Back to results New Search

(menu)

Chicago Rib Shack

Address:145 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7PA
Tel:020 7591 4664
Email:
Website:Visit Chicago Rib Shack website
Price: £38.00Wine: £13.50Champagne: £27.95
Opening Hours:Mon-Sun 12N-12M (Sun -11.30pm)

Review of Chicago Rib Shack: ? Write your own review

The Shack seems to be largely frequented by two kinds of people: frazzled-looking parents trying to cope with hyperactive kids who’ve overdosed on fizzy drinks, & a smattering of fortysomethings hoping to recapture their faded youth. The interior has a slick retro-diner look to it. Come here if you like fun, don’t mind messy eating (bibs are provided) & get a kick out of scoffing vast quantities of red meat. Expect gargantuan servings of applewood-smoked baby back ribs & pulled pork, steaks & burgers, with a few salads, creole fishcakes & softer options lurking timorously in the background. Desserts are star-spangled veterans such as baked Chicago cheesecake, Mississippi mud pie & peanut jelly sundae. To drink, there’s Coke, cocktails, chilled beers, shakes & floats. Service is fast, ideally suited to pre-show culture-vultures heading for the Albert Hall, & staff upbeat.

Chicago Rib Shack Location:

Restaurant Critic

Write your own review and build your own restaurant guide

Got something to contribute or fancy yourself as a critic? All your thoughts and reviews will be collated on your My Square Meal page to form your own guide – a simple aide memoire for you to use or, in time, a guide in itself with its very own following.

The better your reviews the more highly rated and more ‘followed’ you will be, and, in addition to this, there will be Square Meal prizes for the best reviews.

Write your own review

Reader reviews of Chicago Rib Shack:

Jeremy B.
Reviews: 1

Jeremy B. ( 50s, Male )

Went to the CRS last night with my 11 year old (his birthday), my wife and 2 of his brothers (aged 12 and 16). We were unanimous in our opinion – it was the worst birthday meal we had had…ever!
Admittedly we were early (6.15pm) but the place was lifeless. Our waitress couldn't have delivered her rehearsed lines in a more disinterested way if she tried.

Food was overpriced (ok this is Knightsbridge) but if you charge a fiver for a Caesar salad it shouldn't taste sour, look grey and be the size of a small sideplate.

Specifically:

Chicken wings in their signature BBQ sauce were just under a pound each and the sauce was almost pure sugar. Inedible.
Half a BBQ chicken was £15.75 and was just enough to satisfy the 11 year old. Half a very small chicken.
Ribs were ok but not very juicy – I felt they had been sitting around for a bit and had started to dry out.
£14.95 for a burger. The Gourmet Burger Company have set a standard for burgers and the CRS failed to match it by quite a long way.

In all £73 for 1 burger, 1 half rack, 1 half chicken, 2 fries, 1 Caesar… More

20 April 2010
Overall:1
Food and Drink:1
Service:1
Atmosphere:1
Value for Money:1
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Paul S.
Silver Reviewer

Paul S. ( 30s, Male )

went out with a group of friends, thought we would try this before we went to cienma, blimey what a load of rubbish, should have gone mcdonalds!! ribs for which im told they are famous for were truly terrible, really tough and tasteless, i can honestly say the worst ribs i have ever had anywhere, steaks where tough and not good either, but i suppose it was our own faults, this place is perfect for clueless tourists who are used to this crap! service was bad to we had to wait at least 10-15 minutes before our drinks order was taken. Thankgod they do doggy bags, they were full to the brim!! at least my four legged friend enjoyed her meal!! but thats just greed!!

15 April 2010
Overall:3
Food and Drink:1
Service:3
Atmosphere:6
Value for Money:3
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Hanna O.

Hanna O. ( 30s, Female, United Kingdom )

I was able to get a table last minute for a large group, and was pleasantly surprised that we manage to get their private table. The service was great, very quick and efficient. The food was pretty standard – although the chicken wings and the ribs were really tasty. I would definitely book this again for a large group.

17 November 2009
Overall:8
Food and Drink:7
Service:9
Atmosphere:9
Value for Money:9
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Guy J.

Guy J. ( Male, United Kingdom )

This American themed eatery has what you would expect from a Rib Shack plus more as the flair and character of the place seems grand yet inviting. The many touches to the restaurant stand out including the pig motifs, the stained-glass window and not forgetting the bibs for ribs.

The food is generous boasting large portions with a selection of meats other than ribs including a range of fish, chicken and salads. This venue is more suited to the meat-eater offering a small choice of vegetrian. Dishes such as the onion loaf are better shared as it is much larger than you might expect, briskets are very flavoursome and ribs do warrant bib wearing.

The drinks and wines are typically priced but the list includes some imported beers which are worth a try.

Service is good and the staff have the same flair to suit the place. Very attentive and not shy to fasten the ribs to you.

Chicago Rib Shack is a great place to start a night, recommended for a pre-meal to the Royal Albert Hall with the bus stop directly outside. Would be suitable for parties, families and… More

5 November 2009
Overall:8
Food and Drink:8
Service:8
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:7
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Julie S.
Reviews: 1

Julie S. ( Female, United Kingdom )

Upon entering, we asked to sit in the bar, but were ushered to the basement where we found other tables of Americans. Is that where all Americans must eat?? The beef brisket and pulled pork were swimming in sauce, the corn must have been cooking since morning and the potatoes were hard. But this was all minor compared to THE MOUSE that ran across the floor as we were paying. The manager did NOTHING but say it was due to the nearby construction. Who cares WHY it was there; the fact is that it was there and one must then ask, “How many others are there??!!”
Save your money. This place is overpriced and the food and atmosphere are a terrible disappointment.

September 2009
Overall:1
Food and Drink:2
Service:3
Atmosphere:2
Value for Money:1
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal

Roger B.
Reviews: 1

Roger B. ( 50s, Male )

Went there last week 8/09, fan of the old place and hoping for a reprise.
First course, one quarter of iceberg lettuce with good blue cheese dressing, surprising very good,
Ribs for both us, very poor, had baby rack and st Louis ribs respectively- very disappointing, barbecue sauce was foul,
Onion loaf- the thing we most remembered from the old place was swimming in oil and my last bite was a chunk of quartz in the disk, showed the manager who deducted that off the bill, lucky I did not lose a filling.

What a disappointment- nostalgia ain’t what it used to be, try the chilli ribs in harvesters or go to Tony Roma’s in the states, this was very poor.

August 2009
Overall:4
Food and Drink:3
Service:5
Atmosphere:4
Value for Money:3
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Mark G.
Reviews: 1

Mark G. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

This is not a child friendly restuarant and the staff were rude and unhelpful, even a written complaint did not receive a reply. The food was great though.

May 2009
Overall:2
Food and Drink:6
Service:1
Atmosphere:6
Value for Money:5
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Carl Johan
Gold Reviewer

Carl Johan ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

I have a bit of a thing for places like these, with Big Easy in mind. I realise that I won't be treated to a ***-type dinner, but that's obviously not the reason for going here either. With the Rib Shack, I find it's been fun and very buzzy place (unfortunately with its fair share of kids) to go to in the weekend evenings. I was once there for a weekday and we were the only ones in the place, and with a dining room like that, you're almost expecting an echo when you order. So the varying atmosphere would be my first take-away.

The food is very straight forward and being a meat and barbecue fan myself, I have never been disappointed. Sure, it's messy (everyone's offered bibs!), and not very classy, so if that's your aim, there's no reason to visit. But if you're after a fun evening with friends, a lot of beer and meat, then this is the place. The big minus is, compared to Big Easy for instance, that it takes a lot of people to fill the place, but as I mentioned, it usually seems to be full in the weekends.

January 2009
Overall:6
Food and Drink:7
Service:7
Atmosphere:6
Value for Money:6
1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Martin R.
Reviews: 1

Martin R. ( 50s, Male )

The 5 of us were in a kind of rush for a pre-show meal at the Albert Hall and were served swiftly and efficiently by an English speaking waitress, in a very pleasant atmosphere with an LED mirror for company. Food was outstanding, feeding 8,12,and 13 year old kids and 2 very happy adults. The atmosphere was great even though only 1/2 full (or was it 1/2 empty!!!). Would rush to go there again and thoroughly recommend it – spent £70 on the 5 of us with drinks, main meal and dessert…great value.

January 2009
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:10
Atmosphere:9
Value for Money:9
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal
Phil S.
Reviews: 1

Phil S. ( 20s, Male, United Kingdom )

This was my first visit to The Chicago Rib Shack and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the whol experience. I had heard various tales of woe and many of joy so I decided to take the chance whilst I was in town to head over and see for myself.
I was made very welcome from the outset with lively and enthusiastic greeting on the door, although I had to wait a short while for my table I took this as a sign of good quality.
The food was excellent and to my likiing, its messy and everyone wears bibs which is a novel idea.
All in all it was a very good experience and we will be returning on NYE for the bug event.

December 2008
Overall:9
Food and Drink:9
Service:9
Atmosphere:10
Value for Money:10
This review hasn't been rated yet. Was it helpful to you?
Request review removal