GT South’s Rib House

My fellow foodie and I decided to go to GT South for lunch. I am a huge bbq person, so was excited to try it. Lunch time was busy, but we were seated immediately. The staff was nice and friendly and so was the atmosphere. My friend ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which looked good. I ordered the beef brisket sandwich with chips and a side of mashed potatoes w/​gravy. The food was great, I ate all of it! I’m really picky about bbq sauce but the sauce wasn’t bad, I will definitely be going back.

I haven’t been to this location in at least 10 years. I remember it being much better than it was today.
It’s located in an old strip mall on 71^st Street and occupies (at least) 3 of the units. The right unit (as you’re facing the building) is the carry-​out counter. The middle unit is a dining room. The left unit is part dining room, part bar.
I tend not to judge BBQ joints by the ambiance because the best places tend to have that hole-​in-​the-​wall feel (or are actual holes in the wall). GT South definitely fits the bill there. The cheap tables, plastic tablecloths, banquet chairs, and dirty carpet all work together to make you feel like you’re in some old rib house in the dirty South.
However, the food does not make you feel like you’re at a real bbq joint. It was dry, dry, dry (and not in a good dry-​rubbed way). I don’t know if there’s not enough turnover, but I swear the meat (brisket, pulled chicken, pulled pork, pork ribs) tasted like it had been sitting in a fridge, uncovered, for a week. Good thing their bbq sauces (mild and hot) are tasty because it was sorely needed.
Service was friendly, but very slow. It was Tuesday night and there were only 2 other parties dining in, but our waitress went AWOL for several minutes at a time. In fact, I saw a guy from another table get up and walk inside the bar area (it’s enclosed) to try and locate her (he was unsuccessful). She was slowing getting us refills on our drinks and bringing our bill out. I asked for a sweet tea to-​go, and she gave me an unsweetened tea.
Unfortunately, GT South closed their south side location several years ago because that one was pretty good and I frequented it. This location doesn’t measure up and there are now several BBQ restaurants within 20 minutes of here which I know I would like much better.

I give GT South’s Rib House five stars because they have great BBQ, but also decent prices for scratch made food. It isn’t the best BBQ in Indianapolis, but they are in the top three in my opinion. Definitively, far superior to the overpriced garbage that they serve at the boring chain restaurants. I have tried several things on the menu, but my go to is the Jumbo chicken or pork BBQ sandwich with BBQ beans. I also like their Cole Slaw and Mac and Cheese. The sandwich, chips and one side is under eight dollars, and is well worth it. I also like to get a couple of their corn bread muffins.
The quality is always consistent and the service is top notch which also lends to the five star rating. If you want to enjoy a great BBQ experience, I would definitely recommend giving GT South’s a try.
If you are bored of chain restaurants and think for yourself and are not manipulated by millions of dollars in TV commercials to make yourself believe you have to eat average to below average overpriced food at some chain restaurant, I am one of you. Let’s all keep supporting the true food scene in Indiana.

Well Unilocal said I never posted a review here (I still swear it was deleted) so here goes GT South part two. Maybe.
At the corner of 71^st and Binford… easy to get to and in/​out. The décor screams late 80s and early 90s in the main dining area. I think it is entirely too dark and «formal» for good BBQ like this and it could really stand for an update.
But the meats are always on point… my most recent (small) order was a pound of pulled pork for some pork quesadillas (try it sometime)! I have also been impressed with the brisket and my wife swears by their BBQ sauce.
The staff has always been friendly when I have visited. Easy to get a to go order and I enjoy stopping in once in a while when I don’t feel like making it myself.

We had a coupon deal that prompted our visit. The service was good and the food was satisfying. The building could use some updating but overall it’s a casual atmosphere. The food portions were filling without being too much. 3 of 4 of us ordered the brisket and it was good. I would definitely go back.

I visited this location just last night with three friends and we all were happy with our experience. As soon as we walked in we were hit with the amazing smell of smoked meats and were super excited about what was to come. I have not had good BBQ since I moved up here from Tennessee so I was hoping that this would hit that need… and it did.
Lets start with the food since that is the number one reason one goes out to eat usually. The menu contained the BBQ basics; pulled pork, pulled chicken, bone in chicken, brisket, and ribs plus a few other items. All entrees can be ordered with sauce on the meat or on the side which was very important to me as I like to control my sauce amounts. I ordered the brisket platter which came with corn bread and two sides from which I ordered the mac and cheese and the green beans. The good: they serve a good amount of meat on these plates that is well seasoned and well smoked. The sauce (I ordered the mild) was perfectly sweet and tart at the same time, just like it should be and it didn’t overwhelm the flavor of the meat. The mac and cheese was creamy and also very tasty. I was also super excited that they served Pepsi products since I can not have Coke brand Root Beer due to the caffeine. The bad: some of the brisket was a bit dry and the green beans were not all that well seasoned. Over all though, the food, in my opinion, was quite good.
Now, the service. The good: everyone was extremely nice and polite during the time we were there. The waiter met us at our table and quickly took our drink orders, brought them out, and then dealt with the food orders. The bad: it was not easy to get refills. Plus, at the end of the meal, the waiter seemed to disappear some so paying the bill took awhile.
Overall though, it was a good meal and I will be going back as soon as I can as I really want to try the chicken and ribs.

Always good… I tend to stick with the pulled pork or quarter chicken. Green beans, Mac and cheese, potato salad are all great sides. Ribs are always good. Prices are great. Around $ 2 for a domestic bottle of beer.

Great food at a good price. The barbecue everything is wonderful. Chicken, pork, beef, they know how to cook it right!

This place has been given a lot of hype in my circle of friends and I’ve been trying to get here for months now. I went during lunch time on a Tuesday and they had a decent amount of patrons. I ordered the half order of rib tips and my friend got the brisket sandwich. After eating I was left with an over whelming sense of «meh.» The tips were covered in sauce and my friends sandwich did not look appetizing at all. The sizes were all bland in my opinion. If I could give them a rating based on service alone they would definitely get a 5 but the food was so disappointing.

GT South is a strong BBQ joint. A bit above joint with seating for business or friends. Nothing fancy except the fast top notch servers and the consistent quality. Going there now.

Came here on a recommendation by a friend and was very, very disappointed. If this is what people in Indy consider good BBQ then they have never had good BBQ. First off the pulled pork had no flavor and the brisket was dry. The bbq sauce tasted like a weird marinara sauce. The Mac and cheese was made with powdered cheese and the corn bread was soo dense and it had no corn meal flavor. If you have had good bbq don’t go here because this is not even remotely close to good bbq. I won’t be back.

Amazing bbq. When you walk in you smell the smoke and you know you are in for a treat. I always go with the sampler platter which includes pulled pork, chicken, and ribs and sides. I highly recommend it with sauce on the side.
The ribs fall off the bone and have that nice smokey flavor. They are moist and delicious. I get sauce on the side because I only use a little bit of it, they have enough of a great flavor on its own. Their mild sauce is very sweet. I loved it though. My wife is from South Carolina and didn’t care for it. So she got the hot sauce and said it wasn’t nearly as sweet and was delicious.
The restaurant is very clean and they also have amazing service.

We came here recently for the first time and we will definitely be back! The inside is pretty run down looking and old, but the food was great & the staff was friendly. We ordered the sample platter and were not disappointed. The best things were the ribs, brisket, and spicy BBQ sauce!

It has only taken me several years of living on Indy’s Northeastside to finally find my way to GT South’s Rib House, an authentic rib joint that has been around since 1992 having grown from a small 28-​seat restaurant to its present size of 5,000 square feet and able to accommodate 190 diners.
I will admit that I tend to avoid rib joints because, well, I don’t actually like ribs. Actually, to be more accurate I’m a slightly spastic paraplegic who abhors the mess I make when I try to eat ribs. It would be sort of like placing Pigpen inside a pig pen. Ya know?
Anyway, as I’ve learned over the years, it seems to be true that most rib joints actually have foods other than ribs and, in fact, I tend to like those other foods like pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and a variety of other sandwiches and meals. So, on a rainy day in Indianapolis with the temperature rising and my energy depleted I decided to go ahead and venture over for my first visit to GT South’s.
To look at GT South’s, you’d probably think to yourself it’s just a little divey hole-​in-​the-​wall (which actually fits rib joints anyway). Actually, you’d kind of be right. It’s located in a small strip center with at least one other restaurant, a bar, and I believe another business. There’s also a police sub-​station next door, so I’d avoid any temptation to act out. They have a single accessible parking spot, but they do have a wheelchair ramp and the one spot does meet ADA requirements. I’d actually stopped into GT South’s a week or so ago, but I didn’t see the spot and didn’t end up stopping. So, it’s good to know it’s there and actually is clearly marked.
They have a double-​sided entry that is pretty manageable, but the staff was obviously paying attention despite my arrival on the early side of the dinner hour. I was greeted at the door and helped right away to a four-​top table where the server removed two chairs to allow room for the wheelchair. I was rather tickled to be seated right beneath this really awesome print of hands that I just fell in love with while dining.
My server, Kristi, was incredibly warm and friendly and I learned quite a bit about the restaurant before also learning that she’s also part of the family that owns the restaurant. Because they also offer catering, they have a staff of right around 35 and it was a nice plus to be able to meet someone within the family because I think that always gives you a sense of the business. The GT South’s décor is quite simple, but warm. If you require lots of polish and shine, you’ll probably find yourself checking the silverware to see if it’s clean, but the older establishment is warm and well cared for with a main dining area, a private dining area, and a middle section that looked like where you did take out orders, etc.
I ordered my usual unsweetened iced tea and it was brought to the table in a timely manner. After deliberating a little bit, I opted for a pulled pork sandwich. It comes with chips along with one side — I chose cole slaw among choices that also included mac n’ cheese, red potatoes, apple sauce, turnip greens cornbread, and a few others. I didn’t see any sort of upgrade options (like turning the chips into fries), but the sandwich itself came as regular for $ 6.95 or jumbo for an extra dollar. I hadn’t eaten lunch, so I opted for the jumbo.
The pulled pork was definitely on the upper tier of pulled pork sandwiches that I’ve had locally. Kristi offered me samples of both the mild and hot bbq sauces. I tried both and definitely preferred the hot — it was hot, but not too hot. The meat was flavorful, tender, and really lingered on my palate in just the right way. The bun initially seemed like a generic bun, but it was large enough for the sandwich and seemed to be lightly toasted. It complemented the flavor without dominating it. The cole slaw was also very good, though folks who prefer ultra-​creamy cole slaw might be a touch disappointed. I like cole slaw that allows me to taste all of its ingredients and this decent-​sized cup definitely did.
With the entire meal right around $ 11, it was definitely a good meal at a good price and I would definitely order it again.
I am knocking off one star for one fairly significant faux pas in my world — I didn’t get offered an iced tea refill despite lingering a few minutes after my meal and the glass being empty. There are times I’d actually knock down even another star for that, because my refills are truly that important. That said, the service was otherwise terrific and the food was definitely higher than 3-​star food. When a drink is right around $ 2.50, it’s not unreasonable to expect at least one refill without having to ask.
Have you ever visited a restaurant where you just instantly felt comfortable? That’s how I felt at GT South’s, where even the customers were friendly. I really liked it here, not because it was razzle-​dazzle, but because I had a good meal and felt welcome!

We have gotten the chance to experience GT’s twice now — both for take-​out (Superbowl party!) and dine-​in. I can honestly say that this place is legit when it comes to tasty, smokey, meaty BBQ goodness.
Hosting friends for the big game gave us the perfect excuse to call and place a take-​out order from GT’s. When we realized that we needed more food than we had expected, we called and they were amazing at accommodating our request. This also gave us a chance to sample every kind of meat that they offer — aside from the Baby Back Ribs (they were sold out due to a large Superbowl Catering order) and the turkey — but we got a chance to try both of these meats during our dine-​in visit recently. YUM.
Particular stand outs in the meat category have been the pulled pork, the brisket, the turkey breast (my fav), the baby backs, and the smoked chicken wings (Hubs still raves about these). I cannot express how moist and tender the sliced turkey was… so so so good. The pulled chicken was a little dry — but it is a lean meat, so I guess that is somewhat expected. Add one of the house made BBQ sauces and it’s all good.
Random — get the Chili if it is offered — it’s so hearty and meaty with a hint of sweetness to it. YUM.
The sides were just kind of decent — with the mac and cheese and baked beans being my favorites. Add a little hot BBQ to the mac and chese if you are feeling adventurous. The new potatoes were interesting to say the least and the cole slaw was tasty. The BBQ sauces served on the side were SO flavorful and the spicy really does have a kick — which I appreciate and love.
Do yourself a favor and save room for the cobbler — the peach to be specific — served with ice cream. I could OD on their cobbler for real. The blackberry is good, but the peach is where it’s at. You’re welcome.
I must mention that during our most recent visit our server made the dine-​in experience extraordinary and awesome. Crystal was super friendly, attentive, spot-​on with recommendations, and very knowledgeable about the food and business in general. Never did we feel rushed or like a bother. She made us very comfortable and we will most likely request her when we return.
In the spirit of complete disclosure, I had to dock a star for a few reasons: first, because the biscuits are not good at all — dry, bland, and one of the only food offerings that is not made on site. Rumor has it that they are going to start making their own corn bread again… and I sure hope they do. Please, GTs… make a good, tasty, starchy bread side on site. Second, they way they just serve the new potatoes is odd to me… just boiled and put on the plate whole. Maybe throw some butter and dill on those puppies or something? And speaking of puppies… what about adding hush puppies as a selection? Hmmm…
Take away: Get the Groupon to try them out — and let them know you have one up front — they won’t treat you any differently for using one but it helps them with entering the order some how. Also, PLEASE don’t let the stripmall-​esque setting, outdated décor, or janky parking lot deter you — come in and get some real food here. The focus seems to be TOTALLY on the food and good service — not the décor — but isn’t that what good BBQ is all about?
We have totally found our new go-​to spot close to home. Thanks, GT Souths!

We’ve been seeing GT South’s running a special on Groupon and Amazon Local for sometime now, so we finally decided to purchase one and give the place a try.
We soon found out that GT’s could be a hidden gem here in Indianapolis. It definitely doesn’t have the most up to date décor and you definitely don’t need to wear fancy. We did find they have plenty of seating, anything from family dining to a seats at their full service bar.
We started of with the Pulled Pork Nachos and the serving size was perfect for two people. Then we decided to share the combination platter. Again perfect size for two people. It came with perfect portion of each of their shredded meat options, ribs, a biscuit, and your choice of two sides. My boyfriend and I have different opinions in our BBQ sauces so our server Seth let us order two different BBQ sauces to satisfy our picky needs. We are a little spoiled when it comes to BBQ joints. BBQ joints are our favorite stops when we travel, so we have been to our fair share. GT’s meat is not our favorite as it seamed to be sitting their for awhile. But we did enjoy their «hot» BBQ sauce and plan on purchasing some to use at home.
The prices were phenomenal. We had purchase a Amazon Local that was worth $ 25 and our bill was just a little over that before tip.
We’ve heard so many fantastic reviews and we are a little sad we were not completely blown away.

Don’t let the décor fool you. The food is downright good and I WILL be returning. Thought I would try this restaurant on a groupon and they have by BBQ business from now on!
The inside looks like a no frills, wood paneling diner but you don’t need flash when the food speaks for itself. I tried the brisket with classic/​mild sauce. Great smoke ring on the meat and great tender flavor. The sauce was a great compliment to the meat flavor. The sides that come with are typical BBQ sides: green beans, baked beans, red potatoes, mac and cheese, cole slaw. The red potatoes were done to perfection and the cole slaw had a little kick of pepper in it but was just the right consistency.
My fiancée tried the pulled pork and 4 ribs. He thought the pork was fantastic and juicy and the ribs were just falling off the bone (YUM!). Groupon may have brought us in, but the food will keep us coming back for more.
They also offer a catering menu and take out options as well. Next super bowl party they are on my list to call.

I ordered the beef Manhattan. The sauce was on the side. The mashed potato was hard and definitely needed the yummy beef gravy. The beef was okay. The bread was just plain white bread (not even toast) sandwiching the beef. The mac and cheese was no big deal to me. So the best part was the gravy.

Bring the cornbread back! Biscuits are ok, but when the waiter excitedly told us it comes w apple butter, we were disappointed that it was a Smuckers packet. Meat great as always, and BEST BBQ sauce in all the land! Super laid back place w good prices.

So my family came here, since my husband purchased a groupon.
It’s a small place, but clean and cozy. Our waitress Tasha was very welcoming as she greeted us coming in the front door.
She made some great recommendations which I really appreciate. Since this was our first time, she knew what would be good and maybe what we wouldn’t like. She knows the menu very well. Based on service I’d give this place a 4.
When it comes to the food, I give this place a 3. Everything came out quickly, which is not good in most cases, but not here. We had the wings for appetizers. Very delicious; even without the sauce. The ribs (my choice of entrée) were ok. I could tell they know what they’re doing, but they were a little dry. Maybe they just overcooked that batch. I like the biscuits very much; they reminded me of ones you get in the South. With a name like GT’s South Rib House, you don’t come for the greens and Mac and cheese, you come for meat. And I think the owners know that. With that being said, the sides were very bland. I like a potato salad with more mayo than mustard (just my personal presence) so the potato salad wasn’t great to me. I had to add salt. The green beans tasted like they came out of a can.
I will say I didn’t have room to try dessert, so we definitely got our fill. And the price wasn’t too bad. We purchased a $ 50 groupon for $ 27 and paid a little more than that; so it came to be about $ 38 (not including gratuity). The children’s drinks weren’t included which was a little bummer. I guess we’ve gotten spoiled when it comes to that. More and most restaurants children’s menu include the drink but again for $ 7.25/child it’s not terrible, especially for ribs.
All in all, it was nice. Really enjoyed Tasha. She was very welcoming and patient w/​us and took very good care of us. Not sure if will be back seeing as we live on the south side of Indy. I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here for barbecue. I would like to give it a second try, because I feel like the ribs wouldn’t be so dry. If that’s the case, I might boost my rating to a 4… we’ll see

First off, let’s talk about what G T Souths is not.
G T Souths is not a place you dress up to go to. It is also not a place that you have to spend a lot of money to get a good meal. It probably isn’t the best choice for a vegetarian or someone who only eats organic produce.
I like G T Souths for all of the above reasons.
I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and the Mac and cheese. Both were simple but very good. I liked the BBQ sauce– there’s a spicy and a classic option. I had the classic.
It’s very «home cooking.» The booths are simple. The menu is simple. The prices are very reasonable. I would take my grandparents there. Go there if you want a good BBQ sandwich. They also have take out.

I’ve liked GT South’s for some time. Sure it may not be the best.. .but it is a great blend of good southern bbq food, sweet tea, and family friendly environment.
I remain overjoyed by the smoking ban in Indy, that changed the smelly GT to a decent place. I don’t think I would of rated it that high before.
GT souths contains a decent selection of smoked dishes (hot dogs even, brisket, turkey, and pork). They have some good to okay sides such as red potatoes, mac and cheese, etc.
I normally do a sweet tea at GT, with mac and cheese, new potatoes, and a beef brisket. yet i’ve tried the pork, turkey, and ribs. .and found it all quite good.
Where I think GT wins is that its just a reasonable price, good food, kind of place.. where you can meet with some parents and some toddlers and without drama. Plus it is good smokey BBQ
– we usually leave with a couple jars of their sauce, which is corn syrup free and goodness in a bottle