Rib Shack Barbecue

This place is redonk! I cannot stop eating here. I grew up in Atlanta and Memphis on BBQ and this place is the real deal.

Hubby and I stumbled upon the Rib Shack, not knowing what to expect. We were throughly surprised to say the least. My husband is a tough critic and said the brisket was by far the best he has had. The baby backs were just as flavorful, as well as the taster of tri-​tip. Please give this place a try if you not already, you will not regret it! We will be back!

Absolutely fantastic Kansas City style bbq. I got the rib ends meal and my girlfriend got the burnt ends meal and we shared. My stomach had an orgasm. All local Idaho craft beers on tap add to the experience that much more. My new favorite bbq in the Boise area bar none.

Ribs are amazing, potato cheese and bacon with sour cream is mouth watering, brisket is good, Cole slaw is average, and beans mix was the best. Overall the best BBQ in our area, plus the BBQ sauce’s are the best mix also. Atmosphere and service is great, friendly people which is a rarity. I recommend this place for BBQ. And unlike many restaurants they have Coke Zero on tap!

Went to rib shack for dinner on Saturday night with my wife, mother-​in-​law and 2 kiddos (4 & 1yo). Since it was my first time I was given a few samples and decided to go with the burnt ends. My wife had the baby backs and my MIL had the ribs ends. We all thoroughly enjoyed our food. The only downside was no kids menu or food that my kiddos would eat (my son is picky; most kids would enjoy the sides). The staff was very friendly and truly made our experience great. Can’t wait to go back!

Expanded hours. Friendly people. All are welcome vibe. Sparking clean. Good food. Fair prices. We’ll go back sometime for take out even if we won’t choose to eat in. We’re wed to another local barbecue spot. But there was a lot to like here. That’s the nutshell view. Detail follows.
A TIP — THE HOURS
Originally open for lunch Tuesday through Friday; recently added dinner on Friday and Saturdays. This we discovered when it looked like signs of life as we drove by about 4:30 on a Friday so pulled in to check this out for the first time. Our cupboards at home were bare and dinner hour was on the horizon.
We mentioned to the nice guy working hard behind the counter that we were surprised to find them open. We literally laughed out loud with him when he said this dinner service was a newish mode and «Shhhhh…» with fingers to his lips. But I’ll tell you on Unilocal.You won’t tell anyone. Right?
So there’s that.
And also this.
THE DRILL
The format of the place, order at the counter, food served on disposable paperware, pick your eats when ready and carry to your table, is not our thing for eat in. We don’t do fast food for similar reasons. No knock on the Rib Shack, different service format strokes for different diners.
And here’s more.
SKEPTICS WON OVER
We walked in with skeptics’ view because our hearts and taste buds belong to another local BBQ place. But we were won over by warm greeting here as we were offered a rib to sample while we decided on what to choose from the big chalkboard menu over the order counter. The aroma of good barbecue as you enter is winning too. We liked the unpretentious ‘all are welcome vibe’. We liked the absence of loud music; one could actually carry on a conversation here if one stayed to eat in. We liked that nearly all of the seating was standard height tables and chairs that works for everyone, no need to perch on a barstool here. And we SO appreciated that the huge space (reclaimed from Mickey Ray’s after they closed) is sparkling clean. I can only imagine how hard it is to make that so in the format of the restaurant.
All in all, pride of ownership shines. Bravo. Our hearts still belong to our favorite other place. But, how can you not be wooed by that here?
And then there is the food.
THE EATS
Almost all is a la carte. Be aware of that when ordering for a group. I notice some reviews not flattering for Rib Shack that seem fueled by diners not understanding the a la carte menu.
Sides come in a few size options like ¹⁄₃ pound and ½ pound. And meats come by half pound, pound and other options I think (like maybe a rack or ribs). We appreciated the menu has both rib ends (pork) and pork ends among their offerings. (Also burnt ends for beef eaters, which we are not.) They also offer baby back ribs and another cut which I’d say is like a St. Louis style.
We took out ¹⁄₃ pound of the spicy red potato salad and coleslaw and ½ pound of the rib ends and another ½ pound of baby back ribs. They have over a dozen different house made bbq sauces. Since we couldn’t decide on which one, they are all available to sample, they tucked three in for us to try.
Barbecue and sides are like buying jeans. Even if you wear the same size as the guy or girl next to you, different styles probably fit each of you best. So for the food…
*We thought the pork was perfectly seasoned. We like that they serve it dry with sauces to add as you choose.
*We liked each of the three sauces we tried for being not too sweet, with vinegar evident, and lots of chiles in the mix.
*The rib ends were great.
*The baby backs had quite a bit more fat than we prefer; we would not order them again.
*The spicy red potato salad was for us perhaps the best potato salad we’ve had at any barbecue place in Idaho.
*The coleslaw was fresh and crisp with celery seed (yahoo) and tart sweet. A bit too sweet to fit us perfectly but that was easy to modify by a splash of apple cider vinegar and some black pepper added at home.
THE DAMAGE
Prices seemed fair to us. We were full to capacity on that meal and as I recall it was just about twelve bucks a head.
THIS N THAT:
1) LOCATION: This is one of the most poorly maintained strip malls in the Treasure Valley, imho. Not the Rib Shack owner’s issue for sure.
2) ACCESSIBILITY: Once you get in the door here, it is all good for equal access from what I could see. But the mall is woefully in non compliance with Federal ADA civil rights law mere minimums for accessible parking. I imagine that will only get changed if the mall owner gets sued. Sadly but seriously. My understanding is he’s a commercial builder. He knows better.
3) OUTDOOR SEATING: Nice little patio in the front of Rib Shack with tables set up for good weather dining.

We went to the Rib Shack around 2:30 pm on a Saturday for a late lunch after buying a motorcycle from an Eagle resident who then recommended the Rib Shack to us.
First of all, the restaurant was clean. I always notice that because you never get a second chance for a first impression.
The next thing was the menu. You order from the front and the menu is written on a chalkboard. My son ordered a half rack of ribs. He didn’t realize that they were $ 25 bucks. My bff and I ordered sandwiches. His was burnt ends (brisket), mine was pulled pork. I also ordered a side of baked beans. The sandwiches were about $ 10 bucks a piece. They really weren’t sandwiches, but just ¹⁄₃ pound of meat slapped on a piece of white butcher paper and served with a big double-​sized slice of dry white bread.
Here’s the rub, and why I give them only 3 stars. The food was cold, lukewarm at best, and that annoyed me. I hate cold food. I should have said something but I didn’t. I just kept eating my cold pulled pork.
The ribs and the beef were cold too. The beans were lukewarm. On top of that, when I pay $ 25 for a half rack of ribs you would think they would give you a plate to eat on, instead of white butcher paper and plastic wrapped utensils.
As far as drinks go, they have soft drinks in bottles, and ice tea, water and lemonade in containers sitting on a counter. There was an ice bucket next to the water with melted ice.
As far as the food goes, there was a nice sweet spice to the barbecue sauce. The baked beans had big chunks of meat in them. The food was decent.
But seriously, for the amount it cost, I could go to Goodwood and get warm food served on real plates with real silverware for about the same price.

My friends from work and I try to go out to lunch about once a month, so today we decided to go to the Rib Shack. The Rib Shack is a great place to go to lunch, and the atmosphere there is very inviting.
Today, we were met at the door by the owner (or perhaps the manager), and he asks, «Would you like an appetizer while you are waiting?» To which all of us greatly agreed! He then passed us each a sample size of organic quinoa and a celery stick. When it was my turn to order, I asked for the vegan platter, and for sides I got humus and bean sprout salad. And for my drink, I got a nice cup of herbal tea.
…riiiiiiight… …please note the date of this review…
Seriously though, this place is (obviously) all about the meat. If you are a vegan, I can’t imagine this would be a place you would frequent. The barbecue beef and pork here is absolutely delicious.
For an appetizer the manager gave us all a rib, which we gnawed on in delight while we waited in line. For lunch, I got the Burnt-​End Special, with Smashed Potatoes and a Dill Pickle, with a bottle of root beer. All of it was excellent. The meat was cooked to perfection, and there are many sauces at the tables to accent the taste. I sampled almost all of them, but my favorite was the Texas sauce. The Smashed Potatoes are amazing… Smothered with cheese, and filled with chunks of bacon. Brilliance in a side dish! The best testament of this place is the sound of silence as five hungry carnivores halt all conversation to take in their meaty delights. Yes, it is a very very good experience.
The staff is friendly, and the place is very clean and has a great «barbecue-​joint» sort of décor. If you go there for lunch, be sure to arrive early, or else expect to stand in line a bit. It seems to be pretty popular.
I highly recommend this place, assuming you are in the mood for meat!
[ What is Mister-T’s favorite month… …wait for it… …April, Fools! ]

Guys we’re all wandering through an existence that ebbs and flows between total confusion and spectacular clarity, with a full range of experiences in between. I’ve just spent a brief but oh so fantastic amount of time on the blissful end of that spectrum. I never knew the words «Rib Shack» would ever turn me into Pavlov’s Dog, slobbering all over myself. Let me break this down for you… I’ve just had the best tri tip in my 50 years on this spinning marble and I’m bummed these guys figured out how to render that part of the bovine anatomy into a mouth watering delight that my decades worth of bbq’ing has yet to achieve. I mean come on… Usually after my tri tip has been served democrats and republicans stop bickering, Palestinians and Jews hold hand and sing kumbaya My Lord, and feminists give warm embraces to random men walking down the street. Yeah… It’s that good.
But no more.
These guys are light years beyond me. Here’s the deal though. You better get off your lazy butt, grab a fistful of dough, get down there between 11:00AM and 3:00PM and start elbowing people in the ribs to make sure you get you some, or it will flat out be gonzo! (Just kidding about the rib elbowing stuff, but if this cat keeps up with his mastery of bbq, all bets are off when the word gets around.)
Disclaimer– Robert Alderman is not affiliated in any way with the dude who owns this joint, but if he doesn’t start spilling his guts about how he does this there may be an abduction in his near future. I’ve already been to Walmart for some duct tape…

The meat is amazing, imported hickory goodness. The sauces were outstanding as well. Some of the best BBQ ive ever had. This merits 3 stars.
The side portions were comically small. We all actually laughed about it for a while. We ordered almost 4 pounds of meat for 4 people… The deal came with 3 sides, so we assumed that the side portions would match the quantity of meat we were given.
We received less then half a cup of smashed potatoes (delicious, I wanted more) less then a half cup of baked beans (really tasty, I wanted more) and less then ¼ cup coleslaw (super yummy, I wanted more) for 4 people.
It’s ended up being a little more then $ 80, which is totally fine! I will always love to pay for great food. With that said, make the side portions larger and give the people what they pay for. Sides are the cheepest thing on the plate and the portions just left us feeling robbed and sad. I will go back. Because the food was all outstandingly delicious… But, for the love of God give me more sides.
Ps– the smashed potatoes are freaking delicious.

BEST BBQ EVER!!! My husband has been talking about this place for 4years… now I know why!!! Glad they reopened so I can experience what he had! Omgosh!

The Good:
The meat was great, I had some ribs and tri-​tip.
Staff was friendly.
Lots of different BBQ sauces to pick from
The Bad:
Worst bread for sandwiches ever!!! (This lost them 2 stars) What kind of BBQ sandwich comes on what is basically wonder bread?
Slowest services ever staff just standing around or walking in circles. Was only 3 people ahead of us, the food is already cooked, still took more than 10 minutes to get food.
Very few side options and nothing interesting
If I ever go back I will only buy the bulk meat and take care of everything else at home.
What to fix:
Get better bread!
add another side, a vegetable would be nice.
And Get Better bread!!!

The ribs are absolutely amazing! By far the best we have had since moving to Idaho. Brisket is also very good and should be considered a top choice of entrees. The smashed potatoes will leave you asking for more as they are absolutely delicious!
My biggest complaint is the way soft drinks are offered… in a small, under-​sized bottle. I actually paid for 2 Diet Cokes when we ordered because I knew one would not cut it! They really need a fountain soda machine. I cant imagine taking a family in and buying individual bottles for everyone. Of course water is offered with a small glass.
Overall, great place. Just need to fine tune drink service.

It’s criminal to have BBQ this good literally in my backyard. I truly feel sorry for people who live outside of the treasure valley or Idaho. I’ve eaten BBQ all over the country Memphis, Kansas City, North and South Carolina, Texas you name it I’ve had it. And hands down the best is in my backyard in little old Eagle Idaho. So if you want to experience real deal BBQ at its best this is the place to come.

I have never had such amazing BBQ. We immediately smelled the aroma when we walked in and loved the décor. We weren’t sure what to order and while we waited in line (very different for us, but worth the wait)…we were given a sample rib and brisket… and…we were «goners» after that! Thank goodness the owner was there guiding us on what to order, as he was skillfully cutting the meats. We ordered the beans, smashed potatoes, coleslaw, pulled pork, brisket and ribs. The sides and meats were served on a platter with paper, which put us in the mood for «digging in»! We honestly could not decide what was our favorite! We were fortunate enough to be so full to take the rest home, just to look forward to another day of awesome food. What made the night extra special is that everyone around us was just as crazy about the food and we all had fun trying to decide what was best. We can’t wait to go back! I won’t describe the details of the flavors, as this is a «must go to place for yourself». Very friendly, laid back atmosphere.

This is the best BBQ in the Pac NW and possibly the entire western United States. That is not a typo. That is not hyperbole.
We need this restaurant to succeed. Do yourself a favor and try it out.

Best ribs I have ever had!!! The meat fell off the bone! The smashed potatoes were so good!
My husband brought them home from take out and said the place was cute and the people were very helpful. We will be back many times!

I lived in Texas for about 5 years… I have yet to find a BBQ place that lives up to the delicious BBQ I had in Texas. Until now!!! Rib Shack is AMAZING! Best BBQ!!! Authentic, hearty, delicious!!! Sweet tea is spot on. The restaurant itself is so cool. Very new, yet rustic feel. The women’s restroom is adorable! They have rustic signs and toiletries. Everything from hairspray, lotion, scented soap, etc. The customer service is top notch! You feel very welcome, not rushed. Everyone is very friendly and they work well together. I can’t say enough good things about this place. I will be back for sure!

The flavor of the barbecue is delicious! We were offered a sample when we figured out where to order (one needs to order at the counter, get your own drink and silverware and find your own table). Plenty was served with each portion. My issues: all food served was COLD. It was served very quickly so I’m assuming that it is not kept hot enough in the serving pans. Only 5 sides were offered and one of those was a pickle. Any drink, besides sweet tea or lemonade, was offered in a bottle. Would have loved a Diet Coke on ice from a machine. Huge slice of bread served with the meal. I was hoping that it was Basque but rated just like Wonder bread. Too expensive to come back often.

Finger-​lickin’ good! Seriously their food is amazing! I was at an event last weekend that they catered and they nailed it. The stuffed mashed potatoes were unbelievable, their brisket with endless sauce options was amazing, 5 bean baked bean were yummy… everything was delicious. The servers were very polite, got the impression that its a family run business. The only negative was that they ran out of food, but to their credit I’m sure its because people were taking huge portions. If only they had a restaurant!