Rips Cafe

Another awesome meal at Rips! Brings back lots of memories of Grandma’s pirogies and stuffed cabbage. I also had a couple of chili dogs and we all split a pitcher of Genny Cream Ale. Three huge meals and beer for less than 25 bucks — can’t wait to come back!

We stopped by after a recommendation… and we were not disappointed.
This is a classic Youngstown bar (i.e. everyone knows everyone) that just so happens to serve some remarkably delicious Polish food.
The server (possibly owner???) was super friendly, chatted us up.
Get the Hunky Platter, you’ll be ordering one to go while eating the one already in front of you… it’s that good.

That was fun; a step back in time. Our original plans for dinner didn’t lan out, place was closed, so friends suggested Rips. Hunky Platter was huge [left one pieorgi behind). The haluski with mini dumplings was surprising and very good. No credit cards, no dessert, no imported beers, so what! Happy to find it, sure beats a chain or yet another pizzeria.

Based on Unilocal reviews, I suggested to my husband that we try Rip’s for dinner last night. We pulled in and he said, «are you sure this is it»? Well yes, yes it is! We are both from Buffalo and it felt like walking into any bar in South Buffalo right down to the Genesee on tap! Clearly steel towns all think alike!
We both had the Hunky platter and it was great especially the halusky which was made with small dumplings rather than egg noodles. Galubki and pierogies were tasty as well!
Rip’s is most certainly not fine dining, it’s more bar than restaurant and clearly everyone there knew each other but that’s what made it good! Don’t be scared when you pull in the parking lot — the Hunky platter will be worth it but bring cash, they don’t take credit cards! Pull up a bar stool and have a Genny or two!

Five out of five stars? Have I lost my mind? Well, slightly… You see this is a museum, a static display, of what a mill workers bar was back in the day.
I honestly had dreams of the place last night. Getting the «Hunky Platter» and a beer, Genny on draft. $ 1.50 for the 16 oz glass. The Hunk Platter, a large stuffed cabbage (halubky) three pierogies (homemade) and haluski. Haluski, that is one of the cross over dishes you will find in Italian as well as Ukrainian or Hungarian homes across the Steel Valley.
Usually, it is pretty simple. Egg noodles, fried cabbage, and butter maybe bacon. At Rip’s, they use dumplings, homemade dumplings, instead of the egg noodles.
The stuffed cabbage comes with a side of red paprika gravy, and the pierogies are homemade as well, with or without butter simmered onions.
Oh yeah and hot dogs, chili dogs, for $ 1.25!!!
No juke box. No pool table. About 600 sq feet maybe. One length of the wall is the bar, the other side is all booths. Tv’s over the bar, but really no one much watches them. This is a place you go to when you are off work, and want some Grandma food. Oh, and the meals come with butter and some of the best freshest Italian bread I have ever had.
I absolutely love this place, because I truly dislike frozen pierogies from the grocery store. Here, if you just want pierogies, butter simmered onions, bread and butter, you can get all you want for $.70 apiece. Better to me than wings, just get a chili dog on the side and a couple beers, and you have some of the best bar food available anywhere.
And corned beef and cabbage for saint Patricks day, they sell out so get there early.
Again. St. Patricks day, Youngstown area, corned beef and cabbage. Rip’s.
Stop in, enjoy some history. Clean, nice, great hunky food, sports on the TV’s, what else do you want? Oh yeah. Beer and a bar. Well, this place fills all the squares!

I had heard about this place and brought an out of town Journalist who was doing a piece on a woman in Struthers. When the bartender/​server came to our table I requested information and any history about Rips. She replied «Well, I dont know you can probably get some info off the menu»? There was really nothing on the menu but food and prices. We all ordered the Hunky platter 7.99, I thought was a little high even though everything is homemade. I would rate the food as OK, maybe because Im slovac and know how to make it. We asked about the dessert selection… there was none! The bartender told us to go next store where there was a bakery but it was closed. She came off a bit rude. Maybe the place can purchase there desserts from the bakery and have them? Only 2 beers of tap Genessee and Genesse Light. We have a local brewery it would have been nice to have that choice. There were 3 of us and we spent 40!
Hometown feel? I dont think so, it made me pack my bags and run away from home!

We trek to Rip’s whenever we are in western PA. The food never fails satisfy our desire for hunky food. The owners are friendly and accommodating to our indecisive method of ordering our meals.
The place was opened in 1933 and I suspect that not much has changed. It has a neighborhood bar vibe that was welcome and refreshing in the world of cookie cutter chain restaurants.
The prices were a bit shocking– in a good way. Six of is ate to our hearts’ content for less than $ 40.
Hope to see you at Rip’s Café the next time we are in town.