We had a wonderful lunch at Lone Star BBQ Bar yesterday. I am very picky about my barbecue, having lived in Memphis for two years, and this barbecue was terrific. We arrived at 2:00 p.m. and we were the only patrons, other than two guys sitting at the bar.
We started with complimentary pickled vegetables - half-sour delicatessen-style pickle spears, carrots, red peppers and onions. These rivaled the quality of the barbecue.
Next, I had a full rack of ribs with coleslaw, a biscuit and a side. I had ordered collard greens as my side, but the server brought me barbecued beans by mistake so I had two sides. The ribs were great - a nice, smoky flavor and just the right amount of pull. The sauce provided at the table was also nicely balanced between sweetness and acidity. The biscuit and compound butter were "meh" (not sufficiently flaky) and the coleslaw was just OK. However, both side were very good - the greens had just the right amount of crispness, and the beans weren't overwhelmed by molasses.
My wife had the grilled meatloaf sandwich on ciabatta bread and was quite happy with her choice.
We both had plenty of leftovers to box up, enough for 1 or 21 more meals!
The service was great - very attentive without being obtrusive. I spoke with the proprietor, who said that they really needed more business. While it wasn't conveniently located from our home in Wicker Park, Lone Star BBQ Bar was well worth the trek. I urge my fellow LTHers to check out this restaurant because it could really use some love.