Wildwood Barbeque

A baby of the city?s B.R. Guest clan, Wildwood Barbeque lets you dine in rustic barn charm with a modern New York twist ? dim track lighting, clean vaulted wood beams and cathedral-like setting. From the warm southerly greeting to the white dishcloth napkins and old-fashioned Mason jars, the scene is perfect for kickin' it down south with some Carolina pulled pork. Sitting in the polished, low-lit barn, you?ll find on wood tables an array of homemade barbecue sauces including Sweet & Spicy Chipotle barbecue, and Chef Big Lou Elrose's secret sauce, which perhaps he developed during his famous stint at Hill Country. The 50-foot TV-lined bar, wood bar tables, and open wall make this a great warm weather game-watching spot. The southern cocktails, endless beer and bourbon menu are a treat for the weary ? either from shopping at nearby Union Square or just working upstairs. While my Carolina pulled pork and brisket were ordered on the ?moist? not ?lean? side, I didn?t know that entailed ?incredibly fatty? or slightly inedible. The baked beans were a bit heavy, salty and too bacon fatty. Though one nice thing is you can sub an entree's default vinegar chips for more tempting sides like crispy sweet potato fries. Still, the setting is warm and genuinely makes you feel like you?re hours away down south ? even down to the large country-like basin in the bathroom. The friendly staff and affordable prices (sandwiches from $10, entrees $15-$25) makes Wildwood not quite as upscale nostalgic as a farm-loving Keith McNally restaurant, but a fun, themed break from the everyday. Pros: Great setting, Friendly Service, Fun Setting, Drink Menu Cons: Food Hit or Miss, Bit Pricey for Mixed Reviewed Food more

I've been wanting to come here for awhile. So I came with a girlfriend of my because we both love meat. Both our ribs were both bland. I felt bad because I suggested the place and we were both really disappointed. Pros: Location Cons: Food is Bland more

it really was the best mac and cheese i've had in a long time. the ribs were excellent too. Service was good but not great and the prices were reasonable. I enjoyed my time here and would definitely come back! more

IF you want to waste your money and time you should go there, but the food is overheating, the specialty cocktails overpiced $$$$ the BArbecue sauces are not fresh and sanitation should go there to check everything, sorry but I dont think this place is going to be open for long time. Go someplace else ,seriously. Pros: THE LOCATION Cons: THE MANAGERS, BIG LOU AND THE FOOD. more

Good service. Decent beer selection. (something different that everybody else). We had: ribs.. --> great !! the sauces are really good. shrimp quesadila --> also tastes good. We've been there 5 times already and will come back. Pros: not the best.. but worth the trip more

I was very disspointed by this place. If you like your ribs dry and over cooked, this is the place for you. I personally would suggest Virgils. Make reservations though, they are very popular. Pros: Nice atmosphere Cons: The dryest, toughest ribs on earth more

Had dinner here with some friends, and it was great on all counts. Nice bar to hang out at, nice open atmosphere. Service was not doting, but fine. The food really stood out - best barbeque chicken I've ever had. All the guys loved their heaping plates of ribs. Please note, it looks the most recent review before this one is referring to Hill Country, not Wildwood. Pros: Open atmosphere, great food Cons: A little pricey, but worth it. more

i brought a friend of mine from japan to experience austin bbq via nyc. it was a little confusing when we went in. which counter to go to. who to order from. which line to stand in. where do we get our drinks? it went on and on. as we paid on our way out, a very condescending cashier pointed out how we mustn't have listened to the hostess explain what the procedure was, etc. that was so nice of her to embarass my friend and i. good thing she was condescending BEFORE i dropped a tip in her very large tip jar. Pros: it was a great place to spend an afternoon talking without being rushed around Cons: condescending staff more

Maybe it's the venue (before Wildwood, there was Park Avalon, dependable, no surprises, continental with a Meditarranean tinge, then Barca, which underwhelmed and failed miserably), but Wildwood continues a tradition of imaginatively decorated, cavernous, and plain average restaurants at this address. I would not come here to get down and dirty barbecue, though if you do, you will be neither too disppointed, nor that excited - the food is, plainly, ok. For the real thing, try Dinosaur uptown, or Daisy Mae's in midtown. Pros: Lively bar scene. Cons: NOISY. more

I do not recommend eating here. The food wasn't good. The service was ok. The desserts were horrific. more

I recently went to Wildwood with a group of co-workers for a team dinner. We went on a Tuesday night and they were having a Wii boxing tournament. At first we all thought it was so strange and silly to see this going in a restaurant, but a few drinks later some of us at the table were participating and having a great time. It was actually a nice distraction for us at the table because sometimes work dinners can tend to get a little boring. I had the rib sampler, which were some very good ribs. The meat fell right off the bone and melted in my mouth. I tried my co-workers brisket, which was good, but definitely not as good as my ribs. The sides were all ok, one stand out was the mac and cheese. All the others were just ok. Service was good, but could have definitely been a little more attentive. They have a great list of whiskey's too for all you whiskey drinkers. I tried one (after my work dinner was over) and ended up staying for a few more drinks. There is a larger bar area with TV's that gets a pretty good crowd too. Pros: Food, Drinks, Wii Boxing more

Great place, right on Park Avenue---central to Union Square, Madison Square Park, Gramercy Park. The service was excellent, with polite-enough hosts and friendly, knowledgable waitstaff. Pros: Awesome atmosphere, good food, friendly waitstaff, good variety of beer Cons: Not a fantastic value more

Got the Carolina Pulled pork which was above average, nice and smokey but too aggressively peppered. The vinegar dipping sauce had the same issue with pepper (and i was hoping it was a south Carolina mustard based sauce not a north Carolina style sauce a distinction that should have been made on the menu). The main downside was the laughably tiny portion for the price, it felt more like an appetizer than a actual meal. Pros: Pork was nice and smokey, beer selection was good Cons: Pricey and tiny portions more

The last thing we think about when we visit NYC is BBQ. We stumbled on this place by accident out of our Union Square hotel on a Sunday night and the kids started clamoring for BBQ. We enjoyed it. Service was excellent and the BBQ was great. more

After the service given by the hosts, we should have known better. The food was barely average, small expensive portions and Kraft makes a better bbq sauce. Go to Brother Jimmy's, heck, McDonalds is a better bet. Pros: nothing good about this place Cons: Hosts, food, ""canned"" vibe more

I have been living in NYC for the past 12 years and eat out, on average, six nights a week. I started compiling lists of 'The Best Of' before Citysearch existed. I can honestly say that my experiences (and yes, I had to go twice to make sure that the first time was not a fluke) at Wildwood would have to rank close to the bottom of all of my dining experiences (the bottom being at a Chinese restaurant down on Mott where my waitress picked up my soup as I had just taken a spoonful, started to walk away until I gasped, turned around, and with thumb in the soup bowl, slammed the bowl down on the table, splashing me with the bland shark fin soup). The promise of a table in fifteen minutes became an hour and a half long wait. The waiter took twenty minutes to take our order (the restaurant was half empty). The food took another forty-five minutes to show up (Yes, we waited that long). When the food arrived, the food they served was not what we ordered. Please note, it was not a mix up, they ran out of food and decided for us what we would want instead. And how is the food? I've had better barbecue at the Chicken Stop on 1st ave. Their definition of 'smoked' is dry and overcooked. The sauce on the table: Imagine if Chef Boyardee was hired to improve the flavor of Heinz 57. Needless to say, I will not be returning. My experience made me miss the good old days at the over-priced Park Avalon that once occupied the space. In this price range I recommend you go to Hill Country or Blue Smoke if you are looking for better food and overall experience . Pros: The space will be nice for the new owner and restaurant Cons: everything, including the thought of going there more

Wildwood has a great menu full of BBQ specialties that will defiantly satisfy any fan. The ribs were cooked to perfection and the sides were full of flavor and served nicely. The beef brisket was a bit fatty, but some people and restaurants prefer to eat and serve it that way. The staff at wildwood BBQ are what made the meal great-they were attentive and enthusiastic, but not in your face about it. Overall good times and good food. Pros: Service, Ribs Cons: expensive, busy more