3851 Rio Grande, N.W.
Albuquerque, NM
345-3354
Johndhi’s BBQ, formerly known as Geezamboni’s, is an eclectic smokehouse situated at the corner of Rio Grande Blvd. and Griegos. The building seemed to be built in a small converted home with many small rooms and a large outdoor patio. The restaurant has old wood floors with colorful artwork adorning the walls. As you walk in you will see their selection of wines and micro-brews. Jhondhi’s menu includes BBQ, sandwiches, burgers, Greek items and more.
The BBQ is good with a strong smokey flavor to it. The barbecue comes smothered with their house barbecue sauce. The sauce is not my favorite, it is too tangy and overwhelms the meat. On my last visit I had the BBQ combo with curly fires and a ranch salad. I especially like their pork ribs and links which came with the combo. Jhondi’s true strengths are their sandwiches and burgers. They have a huge selection of sandwiches, my favorite has to be the Grilled Ruben. The Ruben is grilled rye with corn beef, topped with sauerkraut and dressing. My wife loved the Philly steak and the Monster pastrami sandwiches. The burgers are full of flavor, including the chile cheese burger which comes with your choice of three different cheeses. The sandwiches and burgers come with a choice of steak fries, curly fires, coleslaw, or baked beans. The portions are huge, but consisting of mostly the fries.
The service has been very good on all visits. The employees are friendly and willing to small talk. Some of the prices are a little high. BBQ meals start at over ten dollars and the combo I mentioned was $14.50. Most the sandwiches are $8.25 excluding the Monster Pastrami which was $9.25. The burgers on the other hand are relatively cheap starting at $5.75. That said, Jhondhi’s is a well rounded restaurant offering good food and good service. I will definitely be coming back to explore more of the menu.
Pros: Sandwiches, Burgers, Portions, Service, Charm
Cons: High Prices, BBQ Sauce
Taste:
[rate 7]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
2321 Carlisle, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Phone (505) 884-4000
www.rudys.com
Rudy’s barbecue, specializes in quality Texas style barbecue. The barbecue is smoked with oak wood, not gas or charcoal. The wood smoking is why Rudy’s meat “tastes so good.” There are not many barbecue places that cook with 100% wood. Most barbecue places have gas smokers and add a little wood to flavor the meat.
When you walk in to Rudy’s, you will notice that the restaurtant is set up to order meat. You go up to the counter, order your choice of barbeque and sides. The meats are placed on butcher paper and served with white bread. There is a big trough that has specialty sodas and water. I love their barbecue. The meat is rich with the flavor because of the oak wood. They serve their meat without barbecue sauce, but their is sauce on all of the benches. Their sauce is quite good , if you like it spicy. You will find the barbecue sandwiches to be a great deal. They’re served with plenty of meat and are pretty low cost. On the weekends, if you are lucky, you can also find them serving prime rib. My personal favorite is their pulled pork and brisket.
The dining room has large benches spanning the whole room. It is like the way a school cafeteria is set up. This is not the place for a quiet get together or a romantic night out. The place is loud and smokey. I think it is just what Rudy was going for. The price of the meat is based on pounds. You could spend a lot or a little, or just share different things. Rudy’s does it right with their barbecue!
Taste:
[rate 9]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
6501 Gibson Blvd. SE
JR’s, on Gibson just west of Louisiana, is located near Kirtland Air Force Base. They serve a variety of barbecue as well as seafood and beer. The building looks like a Seafood restaurant would look. The entry way is wood, and the small round windows look like those of a ship. Inside there are tables with benches, as well as some booths. There are a few tables outside in the shade. There are TVs around the two dining rooms. JR’s has a rustic atmosphere, with lots of interesting military posters and newspapers on the wall.
I like the BBQ, especially the turkey and sausage. The sauce is spicy but not too hot. The menu has a good variety of barbecue, hamburgers, fried food, and seafood. I usually get a Kirtland Combo which comes with two choices of meats, and two sides (potato salad, corn on the cob, potato wedges, Cajun fries, fried okra). The seafood is very low quality, right for a bag. I would not recommend their seafood. They offer tap beer and soda with crushed ice, for those of you who are ice connoisseurs. The prices are very reasonable, around $7.00 for a good sized meal.
JR’s is a good option for a casual dinner or lunch. At lunch it can get crowded because they are so close to Kirtland AFB. The servers are friendly and not too invasive. This is a good place to take a family or eat with friends.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
