145 Knightsbridge,
Knightsbridge,
London,
SW1X 7PA
(020) 7591 4664
The ViewLondon Review
The reincarnation of the infamous 90s hotspot is still going strong, giving a flavour of hearty American food to the diners of Knightsbridge.
Venue
Chicago Rib Shack sits amidst some of West London’s most chichi institutions, namely Harrods and Harvey Nichols, and thus most of the eateries in the area live up to the expected style. However, Chicago Rib Shack is proud to be different, offering bibs over serviettes and ribs over foie gras. Once you step inside the revolving doors, the theme of pigs is evident. The exhi’pig’tion is a tongue in cheek display of carefully crafted ceramic pigs which the customers themselves can design if they so wish. Combined this with stained glass pig displays, contemporary pig themed art hung on meat hooks and a few American touches, it’s easy to see the recurrent theme of the restaurant is not ideal for vegetarians.
Atmosphere
Comfortable booths and simple tables sit an array of clients from the suited and booted city types to trainers and baseball cap tourists. Many of the customers where the Shack’s custom-made ‘bone appetite’ bibs which sets the laidback tone perfectly. The staff have been drilled in American standards of customer service so they’re efficient and extremely friendly. Fun retro and current American music sings through the speakers, adding to the buzz from the cocktail drinkers perched near the bar.
Food
The menu of the shack is what you’d expect from a good American restaurant, tasty finger licking food that’s comforting, hearty and not for those with cholesterol issues. The prices are good value for the portion size and reinforce the lack of pretentiousness of the Shack. All the meat is good quality sourced from British farms and smoked over applewood to give it its distinct Shack flavour.
For a light starter, the prawn skewers have a sweet flavour with a kick and come with a creamy garlic mayonnaise. For an option with a much bigger kick, the quesadillas and a delicious spicy flavour that compliments the beans and cheese. As the name of the restaurant suggests, Chicago Rib Shack is famous for its ribs, and they certainly deliver.
The classic tender baby back ribs are deliciously tender and come with a moreish BBQ sauce that not only covers the ribs in sticky goodness, but your fingers too. The meaty St. Louis ribs are equally tasty, with a sweeter flavour. The most famous side is the giant onion loaf, which should only be tackled by big appetites as the crispy fried onions can feel too greasy after a while. The sweet potato wedges have a spicy coating that is well balanced with the cooling sour cream.
If you have any room, the Mississippi mud pie is sickly combination of creamy ice cream and very sweet chocolate sauce, as is the crispy chocolate sundae which delivers a wonderful mix of textures to add a twist to the average desert.
Drinks
Sticking to what the Deep South knows best, there’s a large range of Bourbons from £3.95 to £12.95, as well as American imported beers such as Brooklyn lager and Anchor Liberty ale. The cocktail menu covers the classics as well as a few signatures, such as the pink mojito which adds a sharp cranberry infusion to the well known favourite.
The Last Word
Retaining its reputation as one of the most popular places to grab some ribs and loosen your belt, The Chicago Rib Shack is a great place to unwind and eat till your heart’s content.
Chicago Rib Shack has been reviewed by 27 users