8 Great Places for Ribs in Metro Manila
Jun 3, 2015 • Bong Sta. Maria
Eating ribs is an art form. A messy, delicious art from that would most likely leave your hands covered in delicious sauce and maybe something in between your teeth.
Here are 8 places to get your ribs fix in Manila. Enjoy, and remember to stay calm at all times, unlike the woman from Indiana who recently stabbed someone in the eye over a last rib dispute in a restaurant.
Branches:
64 Scout Rallos, Diliman, Quezon City
88 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig
1703 Baler St. cor Nicanor Garcia St., Bel-Air, Makati
Contact numbers: 501-2799 (Scout Rallos), 501-2799 (Kapitolyo), (0917) 719-8522 (Makati)
American comfort food done right! This place has an affordable menu, and serves great food without sacrificing the quality. The servings are also quite big, so the dishes are excellent for sharing. A single serving (220PHP) includes plain rice and one side, the Super Duo (390PHP) included two sides, and the Family Brunch ribs, which serves 4, includes four sides. You’ll most likely be lining up (especially on weekends) but it’s definitely worth the wait.
Appetizers: Some of the most affordable items on the appetizer menu include the Bacon Mac N Cheese (130PHP), Nachos (170PHP), the onion rings with aioli sauce (160PHP). The caesar salad (210PHP) is a good light side, too.
Branches:
Unit A The Fort Complex, Entertainment Center, 28 St. cor 5th Ave, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
G/F Glorietta 4, Ayala Ave. cor Pasay Road, Ayala Center, Makati
2/F Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Contact details: 828-4435 (Fort Bonifacio), 757-1926 (Glorietta 4), 771-1388 (Alabang)
The Original Baby Back Ribs is a favorite but you can also try the St. Louis Ribs. It has more natural marbling and the following sauces: Tony Roma’s Red Hots (peppers/hot sauce), Carolina Honeys (honey and molasses), and the Blue Ridge Smokies (smokey flavors, also with molasses).
If you can’t decide (and eating with a group), try the Star Studded Sampler, which contains the original all three sauces.
Appetizer: Try their Appetizer Sampler, which includes mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce, wings with bleu cheese, and baked potato skins with sour cream. The Papaya salad, which is topped with wonton skins and grilled chicken breast, are great accompaniments as well.
Branches:
104 E Rodriguez Jr Ave., Ugong, Pasig
3/F Glorietta 4, East Drive, Ayala Center, Makati
G/F Unit 75/76/77 Shoppesville, Greenhills, San Juan
Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Foodcourt, Shaw Blvd. cor EDSA, Mandaluyong
Shaw Blvd., Addition Hills, Mandaluyong
Contact numbers: 672-3448 (Ugong, Pasig), (0916) 651-9226 (Glorietta 4), 721-1410 (Greenhills)
Aside from service great steaks, this famous Greenhills institution also serves good ribs. Their fall-off-the bone baby back ribs, priced at PHP750, are also pretty great.
Appetizers: Try their Baked Clams and Mussels Victoria (both with cheese, and priced at PHP240) and the gambas (PHP275)
Branches:
2/F Pos Bldg, Sct. Madrinan cor Tomas Morato, Quezon City
Eastwood City Walk 2, Garden Ave, Quezon City
Contact numbers: 376-6139 (Tomas Morato), (0915) 487-8153 (Eastwood)
Chef Dino Paulo Peralta is Big D, creating Southern-inspired dishes that pair nicely with a beer (or two). Both branches are hip and cozy, with white-painted bricks and wood details. The star is, of course, are the tender soft-bone ribs, which is tenderized for hours. A solo order (with garlic rice and corn/carrots side) starts at 230PHP. If you’re with a group, the Ribs Platter (1190PHP) with two full slabs of ribs (with two sides and a carafe iced tea) would leave everyone full and happy.
The Eastwood branch has a number of chairs with semi-rocking chairs designed by one of the owners–this is perfect for when you’re taking a break from all the fun rib-eating.
Big D’s has regular music sessions and interviews (in partnership with Pinoytuner), so if you want great music to go with the good food, check out their Facebook page for announcements. Past sessionists incluse Aia De Leon, Hilera, and Reg Rubio,
Appetizer: Lots of appetizers are in store here. Try the light onion rings (90PHP), the Dirty Fries with loads of pulled pork, cheese sauce, and salsa (175PHP), and the Potato Chips and Skins (130PHP).
Branches:
B6 Bonifacio High Street, 5th Ave, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
2/F Resorts World Manila, Newport Mall, Domestic Airport, Pasay
2/F SM Mall of Asia, Entertainment Mall, South Wing, Seaside Blvd., Manila Bay Reclamation Area, Pasay City
Contact numbers: 856-4326 (Fort Bonifacio), 403-8926 (Resorts World), 511-0646 (Mall of Asia)
This one’s a bit more pricey that most of the ribs in this list, but you’ll sure get your money’s worth. The half slab baby back ribs is 549PHP, and the full slab is 1,098PHP). Both are marinated in the dry rub and slow-cooked. If you want more meat varation, order the Smokin’ Barbeque Platter, which contains baby back ribs, beef brisket, blackened pork belly, and chicken barbecue (this is good for 4-5 people). They also serve wine and imported craft beers, and regularly has Happy Hour promos.
Appetizers: Crowd favorites include the buffalo wings (served with a special sauce, veggie crudites, and bleu cheese) and the Mardi Gras Nachos (tri-color torrillas, grilled chicken, cheese, and mango jalapeno salsa).
Branches:
Eastwood City Walk 1, E Rodriguez Jr Ave., Bagumbayan, Quezon City
Bonifacio High Street, 7th Ave. Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
The Venice Piazza, Upper McKinley Rd, McKinley Hill, Taguig
4/F Centruy City Mall, Kalayaan Ave., Poblacion, Makati
5/F SM Aura Premier, Sky Park, McKinley Parkway, McKinley Hill, Taguig
Contact numbers: 912-6989 (Eastwood), 403-6003 (Fort Bonifacio), 556-7369 (McKinley), 425-2622 (Century Mall), 994-5577 (SM Aura)
Agave isn’t really the first restaurant that you’ll think of if you’re looking for ribs (it will most likely be the bottomless alcohol and the nachos that go on for days), but they do serve good ribs here, too.
They have two choices: half slab (625PHP) and full slab (1,045PHP). Both are glazed with Agave’s own special sauce, fries, and Mexican red rice.
Appetizers: the Carne Asada Fries (topped with carne asada, cheese, sour cream, and guac) for 390PHP, and the towering Nacho Grande for 460PHP.
Branches:
El Pueblo, ADB Ave., Ugong, Pasig
G/F SM Mall of Asia, Entertainment Mall, Seaside Blvd., Manila Bay Reclamation Area, Pasay
G/F Robinsons Place Manila, Adriatico St. cor Pedro Gil, Ermita, Manila
Connecticut Carpark Bldg, Ortigas Ave, Greenhills, San Juan
3/F SM Megamall-Bridgeway, EDSA, Wack Wack, Mandaluyong
G/F The Fort Strip, 27th Ave. cor 6th St., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
Contact numbers: 636-7468 (El Pueblo), 556-4786 to 87 (Mall of Asia), 527-4689 (Robinson’s Place), 584-2173 to 74 (Greenhills), 706-5427 (Wack Wack), 519-6755 (Fort Strip),
Racks remains one of the go-to place for ribs in Manila. The Racks Baby Back Ribs (480PHP for half slab and 835PHP for full slab) and the Racks Classic Pork Ribs (355PHP for Quarter Rack, 555PHP for Half Rack, and 996PHP for Full Rack) remain two of the best menu items in the ribs department. If you want to have more meat, get the Racks Sampler, which contains the pork ribs, baby ribs, beef ribs, and hickory smoked chicken.
If you want to try out other items on the menu, their southern fried chicken and Fish and Chips are excellent as well.
Appetizers: The classic caesar salad (200 for solo and 350 for sharing), as well as the coleslaw and mac & cheese sides are great starters
Branches:
61-B 17th Ave., Cubao, Quezon City
169 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Paranaque
Contact numbers: 300-8435 and 09173008435
Big Daddy Jay’s humbly started out in Mercato before opening their first branch in Cubao. The half slab (450PHP) is good for two to three people. They smoke their ribs how they do it in South Carolina–Big Daddy Jay is a real person who actually lived there, so you know their stuff is legit.
Their fall-off-the-bone ribs are smoked for six hours, and rubbed with secret sauce and spices. The sides (30-35PHP each) Buttered Rice, Herbed Baby Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables, corn are affordable too.
Ribs and Wings at 10% off on Mondays? Introductory prices for Throwback Thursdays? Keep an eye on promos like these announced on their Facebook page.
Appetizers: Try their buffalo style chicken wings with honey mustard or ginger glaze, is a crowd favorite (160PHP for six pieces, 300PHP for 12 pieces, and 440PHP for 18 pieces).
Where do you go to get your ribs fix? Share us your favorite places in the comments!
