Cons: Where's the BBQ? more

This is great down-n-dirty grub! Brisket as good as any place in Austin. The chop beef was awesome. There is no doubt that the wings at this place are the best. Period. Big and meaty! Why do folks think that the Corner Stable has good ribs? They taste like they were done in a bag in the microwave. The ribs at RUB taste like they were smoked. A little bit of fat, but meaty and flavorful with the dry rub. I have watched some football and baseball here, as well. If you like young, loud, drunk crowds and fighting to see a game...this is NOT your place. You can eat, drink and watch with a good crowd. Great happy hours with some ridiculous prices. Settle in for the night! Pros: Easy parking, outdoor patio Cons: got to drive there more

I live in Fed Hill, and have never ventured south of East Fort for obvious reasons as you are walking to Rub, but it was a great surprise. The atmosphere was great with classic rock playing quietly in the back ground and tv's from all vantage points. Large tap selection and Jim Beam is priced well below anyone else in the area. Of the five of us there were 4 different items ordered and everyone was pleased. The Brisket sandwich was tender and def. filling. Give it a whirl, you will be pleased as we were. Pros: All mentioned above, and they have the MLB extra innings package Cons: Off the beaten path, but that is good too. more

We live in Texas but have family business that frequently brings us to the Washington area. While we have no trouble finding good BBQ at home, it's comforting to know that the "Texas concept of BBQ" has made inroads in other places. Rub is a little more upscale than some of the places we're used to (think long tables with butcher paper instead of plates) but has some of the most tender, flavorful brisket I've ever had and that's what Texas BBQ is really all about; that and friendly folks, 'cause it just doesn't work otherwise. We've been to Rub several times over the past year either by ourselves or dragging local family along and have never had bad service or bad food and have created converts to this uniquely Texas way of eating. more

I have been here probably a dozen times and each time, everything was great! Lunch can get really busy, especially with larger groups. I am a traveling nurse and spend a great deal of time in restaurants. I used to think that Rendevouz in Memphis had the best ribs, but RUB changed my mind. The dry rub is kind of spicy, but really lent to the smoke flavor of the meat. I have been in Baltimore for some time, and still don't get the "Pit Beef" concept. Here, the brisket is moist, flavorful and plentiful(I still haven't been able to finish a brisket sandwich!) The beef sausage, although decadent, is awesome. I am not a real chicken fan, but tried my friends' and it melted in my mouth(don't know if being organic makes a difference, but mmmmm!) They also have some of their own beers, I really like the IPA. But, the lonestar lemonade(frozen) goes down way too easy...and so did I, almost! I have brought Doctors, fellow nurses and a few medical reps...all of them were quite pleased. It is also a very low key, cool bar. Bartenders and servers have all been very accomodating. Pros: lots of parking, outdoor seating Cons: a lot of food! more

My husband and I are fans of Texan culture, history and cuisine so we looked forward to eating at Rub. We were not disappointed. As soon as we walk into this place, our senses were happily assaulted by all things Texan, the music was hot, the decor was full of lacquered wood and Jim Beam barrels, the wait staff was friendly and smiling and the smell of the slow roasted, smoked meats made us salivate immediately. This is the real deal! The food was succulent and well prepared! By the third bite, my husband said "We are coming back!" He and I greedily pilfered from each other's plates and everything was delicious and plentiful! This is not one of those Nouveau Cuisine places that gives you puny, polite proportions. This was a hearty home cooked meal that will put meat on your bones and warm your heart at the same time. The price was very reasonable and the specials are priced like a deli. This place was not just good but "Oh my Gawd good!" Follow Light Street to the southern most point and there it is on the left. Pros: Great food, great prices, tastes homemade Cons: none more

The over all servce from the waiter is good. It was prompt. That was the only good part of experience at Rub's. My family was busy chasing off the Flies while we were eating. I've lived in Texas for over 20 years and the Autentic Texas BBQ is far from Authentic. Matter of fact it was so terrible we didn't even finish the meal. It was very salty in some part of the pork BBQ and some not seasoned at all. And, very greasy! It tastedf as if it was re-heated in microwave. It didn't taste as if it was out of the BBQ pit. My family was convinced that Rub's had no idea about the fundamental of BBQ. We rated 2 out 10. Pros: Average Service Cons: Terrible Food more

While visiting a buddy of mine in Baltimore recently, I scoffed when he suggested we his some rib joint on Light Street called RUB. He said he loved the ribs there, so I humored him and went. And I'm glad I did. Best ribs I've ever had outside of Texas! And along with great food, the place itself is cool and fun and hip as hell. Great crowd of customers and a fantastic staff that took care of me and my buddy all night. On my next trip to Baltimore, my first stop is gonna be RUB. So if you're ever in Baltimore and jonesin' for awesome Texas-style ribs, GO TO RUB BBQ on Light Street. You won't be disappointed! Pros: great food, service and ambience. Cons: parking was hard to find. more

Went there on a Sat. night a few weeks ago. We happened to drive by the restaurant earlier in the week and we thought it looked cool. We were very dissappointed with our experience. Despite the fact that it was a Sat. evening, it wasn't too crowded and the wait was no problem. However, the problem was with service (or lack thereof) from our server, Dave (I think). We rarely saw this guy. The only way we got service the entire night was when the hostess came by to ask us if we needed something or if the bartender happened to catch our eye. Otherwise, Dave rarely came by (although we did see him walking back and forth from the kitchen and later sitting at the bar). In terms of the food, I would say it is OK. I had the ribs and they were mediocre, not very tender. The sides were a bit bland. Pros: Cool setting Cons: Poor service more

We love this place...the atmosphere is very casual...great decor and the food is pretty darn good too! The best thing we've tried is the beef brisket and I'm from the south so I love the sweet tea and fried green tomatoes! Drinks are served in glass milk jars or mason jars, which is a cool way to serve some tasty beverages. If you're from the south, this place will make you feel a little closer to home! more

I am all for sprucing up the neglected end of Federal Hill, especially when it comes in the form of a BBQ place. However, RUB fails to deliver on several accounts. For the sake of keeping this establishment in business, I'll begin with the positives. The place is well decorated and shows really well, the interior is lively, with the perfect amount of Texas kitsch. The drink menu is substantial and certainly earned the approval of my girlfriend with spiked lemonades and things of that nature. There was a guy playing guitar at the bar, regardless of his mediocre playing abilities; this was by all accounts a good sign. Now on to the negatives. Service was marginal at best. I understand that I am at a BBQ joint, and I personally dislike "over-attentive" servers, but this was bordering on ridiculous. I think we may have woken the hostess from a nap; she was groggy and overall very irritated. The server was ok, although we felt rushed out of our table on a night when the place was half empty. The food was uninspired and overall quite unimpressive. From a menu that reads with so much potential the plate fell way short of expectations. If there are ribs left on my plate, this is a VERY bad sign. Overall, I would say find out for yourself if RUB is your type of place, if all else fails, at least they give away cool matches. more