Great American Rib Company

[billaaa777]

As an American who loves BBQ restaurants I found myself anxiously awaiting the opening of the Great American Rib Company. The following is a review of my first dinning experience.

Started with the buffalo wings and they were exceptional. Just as we would get back in the States and even came with celery and blue cheese. 95 Baht for 6 wings. Grade A.

Ordered the chicken platter for lunch. The chicken was obviously not cooked that day, but heated up. All in all it was still pretty good. They did not have any BBQ sauce on the table, nor did they bring any with the meal. Made me wonder if the owner had ever eating a BBQ restaurant.

The platter came with two sides you get to choose. The waitress did not ask me what I wanted; she could not speak any English. I ended up with baked beans and cole slaw. The cole slaw was pretty good, not the best, but I have a lot worse in the States. The beans tasted good, but the presentation was terrible, hard, crusty and dried out. They needed to add some souse to them; obviously the cook has not been trained in this area.

It also came with cornbread which I thought was great. 185 Baht for the platter. Overall I would give it a grade of a C.

I ordered iced tea, and to my great surprise it was real homemade southern iced tea. But, they served in a 10 ounce beer glass filled to the top with ice. You got about 5 ounces of iced tea. Well, the waitress pointed at the glass asking if I wanted more and I shook my head yes. She brought me another one and rang it up on the bill. Any self respecting BBQ restaurants serves huge glass of refillable iced tea, so this was a big disappointment. Again, made me wonder if the owner has ever been in a BBQ restaurant. 65 Baht per glass for 5 ounces of tea, what a rip off! Grade F.

They add 10% service charge to your check and 7% VAT. I questioned if the owner actually gave the girls the tips or not, so I added in another tip. The total cost of the lunch was 600 Baht.

I really hope he makes it, as I do love BBQ, and his is not bad. Next visit I will not get the iced tea, but just water and work on getting the bill close to what a reasonable lunch should cost.

Add your review if you have one, maybe we can get him some publicity and help him out.

[Jingthing]

Get the ribs! They are fantastic. And make sure to ASK for the good size bowl of excellent GRADE A BBQ sauce which is served ON THE SIDE.

I am pretty sure they would have brought you the BBQ sauce on the side for the chicken if you ASKED for it. The place is pretty new, and the Thai waiters are still learning, OK?

Yes, this place isn't cheap.

The food is about as authentically American, in a good way, than you will find anywhere in Thailand. I am sure this place will be a huge success, the food is that good.

As far as the tea refills, this is THAILAND. In the very rare instances where there is a free refill on anything in Thailand, this will be advertised with large signs. It is ###### foolish to expect anything to be free in Thailand.

This rib place has a FEAST special for under 1000 baht for two which includes an obscene amount of BBQ food! An entire rack of ribs, a whole chicken, some other pork, sides, etc.

It'll cost much more than a Thai chicken and rice joint, but this isn't an everyday eating place, unless you want to be very fat.

Cheers, and enjoy the ribs!

Edited December 17, 2006 by Jingthing

[ThaiBob]

Thanks for your review that pulled no punches. I heard other mixed or luke-warm comments. Perhaps he just needs to work out the "opening" jitters in a new restaurant but I think I'll pass on this place for now.

[billaaa777]

Well if it’s XXX foolish to ask for refills of iced tea which is standard at any authentic BBQ, then what do you think about 65 Baht for 5 ounces of tea. Iced tea is part of the dinning experience at a BBQ restaurant. I mean he did name his place The Great American Rib Company.

[Pakboong]

I have been twice and must say, it was mostly good. The chicken and pork was a bit dry and the tea was expensive but overall, the meal was quite good. I thought the ribs were excellent. The chicken quesidillas were also very good.

[davethailand]

This is Thailand. Not America.

I've been there once and thought all aspects were very good, the host has also acknowledged the fact that the staff are still in training.

[Ulysses G.]

Made me wonder if the owner had ever eating a BBQ restaurant.

I ordered iced tea, and to my great surprise it was real homemade southern iced tea. But, they served in a 10 ounce beer glass filled to the top with ice. You got about 5 ounces of iced tea. Well, the waitress pointed at the glass asking if I wanted more and I shook my head yes. She brought me another one and rang it up on the bill. Any self respecting BBQ restaurants serves huge glass of refillable iced tea, so this was a big disappointment. Again, made me wonder if the owner has ever been in a BBQ restaurant.

You silly Billy.

I have been to LOTS of excellent BBQ restaurants all across the US that didn't have "free iced tea". You do realize that not all of us are from Sh*t-kicker Arkansas (Ar kan saw ) - right?

[Gary A]

I have been there twice and had the ribs both times. I thought they were quite delicious. The place is a little pricey but but the servings are generous and I like ribs.

There is another popular place in Pattaya, I won't mention the name. It specializes in Mexican food. I had fish and chips there and couldn't eat the fish. It was VERY bad. The reason I mention this is that when a place specializes in a certain food you are well advised to order that particular food.

[Little Black Duck]

Ahh...Does anyone remember the good old days when "Rancho Tejas" was in full swing up in Soi Potisan in Naklua..

Great BBQ and Tex/Mex food..Just loved the Sunday Brunch and Great Live Country Music..

[Buckwheat]

Ahh...Does anyone remember the good old days when "Rancho Tejas" was in full swing up in Soi Potisan in Naklua..

Great BBQ and Tex/Mex food..Just loved the Sunday Brunch and Great Live Country Music..

Yes,

And Sherry is still in the area, I believe

[Little Black Duck]

Ahh...Does anyone remember the good old days when "Rancho Tejas" was in full swing up in Soi Potisan in Naklua..

Great BBQ and Tex/Mex food..Just loved the Sunday Brunch and Great Live Country Music..

Yes,

And Sherry is still in the area, I believe

No Buckwheat..Sheri is back living in Texas has been for several years..If you knew her and wanted to get in touch PM me as I am in constant touch..

[bangkapiboy]

Is there a catfish special? Maybe Friday fish fry?

[dvk1951]

Howdy Black Quacker,

I sure do remember RT especially the brunch and the anual Turkeyday feast, always great grub in hugh quantities.

Things declined pretty quickly after Larry died, Sheri hung on and tried to make a go of it despite the hugh loss but even with the pickle business it just wasn't meant to be. What ever happened to Lionel, last I heard he was off to Phuket and that was just before Sherry left?

Have not heard from Sheri in ages and often wondered how things were going back in Tx and if her health had improved. Tell her hi from Doug & Brie next time you are communicating.

Oh yea, one question "where the h3ll is GARC located, have not seen it in my travels around town.

Ahh...Does anyone remember the good old days when "Rancho Tejas" was in full swing up in Soi Potisan in Naklua..

Great BBQ and Tex/Mex food..Just loved the Sunday Brunch and Great Live Country Music..

Yes,

And Sherry is still in the area, I believe

No Buckwheat..Sheri is back living in Texas has been for several years..If you knew her and wanted to get in touch PM me as I am in constant touch..

Edited December 18, 2006 by dvk1951

[PeaceBlondie]

I take it that this is the same chain from Bangkok, that opened a branch in Hua Hin last year. The owner/operator is a 900 pound Californian who knows his barbecue. All right, maybe he's only 339 pounds, but the ribs are delicious, so are the pork slices. The combo plate is huge (even the half combo plate). I did chide him that his pecan pie was maybe the best in Asia, but wouldn't qualify for consideration in Texas.

The food is not cheap, but give them another chance, and you may be quite pleased.

[jumbo]

Do they have a branch in Bangkok?

[hughden]

Been three times already, best ribs I have had in Thailand. Owner fronts a competent blues band that plays later in the evening.

[Jingthing]

Yes, they also have a branch in Bangkok, probably the original location.

I read a review of this place which raved about the buffalo chicken wings there (haven't tried yet) and talks about the wonderfulness of the smoked ribs recipe (with a trained San Francisco chef behind it). Now, no jokes about San Francisco behinds, OK? Just try those ###### ribs. And by the way, the feast for 2 is way under 1000 baht (can anyone say the exact price, maybe 600 baht?), and might well be the best deal for farang food in town, if you are very hungry.

Frankly, it pisses me off to hear people diss such a noble and competent venture on trivialities like tea refills and taxes, when this rib joint is the real deal, and people in Thailand are very lucky to have this eating option.

Edited December 18, 2006 by Jingthing

[teletiger]

Iced tea at MK is free.

Regards

[Jingthing]

Iced tea at MK is free.

Regards

OK, you got me on that one, but

1. MK tea isn't southern American style sweet tea

2. MK is a huge chain and it is well known they serve free tea, with refills by anyone who has been there once

3. MK ain't got no smoked, BBQ ribs!

Roast duck and communist soup are nice, but where's the monstrous slab of fatty meat?

Edited December 18, 2006 by Jingthing

[tt61]

Good food but there are plenty more with equally good, if not better food, BBQ, ribs etc. included. Henry J Beans, Sizzlers, Beefeater, etc. They're all on the pricey side but you generally get what you pay for.

And the thai chicken & rice guy on second rd. outside family mart next to wonderful bar serves excellent food (and you can get the sweet&sour sauce in family mart). 60baht..

[4nfoodin4nlands]

As someone who makes their living traveling and writing about food, I figure I will add to this thread about Great American Rib Company, as they will be probably be in my next series of articles– Foreign Foods in Foreign Lands. As the title states, it is a guide to eating foreign foods, prepared by expats, in the countries where they have chosen to open up shop.

As Bangkok has become my base of operations for researching SE Asia, I have had many opportunities to try many of the expat kitchens in the city and throughout the country. Thailand IMHO has some of the best foreign foods that Asia has to offer. The availability of raw product in Thailand has gotten to the point where anyone who wishes can pretty much recreate the cuisine of there homeland if they have the expertise. This was not so easy a task ten years ago. Some are chefs who moved here, others were in other businesses or chose to retire overseas, and then decided to open eateries that would bring a taste of home to the table. Some are wonderful, some are not. One group of restaurants that I find to be a good value for money is the Great American Rib places. With branches in Bangkok, Hua Hin and now Pattaya they have flourished in a short period of time. The reason for their success is simple, they have created an authentic and tasty product, they have pretty good service and they are reasonably priced.

I have eaten in their BKK location several times, Hua Hin twice and the Pattaya location 3 times now. In order to be as fair and accurate as possible I make it a rule of thumb to remain anonymous and I do not include a mention in my articles until I have experienced the place I am writing about no less than twice, hopefully more often. So I feel I am not going out on a limb here when I say, Great American Rib Company is just that, great.

I find the Pattaya branch to be the best so far. After all, being the third shop of theirs to open, I would hope they had made some improvements over the first two. The setting in Pattaya (Jomtien) is great. Outside mostly but some tables are available in the air-con room that also provides the bar and entertainment areas. I found the food to be consistent in all three places: quality, taste, presentation and pricing. The only thing that really seems to be different is the level of service. I have never had to fight with language/communication when dealing with the Great American Rib Company staff in Pattaya. All my orders were properly taken, any questions I had were readily answered by the servers, and exactly what was ordered was delivered in a timely fashion. (When scouting a place I try to ask questions that I know the answers to see how staff respond. That way I get a better indication of how good the service is.) Hua Hin is OK, but the staff at the BKK location could use a lot more training, despite the fact that it was the first place they opened. I got the impression that it was not just an English language problem, but a work ethic/attitude problem. Possibly the BKK staff could go to Pattaya to see what they are doing and thus improve and get up to speed with the other venues in the group.

I find that many places in Thailand owned by expats have similar problems. From my discussions with restaurant and hotel owners all over the country I gather that it is a national problem, and having a goods team is really only the result of the immediate managers in charge. They must be there at all times to assist and back-up their teams, offer support and help with understanding the customer's needs. If you consider the fact that the servers and the guests are most often not native English speakers you will see how such problems arise, problems that need to be constantly addressed and resolved. Good manager = good team = good service= returning clientele.

All in all, Great American Rib Company is good. For those who are in Pattaya, it is great.

If there is anyone in this forum who would like to direct me towards any place that they feel would be of interest to me, and could possibly be a candidate for my review, please send me an email and let me know where they are.

[Spaniel]

I think the original restrauant is located on Sukhumvit soi 36.

[Ulysses G.]

As Bangkok has become my base of operations for researching SE Asia, I have had many opportunities to try many of the expat kitchens in the city and throughout the country. Thailand IMHO has some of the best foreign foods that Asia has to offer.

Vietnam and Singapore have MUCH better foreign restaurants than Thailand and Vietnams are cheaper.

[PattayaDavid]

Made me wonder if the owner had ever eating a BBQ restaurant.

I ordered iced tea, and to my great surprise it was real homemade southern iced tea. But, they served in a 10 ounce beer glass filled to the top with ice. You got about 5 ounces of iced tea. Well, the waitress pointed at the glass asking if I wanted more and I shook my head yes. She brought me another one and rang it up on the bill. Any self respecting BBQ restaurants serves huge glass of refillable iced tea, so this was a big disappointment. Again, made me wonder if the owner has ever been in a BBQ restaurant.

You silly Billy.

I have been to LOTS of excellent BBQ restaurants all across the US that didn't have "free iced tea". You do realize that not all of us are from Sh*t-kicker Arkansas (Ar kan saw ) - right?

I've yet to visit the Great American Rib Company, actually this is the first I've heard of it reading this post, however I have eaten at Bob's Barbeque & Grill located on South Pattaya Road just north of the 3rd Road Junction and they do serve free ice tea refills with their meals.  Bob's Barbeque & Grill may not be as fancy as the Great American Rib Company, however I am quite fond of Bob's ribs.  I will try the ribs at the Great American Rib Company in the near future, thanks for bringing another great restaurant to our attention.

[Jingthing]

Free tea or no free tea is an absurd detail to focus on.

The Great American Rib Company in Pattaya serves great American food and we are lucky to have it here. The American food they serve would be a hit even in America, and that says alot. OK, it is not so cheap when you consider their high drink prices and plus plus pricing, but quality costs, and it is certainly reasonable. Who eats ribs everyday anyway?

Question to the foodie writer. You say any cuisine can now be done well in Thailand? So why is Mexican food so hard?

Edited February 24, 2007 by Jingthing

[JimmyTheMook]

Made me wonder if the owner had ever eating a BBQ restaurant.

I ordered iced tea, and to my great surprise it was real homemade southern iced tea. But, they served in a 10 ounce beer glass filled to the top with ice. You got about 5 ounces of iced tea. Well, the waitress pointed at the glass asking if I wanted more and I shook my head yes. She brought me another one and rang it up on the bill. Any self respecting BBQ restaurants serves huge glass of refillable iced tea, so this was a big disappointment. Again, made me wonder if the owner has ever been in a BBQ restaurant.

You silly Billy.

I have been to LOTS of excellent BBQ restaurants all across the US that didn't have "free iced tea". You do realize that not all of us are from Sh*t-kicker Arkansas (Ar kan saw ) - right?

I've yet to visit the Great American Rib Company, actually this is the first I've heard of it reading this post, however I have eaten at Bob's Barbeque & Grill located on South Pattaya Road just north of the 3rd Road Junction and they do serve free ice tea refills with their meals. Bob's Barbeque & Grill may not be as fancy as the Great American Rib Company, however I am quite fond of Bob's ribs. I will try the ribs at the Great American Rib Company in the near future, thanks for bringing another great restaurant to our attention.

I think the Great American Rib Company is slowly putting Bob's out of business.

[PattayaDavid]

Made me wonder if the owner had ever eating a BBQ restaurant.

I ordered iced tea, and to my great surprise it was real homemade southern iced tea. But, they served in a 10 ounce beer glass filled to the top with ice. You got about 5 ounces of iced tea. Well, the waitress pointed at the glass asking if I wanted more and I shook my head yes. She brought me another one and rang it up on the bill. Any self respecting BBQ restaurants serves huge glass of refillable iced tea, so this was a big disappointment. Again, made me wonder if the owner has ever been in a BBQ restaurant.

You silly Billy.

I have been to LOTS of excellent BBQ restaurants all across the US that didn't have "free iced tea". You do realize that not all of us are from Sh*t-kicker Arkansas (Ar kan saw ) - right?

I've yet to visit the Great American Rib Company, actually this is the first I've heard of it reading this post, however I have eaten at Bob's Barbeque & Grill located on South Pattaya Road just north of the 3rd Road Junction and they do serve free ice tea refills with their meals. Bob's Barbeque & Grill may not be as fancy as the Great American Rib Company, however I am quite fond of Bob's ribs. I will try the ribs at the Great American Rib Company in the near future, thanks for bringing another great restaurant to our attention.

I think the Great American Rib Company is slowly putting Bob's out of business.

It is probable that Bob is losing business, but his saving grace may be that he will soon setup operation in the Carre-Four food court.

[mighty]

I've been a couple of times, as have some of my friends and we all find it very over rated. I cant believe as Americans you find the food is comparable to what you would find at home. The ribs are dry, the beans are dry, and portions of side orders are very small. I've heard the Hua-Hin location is a lot better.

[JimmyTheMook]

It is probable that Bob is losing business, but his saving grace may be that he will soon setup operation in the Carre-Four food court.

Hopefully so and at prices that reflect the rest of the food items for sale there.

300 baht for a plate of ribs really will not go over like "balls Marie" at that food court.

[JimmyTheMook]

I've been a couple of times, as have some of my friends and we all find it very over rated. I cant believe as Americans you find the food is comparable to what you would find at home. The ribs are dry, the beans are dry, and portions of side orders are very small. I've heard the Hua-Hin location is a lot better.

I somewhat agree , the food is good - but it sure ain't like no real slow smoked BBQ like back home.

The portions are small & the side orders are a bit stingy.

Is the 17% tacked on the end of the bill normal ?