A local bar is a gathering spot where everyone shares some laughs, has a few drinks and eats great food. It’s a place for football games to be viewed and live music to be enjoyed. Syracuse’s local watering hole is Limp Lizard Bar & Grill, which has the added bonus of serving incredible barbecue.

A tiny green shack with rounded windows in the front, Limp Lizard Bar & Grill doesn’t call much attention to itself. Inside, a hand drawn mural that spans nearly the length of the restaurant features lizards, a desert highway and a storyline that’s hard to follow. It’s an appropriately fun setting for really great barbecue.

Limp Lizard Bar & Grill has an extensive menu featuring a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, soups and, of course, barbecue. I ended up ordering pizza nachos, barbecue brisket Rueben and a Carolina pork sandwich.

There were also a bunch of great drink options to choose from. The specials on tap included local varieties such as Beak and Skiff Cider and a few Middle Ages Brewing Company beers. I tried the Swallow Wit, a refreshing wheat beer, and the Late Night IPA, a great double India Pale Ale. The bar has daily drink specials, as well as NFL and Syracuse University football specials that include drinks and wings.

The pizza nachos seemed like a great appetizer for a bar and I was intrigued by what would be on them. Tortilla chips were covered with mozzarella cheese, sausage and pepperoni, with marinara sauce served on the side. The overall taste was OK, but there were a few missteps along the way. The chips were a bit overcooked, as if they had been sitting under the broiler too long. There also wasn’t enough cheese on the nachos, so most bites were just plain chip. The marinara sauce was good on its own, but should have been smothered over the nachos to prevent them from drying out.

The main courses fared much better.

The brisket Rueben was piled high with slow cooked brisket meat and stuffed in a dark rye bread with coleslaw, Thousand Island dressing and melted Swiss cheese. The meat was incredibly tender and literally fell apart as I took a bite. The saltiness of the brisket was balanced nicely with the sweetness in the coleslaw, which was balanced with vinegar and mayonnaise. The Thousand Island gave the sandwich the fattiness it needed. The jalapeño cornbread served with the sandwich was dry and a little disappointing compared to the rest of the dish.

The Carolina pork sandwich followed the same pattern as the Rueben, with barbecue pork served with coleslaw on a classic bun. The pork was incredible and was also fork tender. It had a great smoky flavor, and with not much else on the sandwich, it really spoke for itself.

Again, the pork worked well with the coleslaw, which provided the crunch needed in each bite. The bun unfortunately got way too soggy, so it was hard to grab the sandwich with two hands. The cornbread served with the sandwich was a bit dry and too crumbly in texture. However, the Spanish rice was tasty and had a nice mellow flavor compared with the meat.

The vibe at Limp Lizard Bar & Grill felt pretty special. Everyone had a sense of belonging, thanks in part to friendly and warm service. The bar was packed with people conversing, sharing a meal and smiles and laughter.

It’s the simple principle of good food, good drink and a great atmosphere that makes Limp Lizard Bar & Grill a Syracuse gem.

Published on November 10, 2014 at 8:27 pm

Contact Rohan: rythakor@syr.edu