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Review content:
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Sticky Lips
625 Culver Road
Rochester, NY
585.288.1910
www.stickylipsbbq.com
Having eaten at the “popular” BBQ place, it was time to venture to one of the “others”. Sticky Lips is located on Culver, across from a high school by warehouses. I actually got excited. Look! A restaurant that might be a little run down with awesome food, one of those places where you can say, well, the food tastes better than the place looks.
When we first walk in, the entry way was a bit crowded. Note to restaurants. I know that waiting areas take up precious space, but you opened up in Rochester. The 13th snowiest city in the United States in case you just got here. We need a place to wait indoors….especially if you don’t have a bar. That’s right folks, no bar. How does a BBQ joint not have a bar? I am not sure, but it was a bit distressing. As a general rule, I don’t buy bottles of beer. I like draft beer when I go out, since I don’t get it at home. Now, the reasoning behind the no bar thing from reading past reviews on their wall, was the owner wanted a kid friendly place. How are coolers stacked with bottled beer and people waiting with their beer anymore as soon as you walk in more kid friendly than a bar with draft beer? Not sure. Okay rant over. So the décor was 50’s and what you would expect from that type of theme. What I found interesting was some of the local articles from that time.
When we sat down, we were famished and decided to start with the deep fried pickles ($3.95). Here they do them in spears, which I find harder to eat than when they are done up in chips. The breading was tasty and Cajun buttermilk dipping sauce was a good complement to the slightly spicy breading.
I decided to have the Rib Platter($13.95). I ordered up a ½ rack of Memphis Dry Rub Ribs, with BBQ beans and fries. The ribs were just incredible. The rub was perfect and ribs so tender they were falling off the bone. I just wished my sides measured up. I could have skipped the sides and just ordered a ½ rack. The fries were soggy and at the same time underdone. They were one of the worst fries I have ever been served. The BBQ beans had jalapenos and onions and there was something about the sauce that just didn’t taste right. Maybe I am going a bit overboard saying they were horrible, but I didn’t scarf them down like I usually do with good BBQ beans. The cornbread that was served was too moist and tasted like it had been baked with Splenda.
My dining companion decided to try the Dry Rub Chicken Platter($8.65). The chicken was well done, but not too dry. One of the sides included the beans and rice, which wasn’t too bad. It was agreed that the cornbread was quite sweet. Edible, but not stellar.
I was pleased with the service and overall staff. When I ordered (accidentally) a non alcoholic beer, I was allowed to return it and get a real beer since I only took a sip. I appreciated that, and wasn’t charged again.
The menu is quite diverse and I am always happy to see a restaurant that has a vegetarian section to it. While the ribs were incredible and the chicken tasty, the overall experience would not have me running back for more.
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