Ruthie’s Bar-B-Q & Pizza

Got an email from Unilocal on bbq places. Ruthies was one. Close to me so had to try it esp because I love Bbq spots. So glad i did ! It was so good. I got the bbq ribs with fries and chicken wings and mac and cheese. Delicious. Went on a friday so there was live music and it was great ! The vibes and people are amazing ! Def going again soon.

Everything we ordered was awesome & huge portions. The place is cute, casual & byob. Beef brisket sandwich platter came w/​amazing fries & red cabbage Coleslaw. We Also liked the Pulled pork sandwich & side of baked beans. Def coming back to eat on their patio.

Found this place while looking for lunch spots around Montclair with patios/​outdoor seating. Not only is there a nice patio in the back to enjoy the weather, but it also offers a very unique, diverse lunch menu. I don’t always want BBQ, so the fact that they offer much more than that will keep me coming back more frequently.
The BBQ beef was very fresh and tasty, and bonus points for the sandwich being pressed. The sandwich toppings (cheese, onions) complimented the meat well, and the perfectly salted hand cut fries were on point. Everyone in my party of six enjoyed their meals. The extra large chocolate chip cookies by the counter alone will keep me coming back. Don’t leave without one, and ask to have them heated up!
Beware of the high school crowd takeover during the lunch hour; we just missed it.
Looking forward to trying the pizza next time!

Stumbled upon this place, and gosh do I feel like I hit the food lotto! Beef brisket sandwich platter was absolutely mouth watering. Home cut fries are crispy and red cabbage slaw that come with it were just as good! Family friendly, inviting ambiance. While it is still too cold to sit in the cute back patio, we will definitely be back in the summer! Double thumbs up!

Ruthie’s is a whole-​in-​the-​wall kind of joint near Montclair High School and, we understand, a favorite lunch hang-​out for local kids. It’s not surprising.
My wife and I «dined» there one evening last summer. We both had BBQ, which was very good by local standards (we’re talking New Jersey, folks, not KC, Texas or the Carolinas). We also met the owner, who is a very charming guy.
But what puts RBBQ&P on the map, as far as I am concerned, is the sound track — nothing but Blues and really good Blues.
So if you’re in Montclair, are hungry and like Blues, you really should check it out — but not during the lunch hour.

This place is fantastic. Really well run quality establishment. The BBQ is just the way I like it and the pizza is also very well done. I ordered some food from their catering menu for a party and everyone was raving. The collard greens and the slaw are such good side dishes to really delicious bbq.

There’s a first for everything and Ruthie’s is it. A Pizza and BBQ spot, go figure! In just hearing the combination of foods, I really wanted to know what their BBQ taste like. So, the day we went, it was packed with high school students that were on their lunch break. They were both in door and out. We were able to get a table and didn’t have to order to take back to the office. Therefore, I order the BBQ pulled chicken with onion rings and a side order of hush puppies.
Ruthie’s met my expectations since I am a southern man that really enjoys BBQ. What I like most about this place is they make their own onion rings and French fries and not to forget about blues music playing in the background. I hear their collards and macaroni cheese is seasoned and prepared well. I’m sure I will order the mac & cheese & collard the next time I go.
Over all, I had a wonderful fulfilling lunch and can’t wait to visit again.

I’ve lived less than 3 miles from this place for the last 8 years and I just got around to paying them a visit last week. Shameful.
I ordered the following for take-​out:
Ribs
Fries
Mac and cheese
Wings
Chocolate chip cookie
I loved everything except the wings. They were much too crispy for my taste and rather dry. Overcooked, but easy to do considering they weren’t that big. The smoky flavor on the ribs was awesome and they came nicely off the bone. The fries were hand cut and salted perfectly. The Mac and cheese had just the right balance between not being light but not being heavy. Not at all watery and the bread crumbs were a nice touch. The cole slaw could have used some more ingredients to improve the flavor but I appreciate them using red cabbage. The chocolate chip cookie wouldn’t let me leave without ordering it. Seriously. They’re on display to hold you hostage. The chocolate chips are almost showing off, mounting over the top of the cookie, melting oh so sweetly. Damn you, cookie.
I guess my only complaint is the packaging. I hate when BBQ joints use styrofoam, which inevitable contains moisture, which in turn sogs up the food. My fries were the biggest victim of this travesty. The wings would have been too, but they weren’t breaded. Use aluminum, please.

Just went here tonight with a large group and we were able to take over the back patio. It is super convenient to order at the window and pay instead of having everyone split the check at the end. I went with an array of food for dinner: Classic margarita slice, baked beans, and slaw. All very good and under 10 bucks!!! The portion sizes were perfect. My only recommendations are to have more staff and more organization for dinner service– it took a very long time for some of our party to get their food and food we did not order were coming out but I do understand we were a large group. We def be back!

My wife picked this place to take me for a recent celebration, and I must say, we both had some doubts. It’s a small place in a residential neighborhood… kind of looks out of place. When we got there, there were a few tables still available on the sidewalk (patio was mobbed), but we never thought to just grab one before ordering. Withing 5 minutes they were taken by people who got on line after us. Well, we know for next time. The line was out the door onto the sidewalk, but it moved fairly quickly. There are paper menus, and also a giant board inside with regular items and specials listed. We ordered, paid, and were given a card with a number in a holder to put on our table.
My wife had the pulled pork platter, I had the pork ribs, and I got an order of fries smothered in pulled pork. I have to say, the pulled pork at this place is some of the best I’ve ever had. Smoky, tender, juicy, and full of flavor! Not drowned in sauce like most places around here. The pork ribs come 4 to an order, but they must get those suckers off a big-​ass hog because four was just enough! Three out of four were awesome, the fourth was really big and seemed a little dry but I’ll let it slide. They are dry rubbed, and they give you a small cup of sauce to dip or pour. The sauce was delicious… not sugary, with a slight spicy kick.
We were also intrigued by the pizza, so we ordered a ‘Texas’ pie to go. It was covered in smoked mozzarella, smoked sausage, jalapeño strips, and pesto. Even reheated later that night and for lunch the next day it was incredibly flavorful and so very different than any other pizza I’ve had. As Gur Fieri would say, ‘like a manhole cover in Flavortown’! Great job on this place, putting out quality BBQ AND pizza side by side!
As for the guy at the register, who may or may not have been an owner… there were some comments on here about him being unfriendly, rude, and unwilling to make substitutions. He did seem slightly standoffish at first, but I managed to make some small talk with him and ask a few questions and he seemed friendly enough. I’m willing to let him slide on the ‘rude’ thing… his place was extremely busy and his kitchen is small. It probably takes a lot of focus to keep it moving and get everything right. I’ll also forgive the ‘no substitutions’ rule for that same reason. Stick to the menu and they can just keep rolling the orders out… if you want to switch something up and make a little more work for them, they charge you a little extra. I don’t know, that isn’t something I’m going to hold against them.
We want to go back soon to try the wings and some other things, and we’re putting the word out that this place is worth spending your money at! Keep in mind, it’s a BYO, so bring a cooler with ice for your beer or wine!

I’ve eaten at Ruthie’s too many times to count. The food is delicious and all of the recipes are created by Eric, the owner. All I can say is this white man knows how to make some collard greens. They are DELICIOUS! The greens are my favorite. The ribs are huge and falling off the bone. This is not your Famous Dave’s itty bitty baby back ribs. They feel more like brontosaurus ribs. Four ribs come in a serving and I can only eat two at a time. And don’t miss the Mac-​n-​cheese. No velveeta in that recipe. You get a soft elbow noodle and a homemade rue with real cheese every time. Eric uses good quality ingredients that always taste fresh. The live music on Fridays is the best and the price is always right!

Severe bummer so i had to update the review. Did you guys change cooks? Did you change recipes? All i know is the ribs that i had the last night did not even remotely resemble my previous orders. Sure they fell off the bone, but thats because they were a gray color and resembled boiled ribs. Brisket was still good, beans delicious, but the ribs were an embarrassment.

As a good southern boy I must say that Ruthies is d@&$ good! The pulled pork is tender and juicy and has great flavor. The sides are yummy and over all finger licking good! Oh yeah the live music is hard to beat.

Absolutely love this place! Was walking home from a local soccer game nearby the restaurant and so glad I found this place then. The decorations are absolutely amazing, gives a nice jazzy relaxing feel when you walk in. I haven’t gotten to try a lot of the items, but the Neapolitan pizza is the first thing you have to try. Maybe it’s just me, but the pizza taste better when you actually eat it at the restaurant since they warm it up right there and it’s all soft but crisp! And those chocolate chip cookies are a MUST-​TRY. Canned sodas are conveniently cheap, only a dollar! This has to be my favorite pizza place so far, and I’ve been to many!

Do you enjoy off the bone pork ribs? Do you crave mac and cheese that you know you’ll probably feel guilty about? Of course you do! How about semi-​warm pork ribs? Yeah, didn’t think so.
I can’t complain about Ruthie’s pork ribs as far as taste and quality. It was great bbq and its portion was very fair for its price. I am, however, disappointed with its served temperature. When craving bbq I imagine hot, just off the grill meat I simply can’t wait to get my hands on. As for as bbq aesthetics and taste, Ruthie’s does a good job but they seriously missed their mark with the hot off the bbq grill temp I like.
Selection of drinks was unlike other places I’ve dined in Montclair. The only homemade and appealing thirst quencher was the iced tea. The cooler it is kept in is out of normal eye sight which almost lead me into getting a snapple (prob healthiest thing there to drink in the beverage fridge and that’s not saying much). The ice tea was light, semi-​sweet and refreshing.
Now, the level of service I’m not too sure about. They leave a roll of brown paper towels for you on the table, a sign that you’re pretty much self-​service in this place. We had to figure things out on our own (getting utensils, hot sauce, water, etc.). The real let down was when an employee came up to our table, didn’t utter a word, and simply took away the bottle of hot sauce we were utlizing. Now, perhaps I was being a hog (I see myself doing that when I’m hungry) but number 1: there was no one else inside eating; number 2 and most importantly: why wouldn’t you kindly ask if I was done with it first? I found myself getting up only 20 seconds afterward to use it again on my ribs.
Not completely sold on Ruthie’s but it’s apparent their pizza is a hit with Montclair residents. During our 20 – 30 minute stay there was a long line at Ruthie’s and I observed lots of customers leave with a pizza box. Hope to return to try their pizza and if and when I do, I pray that my pie too won’t be served at room temperature!

Our family of four just (Friday night) left this place after having to ask for our money back. Checked on the status of our order after waiting over ½ hour, only to be informed that orders take 45 – 50 minutes. Would have been nice to have been told this when we placed our order with our two young children. We waited well over an hour and had no choice but to ask for a refund. I get that this place — according to the reviews on here — has some good food. But, that’s no excuse for poor customer service.

Order with caution folks & check your bill!
While the food was good, the service alone made my second visit my last. You would think a restaurant would know how to upcharge/​upsell applicably AND put on a fake pleasant attitude even if in a bad mood. I’m going to keep this review very short and warn everyone to order with caution.
The owner/​manager doesn’t know the rules of upselling/​upcharging and will charge you the full amount for anything that is substituted. I tried to explain the right way to upsell and the calculation behind it and he refused to listen. I should’ve only been charged an extra $ 0.50 — not $ 3.25
In general, the food was ok, however being charged full price when I should’ve been charged for the difference is just really bad business practice. Who knows, maybe the owner/​manager finally learned how to upsell without overcharging, but given his offensive attitude about the whole thing AND the way he spoke to his staff, I won’t bring my business there again.
To those who continue to go/​trying out the place for the first time, take a careful look at your bill to see if there are incremental charges tacked on.

I would have never found this place if it wasn’t for Unilocal.Score one for us!
This is a terrific place to come for lunch. There is a large amount seating, enough that you should be able to find a seat even when the high school lunch rush starts at 11am. Even with a ton of orders coming in I still was served quickly. By the way, Ruthie’s offers specials for students. Smart!
I paid $ 6.96 for a Ruth’s classic and a Texas slice which were both very good. I absolutely would not hesitate to come here again!

Maybe we came on an off night, but part of me just thinks that I can’t get behind this place because I know what REAL southern BBQ tastes like.
We came on a Friday night, around 7:30PM and sat on the patio, which was nice and had citronella candles I keep mosquitos away. I ordered a half rack of ribs with coleslaw and fries. The best part of my meal was the fries, which seriously, of you mess up fries you should probably just close your restaurant. Anyway, the coleslaw was good, too. I liked that they used apple cider vinegar in it and apple chunks – nice touch. But let’s remember that I came here for the BBQ, not the fries and coleslaw. The star of the show – the ribs – were beyond overlooked. They were super dry inside and out, and the meat peeled away from the bone, rather than falling apart, melting into my mouth the way real, delicious, legitimate BBQ ribs do.
Also, we came for the live music, only to find out that you only hear it if you’re seated inside (they don’t have their music system set up to play love music on the outdoor speakers).
Everything is serve yourself, from the water to ordering, so all in all, I can’t say I’ll be back for more.

Diamond in the rough.
Friday nights blues music pours from the back garden of this small lonesome storefront on a residential street in Montclair. I stuck my head in here a few years ago and as an error dismissed this place. A mistake on my part.
Great smokehouse BBQ!
Good simple food with complex smokey flavor with an eye for detail and quality.
I’ve recently become a BBQ fanatic and this is newest go to. The smoked wings as well as the smoked chicken are slow smoked and the meat has the perfect consistency where it is falling off the bone without being mushy. A fine Mac n cheese with layers of flavors pair ell with baked beans with burnt tips… If the Mexican Mac n chz is on the special board… Jump on it! The frito crunch is a great touch.