The Rib Stand

I tried the rib sandwich platter for lunch and it did not disappoint. Very tender and flavorful sandwich paired perfectly with asiago cheese, spicy BBQ sauce and fresh bread. I will be going back to try the ribs on the bone.

Awesome boneless rib sandwich. Great seasoning and add the hot sauce to kick it up a notch.

On my third trip to RTM, I decided to try Amish BBQ, since I’d never had it before. There are two stands specializing in it – one of which is the Rib Stand – both of which were open at the time of my visit (Thurs. at 3:30pm). Luckily, I happened to hit the Rib Stand during RTM’s annual Dutch Weekend, which meant that I received an unexpected $ 2 discount on my lunch combo, which was a nice surprise.
Based on the other reviews, I decided to order the combo including the boneless rib sandwich with cheese (normally $ 9.50, discounted to $ 7.50). I wasn’t sure what a boneless rib sandwich would look like, since I’ve only ever eaten bone-​in ribs, but it consisted of pulled rib meat on a long roll, with sauce on the side. I got the mild sauce, and it added some nice flavor to the sandwich, enhancing the flavor of the meat, which was moist and tender. The cheese also added a slightly gooey texture, even though it was American, which isn’t my favorite type of cheese. To echo other reviewers’ comments, the cheese and the roll were of average quality (i.e., the type you get at a grocery store), but they didn’t take away too much from the meat and sauce – the rightful stars of the show.
The combo comes with two sides, for which I ordered mac and cheese and potato wedges. As others have described, the mac and cheese was quite creamy, but the sauce wasn’t watery, as I was fearing it would be. Again, American cheese was used here, but I was able to forgive because the overall flavor was quite pleasant. The potato wedges were a bit dry, but the seasoning gave them an absolutely delicious flavor. They are definitely a must-​try side item if you order a combo here.
Overall, my meal from the Rib Stand was quite solid in quality, and didn’t disappoint. The prices are similar to other options in RTM, with the extra discount helping to make them even more reasonable, and the portion sizes are generous. If you’re in the mood for BBQ, or if the lines at other stands are just too long, be sure to give the Rib Stand a try for something different than the more popular options.

Love, love, love this place. A gem in the vast market. I’ve only had the spare ribs. In fact, I’ve had them six or more times in a month! I can’t speak for the baby backs, but the spare ribs are meaty, juicy and tender. The green beans are great too. Go for the 3 rib combo that comes with two sides and a drink for $ 9.50. You can’t go wrong. Awesome staff as well. Friendly and courteous.
One word of caution — I was always go for lunch. In the late afternoon, the ribs appear to be a tad drier than earlier in the day.

Was at the conference and felt like having ribs. Great spot, no line. Had four spare ribs w the spicy sauce. Not what I would term spicy but excellent sauce nonetheless. Ribs were juicy w a nice chew and fall off the bone tender. Definitely worthwhile to check this place out.

Boneless rib sandwich with spicy bbq sauce is amazing, little pricey but good. Be sure to get cheese as it solidifies the experience.

I ordered 2 ribs with hot sauce, it was a little over $ 5. The ribs were very moist, may have been the best I ever had. Perfectly cooked. The hot sauce had the perfect amount of spice. Yum.

The Rib Stand isn’t bad, but is incredibly heavy. Everything is cooked to death. I felt like I had ingested a gopher after eating half of my rib sandwich and most of my two sides. The sandwich was pretty tasty; I won’t deny it. But there are so many fantastic options in Reading Terminal Market that I would be hard pressed to go back to The Rib Stand.

Reading Terminal can eat you alive if you’re unprepared. A city block worth of vendors overwhelms you, and the crush of the crowd can curb your enthusiasm. But, possibly because of its position by a door and people’s mentality of «let’s not stop at the first place we see,» The Rib Stand doesn’t have the amusement park lines that some vendors do. It’s a nice ejector seat when you realized you’ve come to the wrong place with an empty stomach.
The rib sandwich ($ 6.75 w/​cheese) is a line of juicy, seasoned meat cradled by processed white American cheese that gives it a little richness, if nothing else. Your barbeque sauce comes as hot or mild, and the hot would only bead sweat on the wimpiest of palates. This is by no means a bad thing, since you’ve asked for BBQ and not sriracha.
This is a solid sandwich I’d get again, and it only misses 4 stars on account of the average bread and pedestrian cheese.

Upon entering the Reading Terminal Market I saw this amazing looking food stand. The Pulled Pork Sandwich was decent. The meat was great. The side of Mac wasn’t good; way too watery. The Green Beans… good lawd… bad. I would definitely hit another vendor if you come to the Market because I guarantee there’s a better place than this.

The lines at just about every Cheesesteak Sandwich shop in the Market were so long we decided to try something else. So why not a boneless rib sandwich from the Rib Stand? The meat was juicy and tender, the roll fresh, the fries we got on the side were surprisingly full of spice and had a bit of crunch. Our combo meal (hero size sandwich, 2 sides and a drink for about $ 8) was pretty good and was big enough for us to split and still have room leftover to visit several of the bakeries in the Market.

So many rib sandwiches. So many potatoes. So many sides of mac and cheese!
This place is absolutely phenomenal and most people don’t even know it’s there! I’m actually pretty happy they dont, because the line is always short and easy to get to!
These Amish do it right!

Forget the ‘Other’ guys in the market with Cheesesteak or Pork Sandwiches… this is THE one to get. The boneless rib sandwich is AMAZING! What I don’t get is how this place never has a line. Everytime I go DeNic’s has a HUGE line (I waited once. wasn’t impressed), then one day I hit this place and WOW! Loved it! No line, great price and a KILLER sandwich. The potato wedges are killer too! They are seasoned with the dry rub. Perfect! I’ve also had the green beans and the mac ‘n cheese as well which are both great. I HIGHLY recommend this place. I’d eat it everyday if I could.
Everytime I’m here I’ll be getting this sandwich with cheese. I’ll say it again. AMAZING!

Located in the Pennsylvania Dutch section of Reading Terminal Market (Northwest corner), The Rib Stand offers a limited variety, but that’s OK. Because they get them right.
They have several sides on offer as well, including potato wedges, green beans, and mac n cheese.
And of course, they have a few varieties of their ribs, including BBQ, seasoned, and baby back.
You can also take advantage of their combos, which include two sides and a drink.
Boneless Rib Sandwich ($ 5.79)
I knew I had to get the oft-​praised boneless rib sandwich, which wasn’t huge at first glance. However, there was enough rib meat in there to fill even the belly of this pig. The meat was well-​seasoned, with hints of pepper on the finish. Do get the cheese add-​on, which is perfect when wet with the au jus. The store bought rolls could be better though.
Spare Ribs (8.49/lb)
I had to get the ribs so I asked for two of the seasoned regular ribs. These had great flavor, though not much of a smoky bark, if any. But that’s OK — the meat on the ribs were incredibly tender and plentiful.
Potato Wedges ($ 3.99/lb)
The wedges which were creamy on the inside. I wish there was more of a crunch on the outside, but I appreciated the heartiness of these wedges, which were skin-​on.
Mac n Cheese ($ 3.99/lb)
This is the GF’s type of mac n cheese, which is to say that it was incredibly creamy, almost wet. There was a hint of salt and it seemed to be mostly a blend of American and Cheddar.
I asked for the spicy BBQ sauce, which was really nice. The heat lingers, but there is a subtle sweetness to it.
The Rib Stand offers hearty and delicious options for quick lunchtime BBQ fare. Don’t hesitate to head to the Pennsylvania Dutch corner in Reading Terminal Market and get your fill of ribs and sides!

Just thinking back on my visits to The Rib Stand makes my mouth water and my entire demeanor turn positive, this place is seriously that good. The pulled pork sandwiches are to die for, especially when you get them with cheese, and there is just the right amount of juice to keep the sandwich moist without making the bread overly soggy.
The ribs themselves are also very delicious, with just the right amount of seasoning, and more times than not they truly do fall right from the bone when you bite into them. Also, the variety of sauces that come with both the ribs and the sandwiches are really good, so good in fact that I’ve actually stopped by just to by some for my apartment before.
While both the sandwiches and the ribs are stupendous by themselves, when coupled with sides the meal truly goes to a whole different plane of existence. The homemade baked mac and cheese is easily the best I’ve ever had at any eatery and is so good that I often by an extra large side to save for later in the day when I have recovered from my first Rib Shack meal. The potato wedges are also fantastic (fresh and homemade just like everything else here), and are seasoned perfectly. The only item that I would say is just «good» and not «stellar» would have to be the green beans, however it’s probably no fault of their own but more than likely the result of me not liking vegetables with my barbecue.
If you find yourself near Reading Terminal come to The Rib Stand and give their ribs and sandwiches a try, I promise it’s the best sandwich in the entire market, if not Philly, (sorry DeNic’s, you really aren’t THAT good) and you won’t find better side dishes anywhere else either, it truly is a place you will remember fondly forever.

Gonna give you guys the long version.
I was actually heading to DeNic’s for the s00pr famous pulled pork. I had gotten myself through a shitty couple of days by psyching myself up for this sandwich, only to arrive and find live jazz (??), a banner proclaiming that sandwich the best sandwich in Amurrika and possibly one hundred people in line for, um, that sandwich.
I had fifteen minutes before work at a vegan hotspot.
Somewhat dejected — which means anything I ate should have been a sad second fiddle — I wandered over until I found the Amish BBQ I vaguely remembered a friend trying. For 8.40 $, you can get a boneless rib sandwich, two sides and a drink.
I forked over the cash and went to sit outside.
Dear. Baby. Jesus.
The sandwich was mind-​blowing. The bread was soft and hearty, but the meat. THE MEAT. Delicious little chipped off chunks of pork, with a fantastic dry rub. It was oozing grease and reddish liquid, which you can soak up with the bread and then die happy. Everything was tender, juicy and explosively good.
I opted for two sides of mac ‘n cheese, and it was very filling, warm and like a big hug around my tummy.
This place is getting four stars basically because of lack of variety — they only offer three sides. You’re not gonna care when you’re moaning through the mac ‘n cheese, but it might be nice to have one healthy option that aren’t some really sad string beans. Also, the food is incredibly heavy; you probably don’t need to order a combo platter.
Needless to say, I will be back. Oh, will I be back.

The Rib Stand is pretty awesome. Located right by an entrance to Reading Terminal, I always come in from the door and never get much farther than that first stand. The boneless rib sandwich rocks. If you like you’re a fundamentalist and enjoy your ribs without the bread and cheese and still on the bone… those rock too!
I usually get the sandwich though. Always with cheese, served in a soft fluffy roll that sops up all the juices from the meat and cheese. Then top it off with some of the spicy barbecue sauce and all the components just meld together in a delicious symphony. I almost always opt to get a side of potato wedges and macaroni and cheese (carb overloading) and just allow everything to combine.
Don’t forget napkins. Lots. of. napkins.

Why is the line to this place always so short? I don’t understand!
For $ 9, you can get boneless rib sandwich with cheese (always get the cheese!), two sides, and a drink. The rib sandwich is sooooo juicy! Their BBQ sauce is the perfect addition. I always get spicy, which I wish was spicier.
For such an awesome sandwich, the sides were a bit disappointing. Potato wedges are seasoned well, but seems a bit old. Mac and cheese is nothing special.
I guess it’s hard to compete with DiNic’s so close by, but this place definitely isn’t getting the attention it deserves!

The first time I took the bf to eat from the Rib Stand in the Reading Terminal, we ordered the boneless rib sandwich with potato wedges and mac and cheese plus a side of baby back ribs. We got one of each sauce to try them out. He paid (since he’s such a gentleman) and was surprised at the total price. I told him to trust me, the sandwich is amazzzzzing but he was skeptical. Finally, we sat to eat and I fed him the first bite.
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GOODNESS. The spicy sauce has only a little bit of kick to it but it was so good. The sandwich was even amazing without any sauce. Definitely get it with cheese; it adds to the flavor. I think it’s a lot better than DiNic’s pork sandwich but hey, I’m not complaining since the Rib Stand’s line moves way faster. Baby back ribs were good too but the sandwich is better. The potato wedges are decent but the mac and cheese is one to avoid; too thin and runny for me.
The bf was convinced; it’s totally worth it.

I like the spicy bbq sauce even though it isn’t spicy. The boneless bbq rib meat is lean yet full of juicy flavor. It’s a tangy delicious mess on a roll.
I give nary a thought to the sides. They’re alright, alright. Of course we get the lunch special anyway, doubling up on potato wedges, like animals. All I really care about is that tendaaahhh juuuicy boneless rib sandwich. As I typed that sentence I said it aloud in some kinda annoying vaudeville voice. It made no sense. Stomach space is limited, sadly, but on a Reading Terminal Market trip I’d give this sandwich a spot.
Hey ladies, nice ribs.