Damn, that’s some good meat. The ribs are slow-smoked, not quite falling off the bone, but tender, juicy, and just a bit caramelized on top. Get the sauce on the side to fully appreciate the flavor and quality of this meat.

As for the sauce, it’s sweet and not too spicy (read: not spicy enough for me), but that really doesn’t matter, ’cause here it’s all about the meat.

The potato salad was light, providing a nice counterpoint to the density and flavor of the ribs. Be forewarned, though… if you have a celery phobia as severe as mine, you might find it laden with Satan’s favorite vegetable.

Even though I ordered the rib sandwich, the chef saw one of his friends at the counter and thought the order was for him, so I didn’t get the standard order… it came with sauce on the side, probably a couple of extra ribs and some links too.

Links aren’t exactly my cup of tea: I prefer sucking the meat off a bone to eating meat that’s ground up, then compressed inside an intestine (unless it’s bratwurst). Nah, the links weren’t bad, but they’re the only remnant of that meal still sitting in my fridge 5 days later.

In summary:
+ Great ribs, decent everything else.
+ Not a fan of the style of sauce? Get it to go with sauce on the side, take home and dip or use your favorite instead.
+ Celery is the stalk of the devil.
+ Do I need to clean out my fridge? Probably.
+ Would I take my dad here? The answer is a resounding YES. So far, some of the best ribs I’ve had in the Bay Area… but then again, there hasn’t been too much stiff competition.

Related posts:

1. The best eatin’ in town…
2. The Mayor of Butchertown

Sam Jordan was the mayor of Butchertown. When you came to town, you hadn’t really arrived until you met Sam. When you came to Sam Jordan’s, you’d meet Sam. And when you came back, he’d remember you.

While so many bars in this city are a place to imbibe, a place to find someone to take home for the night, a place to find a fleeting source of entertainment, Sam Jordan’s is a place to find a true community. You walk in, and you’re greeted not just by the bartender when you sit down for a drink, but you’re engaged by the clientele, invited to share in their conversations, invited into their community. You can still find the original bartender there, only now he’s on the other side of the bar.

Sam has passed on, but his family has retained ownership of the bar. And his daughter, Monette, is quite possibly the best bartender I’ve ever had the pleasure of being served by. With a crowd full of rambunctious men on the other side of the bar, she’s got what it takes to keep her own. And she remembers my name, what kind of dog I have, and where I work.

There’s nothing on tap, bottled beer only. There’s a full bar, including a bottle of mezcal con gusano. During the holidays, you can add eggnog to your brandy for $1 more.

Unfortunately, I went on a Tuesday, which is the only day the kitchen is closed, so I haven’t been able to try what some call the ‘best ribs in San Francisco,’ but I’ll be going back soon enough. Perhaps even tonight, since one of the regulars invited me to his birthday party.

Five stars for the most welcoming experience I’ve had at a bar in the bay area… and thank you from the white girl with the good future behind her.

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1. Goin’ to Kansas City (or at least the East Bay) – Berkeley, here I come!
2. Red’s Java House
3. Not having dinner at Magnolia.

When I was young, my grandmother owned a condo in a retirement hamlet in north central Florida.  What is there to do in Winter Haven, FL?  Now that Cypress Gardens has closed… absolutely nothing.  But when she passed away, the condo stayed in the family.  Why?  Sure, there was sentimental value… but the real reason: Winter Haven is only a 25 minute drive from the best damn barbecue I’ve ever had at Jimbo’s.

Related posts:

1. Goin’ to Kansas City (or at least the East Bay) – Berkeley, here I come!
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3. The Mayor of Butchertown