Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Que

BBQ was really good. We got the brisket and pulled pork with beans and cream corn. Nothing to complain about everything was amazing. And the service was good.

I like Rudy’s because the food is great, good service and comfortable atmosphere. I like the turkey breast here because it’s so moist. The moist brisket is phenomenal! I also just tried the cream corn — OMG it is outta this world! This is indeed finger lickin’ gooooood!

Cobbler was good, brisket and ribs, sauce was good, potato salad was good
Experience was a ⁵⁄₅ — the tables and the wax paper, so much fun

I was looking for a warm meal on a cold Albuquerque day and Rudy’s fit the bill!
I wandered in out of the cold and browsed the menu for a few minutes since it was my first time into Rudy’s. They don’t have sandwich plates or dinners. I decided upon the turkey sandwich with a side of potato salad and beans, and a Heineken. They did have a decent selection of beer. I chose I seat where I could look out, by this time it was snowing like crazy! The food was really good! I was pleasantly surprised! The portions were very generous. I cut my sandwich in half and took half of the sides as well and had another meal!
Staff were friendly and helpful. Restaurant is cute and casual.

You must visit this place. The restaurant is by far the best place to eat. This is what you called meat lovers heaven. Great service as well.

I love this place. The first time I went I was very cautious of what I got. I got the moist brisket and I fell in love with it. Super moist and the BBQ sauce is amazing. I have not had a meat yet where I have said eh it’s okay. Get place to go for BBQ like its homemade.

Let me start by saying that I grew up in ABQ and Rudy’s was a weekly favorite of mine. I try to make it a point to stop in for a visit every time I’m back in town.
I was highly disappointed this time and I’m afraid I won’t be back. It is just as I remembered it (for the most part) but I guess I have just outgrown it.
1. Their table are not family friendly. At all. With simple picnic tables, it’s hard for a family with young kids to sit comfortably. My kids could barely reach their food.
2. My favorite turkey spud was very undercooked. I broke my plastic spoon while trying to eat it.
With such fond memories of Rudy’s, It’s hard to say it, but I was underwhelmed and disappointed.

Great food. Brisket crusty edges are unbelievable! ½ lb is more than enough with potato salad and corn. Banana cream dessert was great too!

They are by far the best BBQ place ever! I am biased because I from Texas originally and have been going to Rudy’s since I was young because their original location was just a few minutes from my Aunt’s house. Their food quality and service has not changed since back then. I love the smell of the BBQ as soon as you walk in, it is mesmerizing! The other thing I love besides the brisket is the «relish» bar full of pickles, onions, cherry peppers and jalapeño/​carrots! I usually take home a few extra cherry peppers :).
Their BBQ sauce is also wonderful, they even have «sissy sauce» for my husband!

Reaching back into the memory banks for this review, here. Way back in 2012, I discovered Unilocal Albuquerque for the first time, to call it a revelation would be an understatement. The first thing I checked over were the Top 10 restaurants in ABQ. #1: Kokoro, a Japanese joint I’d never heard of. #2: Rudy’s. I knew about that one. It was that BBQ spot that I liked, not local, but the meats were sure fine. It was that place where I typically waited in line a while, looking over the iced beer chests, refrigerated side items (potato salad, three bean salad), occasionally scoffing at the employees wearing those lame t-​shirts that read something like «I didn’t climb to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables». Great brisket, I thought. Took a while to order, but good stuff. Still, #2 in our city? How now, cow?
I don’t visit this place much. It’s very franchise-​ee, clean, polished, everything in order, not the kind of experience I crave when a smokey barbecue grubdown is in order. Communal tables with bottles of mild and spicy sauce scattered about, plenty of paper towels for your grimy digits. But the other day, a friend ordered a takeout layout of the basics around here: turkey, pork loin and the afore-​mentioned brisket. I was really hungry, I think I ate three plates, and I kept coming back to the brisket. Holy cow. (Bah-​dum-​bum.) So, so slammin’. Honestly, I swear upon these peppered red meaties, douse ‘em in the hot sauce and prepare to be spoiled.
Second best in ABQ? Nope. Currently, Rudy’s ranks at #56 on the best restaurant list. We can attribute this to 1) the astounding growth of the Unilocal community over the past few years and 2) the incredible BBQ choices that have landed in this metro since then. But Rudy’s remains pretty darn fine. And if you’re considering ordering a feast, my advice: just pile on the brisket. With the spicy sauce. Order a few sleds of corn on the cob. Crowd pleaser, for sure. And I don’t know if they’re still offering breakfast burritos, but if they are, and you’re considering one, just don’t do it. Don’t. Steer clear. (Bah-​dum-​bum.)

Not great. The ½lb moist brisket ($ 7.99) and ½lb turkey breast are decent. The lean brisket is awful. The potato salad is good. Rudy’s beans, bland. Spicy BBQ sauce is excellent. Gross beer selection.
I definitely prefer Whole Hog Café.

Wanted to try this place the last time I was in town and finally made some time before my flight back home. Like everyone else said, it was a very confusing menu as typical BBQ restaurants have some kind of combo type of layout. For Rudy’s you order per pound or per half rack, or there’s sandwiches you can order. Since I was by myself and I was somewhat in a time crunch, I didn’t think I can stomach all that meat solo, but if there were a group of my friends and I, I’m sure we can get a little bit of everything to sample.
Fortunately the lines were pretty short and I told the person at the counter it was my first time and asked for recommendations, so he let me sample a variety of their meats, all of which were delicious. That’s what I call service! Instead of selecting the weight of meat I wanted, I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, Coke slaw, green chili stew and a medium drink which came out to I believe $ 13, pretty average for a BBQ place.
When I took a bite into the sandwich, the meat was moist and juicy, and bursted with flavor. The hype was real. As for the remaining side dishes, the green chili stew was hearty and delicious with just a little kick of spice, exactly how I like it. The Cole slaw was nothing out of the ordinary.
Verdict: ⁴⁄₅ for excellent customer service, clean restaurant, delicious food and overall great atmosphere on my last day here. I’ll definitely come back to try more of their offerings, only this time with another person with me. The only gripe I had was the confusing menu (looks to cater to groups rather than individuals) and lack of combos on their menu.

I’m not BBQ pro, but Rudy’s is the real deal and and from what the locals say, is the best in town and probably all of NM.
I saw Rudy’s as soon as I got into town as it is right off the exit. I was happy I arrived just before the dinner rush because as I was leaving the line had more than tripled in length.
I had a single of Rudy’s beans, a pulled pork sandwich, a half jalapeño sausage and lean brisket. The beans were rich and a great compliment to the meats. The sausage had a nice slight bite, the pulled pork was moist and full of porky goodness and the lean brisket was mouth watering fantastic.
My experience at the counter was a pleasure and the cafeteria style dinning worked out well as I was traveling alone and the people I engaged with were down home friendly.
I would eat at Rudy’s at least twice per week if I lived here in Albuquerque.

Ordering at this place was confusing but well worth it, a little more direction about to accomplish AND sides would have been nice. It was strange to pay for your beer at one place and then go to another counter to have yet another person bring it to you table. This might have been an Albuquerque or New Mexico thing but it was odd and off-​putting. The meat itself was fantastic but they buttered the bread causing the sandwich to disintegrate when I tried to eat it. I had the pulled pork and the brisket and both were on point, I could argue that Kansas City BBQ is better (it is) but this was really very good and priced like it was mediocre. I was surprised at the quality considering what we paid.
The beer selection is really the only thing that would keep me from coming back to Rudy’s. I’m a wee bit of a beer snob and they didn’t have anything that I loved.

Rudy’s is right up there with the best BBQ around. The spicy chop is amazing and so is the moist beef brisket. Actually everything I’ve had here is amazing. Can’t wait to go back again.

Having eaten at half of the Ruby’s location this is the second busiest we’ve ever been to, second to only the original in Austin, Texas, where it’s so busy they have a «Cutter’s Cam» where patrons can watch the butcher cut meat as it’s ordered while they stand in line. There’s a reason why this Albuquerque location is so busy, it consistently delivers some of the best BBQ in the state.
Based out of Texas, Rudy’s is one of the few chains that matches consistently at each location. The turkey, pork and sausage was awesome here, but we were disappointed with the moist brisket, which is usually top notch at Rudy’s. Our pound of it was all fat, almost no eatable pieces. Otherwise, the meal was great. There’s no better place in town (other than the other Rudy’s on Coors) for lunch or dinner when in search of BBQ.

I used to go to the Rudys in Leon Springs, TX, where it originally started. I fell in love with their barbecue sauce. I was excited that they have one here in Albuquerque. Rudys has expanded! I love the brisket. It is tender and with the hotter sauce, it makes it perfect. I even like their pecan pie. They have a selection of sides and deserts in the little refrigerated area right before the order «window». They also sell a section of sodas, beer and also have Pepsi products in the fountain drink area. Right when you walk in, to the right, they sell ice cream.
The only reason I gave it four stars is because it is a bit pricey. Other than that, I will continue to go here.

This is an awesome place if you want to try Texas style BBQ meat in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You order at the counter and they place everything in a red tray with choices of wheat or white bread but no plates. You get condiments, utensils and drinks by yourself. The staff are very friendly and helpful.
The place is like you go picnic in a park because there are only long chairs and tables with your tray of food. After you finish, clean the mess by yourself. They also have a separate counter to sell their products such as sauces, T shirts, ice cream and etc.
Smoky green chile stew is my favorite here. They throw the excess of the grill meat into the pot to make the stew charcoal and smoky flavor. I can’t get enough of it! Jalapeño sausages, corn on the cob, briskets and side of green beans are delicious too! We are always satisfied when we have BBQ craving.
Give this place a shot if you want to dry something different!

My BBQ-​crawl in ABQ continued with a lunchtime visit to this highly Unilocal-​recommended place. All glowing accounts are warranted and validated!
Be sure to know there are no frills here. Long «shared space» tables and metal folding chairs. Plastic utensils. Paper towels and wet wipes on pillars.
This place sells meat. Get all you want! If you are thinking about a «sandwich» — you’ll need to tell the person at the counter. I asked about a pulled pork sandwich, and the helpful guy at the register said that was about a half-​pound of meat, and he would give me four slices of bread to build it myself. Right on target! I also got some delicious smoked turkey breast. A side of pinto beans to complete the meal — along with an self-​serve soft drink.
The pintos were soft and creamy — with a fabulous heat that settled nicely (but got the beads of sweat to form on my five head quickly). There is one BBQ sauce on the table (and I guess a milder one available called «Sissy Sauce» that held no interest for me). Putting the sauce on my DIY sammich was excellent (had like a liquor-​bottle pouring cap on the bottle to avoid a full BBQ bath). Excellent tomato-​based sauce with thick elements and a sweet, smoky finish (with more sweat-​bead propellant therein).
I was pleased to see that Rudy’s offered a Lent-​friendly smoked trout option. Apparently they do a bang-​up job on breakfast tacos earlier in the day as well.
Worth the trip. High ratings are justified. I’ll sincerely bragging about coming here, because it was a worthy BBQ experience!

Oh Rudy’s, how I crave you. The food here is amazing, every piece of meat is just so moist and flavorful. The prices aren’t even through the roof. The quality and quantity is well worth the money spent. Even their sides are to be desired. I love the cream corn, and it just goes so well with any of the main dishes.
Do not think twice about coming here. My only caution would be that the line can get long, but it’s because it’s that good!