Rub BBQ & Pub

Food was ok, out of the ribs, brisket and catfish fingers, brisket was good, rinlns were ok and catfish was very bland (bad)
But worse was the service, they were overstaffed, yet we couldn’t even get a refill

I’m a huge Slows fan… so I pretty much compare everything to that place. This place is ok, won’t be my first choice for BBQ. I had the fish and chips on my second visit and they were very greasy. Upon my latest visit I had the beef brisket on a hoagie and it was de-​lish.
Sweet potato fries are good and the mac and cheese is ok.

Meh…
First of all, I live near the Woodshop, so I’ve been spoiled by their pulled pork. I also have season tickets to the Tiger (I used to follow that with an apology, but not anymore!) so we eat at Slow’s a lot… and I’ve been spoiled by thier brisket.
RUB is decent, middle of the road BBQ. I think it is better than the chains, with thier overly sweet sauce and cookie-​cutter meals, but it pales in comparison to some of the real BBQ places around (which aren’t even REAL BBQ if you talk to my family down South-​but that’s another story).
Too bad, as it’s a big, fairly well lit, sports-​themed place. I went for lunch with co-​workers, and we were all very pleased. I took the family last week, and we were less than impressed. How does a place change so much between lunch and dinner?
Our server at lunch was a bubbly, out-​for-​the-​summer college student who appeared to love her job; filled our glasses relentlessly, brought extra napkins, kidded around with us, etc… While our crypt-​keeper lookalike server at dinner (I called her «step N fetch» for which my wife kicked me mercilessly) was an older woman who let everyone know through her facial features and her speed that she absolutely HATES her job.
As happened with so many on here, our food took forever… our onion ring appetizer came WITH the meal. The onion rings were hot (maybe forgotten and then added at the end?) everything else was cold. Wifey’s brisket got the thumb’s up for flavor, but was sent back for temperature. Man/​Child (my son) got the sampler platter, and loved the mac-​n-​cheese side, everything else was just ‘Meh’ to him. I had the St. Louis Style ribs (no baby backs on the menu??). They were cold. When they returned (piping hot) I liked the flavor of the meat, the rub and smoke were fine, and the sauce selection on the table was good. I ate Man/Child’s pulled pork, and while there was a lot of bark, there wasn’t much flavor. Mine at home is better, honestly, and I’m a novice smoker.
I don’t get it? The bill at dinner was about $ 90 including tax and tip. For that price we could eat well at the Woodshop.
I’m glad we tried it, but it’s not on the ‘must have’ list, with so many other good places around.

On the way home from the recent beer festival downtown, thought we’d give Rub a try… Wish we hadn’t.
First, our server was terrible. It was a Saturday afternoon and this place was EMPTY and our food and apps took forever to come out, she never checked up on us and then all of a sudden, all of the food, including the apps, arrive at once after about 45 minutes of waiting. There is no way the kitchen was trying to over compensate for being really busy; we just had a lazy server. She did the dump and run: Here’s your food… see ya in about 45 minutes when I drop off the bill! Where do these people come from and why do they continue to be hired as servers? This drives me nuts!
As far as the food… rubbish. The corn on the cob was quite good, but the rest of the meal was sub par; Rub just wants to cash in on the BBQ craze, they don’t want to serve you good food. The brisket was rubbery and it had that fake hickory smoke flavor… I understand that BBQ is all about smoked meat, but this tasted like it was fogged in liquid smoke rather than slow smoked… you know, like real BBQ. I was excited to try the sliders just to get a little bit of everything, but the meat (pulled chicken, pork and brisket) all tasted a like; rubbery bits of matter that tasted of liquid smoke…
The menu was largely uninspired. There was the standard fare of meat (chicken, pork, brisket… etc…) and then a bunch of sandwiches that sounded horrible, but you might order one because they just picked random Detroit landmarks and icons and made it into a sandwich. «Hey, let’s split The Kid Rock!» Yeah, that’s original.
I also didn’t like been patronized by their menu. There was a big header telling me that everything is half off and all of the prices had numbers with slashes through them next to a number that is half the size. The bill even had the amount we «should have paid» if we paid full price. I suppose this is supposed to make it seem like you’re getting a good deal, but no… It just pissed me off and it’s a tacky tactic.
Yeah… Our meal was cheap, but there’s no value here. Poor service, awful food… Just cheap. I really wanted to like this place too.
For better BBQ, go south to Slow’s, or north to Bad Brad’s. You’ll thank me later.

I REALLY wanted to like this place but I doubt we will be back.
Our server was horrible. All our food (apps and meals) came out at once, and it took forever!
Place was EMPTY! It is a huge building, I don’t know why places with this size insist seating people 90ft away from any other table… it doesn’t look/​feel right. On a slow day… use one section. It doesn’t give people the impression that you are so dead the tumbleweeds have room to blow around!
Food was ok. Nothing amazing. Corn on the Cob was good. Sadly, since there are so many other great BBQ joints in the area with much better food and service, I don’t see this place lasting too long here. If there was zero choice for BBQ, it would have half of a chance.
Skip it.

WHAT??? No lunch buffet?
Well, the next best thing. Half off on all meals and appetizers at lunch. This is much better than the buffet as you choose what you want. The best part is you don’t pig out.
Tried the Burnt Tips appetizer. Excellent. Oh, and for my diet, the tossed salad. decent iceberg lettuce and fixins, not much else to say about that. (Can’t wait for daughters wedding, going to really pig out that night).

Wow, just an incredibly bad meal from start to finish.
We have eaten here a few times, and while the food has never been exceptional, it has been good, solid BBQ.
Deciding to go out for an early Sunday evening dinner, we did not want to deal with Royal Oak parking, for Lockharts. RUB, is just a couple miles from the house, we figured that could do for the BBQ craving my wife was having.
We started with the burt ends appetizer, which seemed to be made from scraps of fat, not much meat to be found. Dinners arrived, I ordered the «Bob Seger» a pulled pork sandwich, and my wife ordered a rib combo, half baby back, half St. Louis style. We each ordered a side of collard greens. The greens were so cold, we had to send them back. When they came back we found the cold had masked a more serious issue, way too much salt. We told our server they were inedible, she apologized, and took them off the bill.
The entrees, were further messed up as my wife’s ribs were also cold. While those went back to the grill, I tried my pulled pork sandwich, which was a little off on the meat to bun ratio, but was otherwise okay. When the ribs were brought back, they were hot, however, the meat was dried out and not the least bit tender. They were so bad, that my wife not only could not finish the meal, she had no interest in bringing leftovers home.
We expressed our disappointment to our server, who apologized, but offered no further discount or the option to discuss our complaints with a manager, even after we told her that we were unlikely to return. Maybe we should have insisted, but figured it was not worth the effort.
I have to assume that the low quality of the food has something to do with the new pricing structure where everything is 50% off menu price. Logic would tell you that something has to give, if you are cutting prices in half, you can’t be providing the same quality. While everyone appreciates lower prices, I appreciate edible food when I dine out.
Next time we want ribs nearby, we will run over to Vivio’s in Warren. For the $ 29 we spent at rub, we could split a rack, fries, salad, and get a bucket of delicious mussels as well. Lesson learned, time to rub out RUB.

I don’t like giving 2-​star ratings to restaurants that aren’t horrible. But «Meh» is a perfect description for this place. The specials change every day, so it’s hard to predict when to come in for a decent price on something you’d like. And the standard menu is overpriced for what you get. I got a hamburger, and it was nothing special. My wife ordered the pulled pork sandwich. It was OK, and you could tell it was at least through a smoker. But that’s about it. It’s such a forgettable place, and I’ve never had the urge to go back.

I enjoyed the food but have had better. The waitress was slow and disinterested.

Beers are cheap, awesome selection. The ribs are pretty good. Love the greens and mac n cheese! I’ve had good service the couple of times i’ve went. Décor is boring.

Sometimes, some of the best things can happen from mistakes.
As it turns out, finding this place was a mistake for me. Someone was describing Lazy Bones to me, but told me the wrong location for it and I couldn’t remember the name of it, so I went here thinking this was the BBQ restaurant they were speaking about.
Anyway, I’ve been here a few times now. I was going to give this place a strong four star or a weak five star (I decided on five since it didn’t have any five star ratings yet) so I preface my review with that.
The meat is decent. I have had two different kinds… the brisket and the sausage. The brisket was tender (one time a tad too dry) and the sausage is nice and flavorful.
The real stars of the show here are the sauces. I like my bbq with light sauce and always on the side. But the sauces here are too good to pass up. The Carolina is my favorite, being a mustard, tangy base. It’s very unique in its flavor. Also, the hot sauce is just that, hot. But not just a burning hot dull flavor as many places do… a pleasant bbq flavor mixed with a strong heat. The other sauces are also very different, yet refreshing and tasty.
The sides are just fine also. Mac & Cheese uses shredded cheese and rotini noodles. Mashed sweet potatoes are a delight… the vegetables are seasoned… fries are also pretty good.
I actually much prefer this place over Lazy Bones, so I am happy my friend told me the wrong location.

The Rub BBQ location used to be Shield’s Pizza. They didn’t do much to change the restaurant, the layout was exactly the same as Shields but they changed the color scheme and painted the outside sidewalk and walls a different color.
The eating location wasn’t too bad, except for the 2 flies that kept circling around and one of them liked to land on my head to annoy me.
I ordered the Hitsville Sandwich with Brioche buns, the potato fries (Skinz), and a
side order of sweet potato fries. A few others ordered the sweet tea and complained that it wasn’t made properly. They essentially made the tea and poured in the sugar afterwards versus brewing the tea with the sugar.
The Hitsville Sandwich was good, except the chicken was pretty tough in certain parts. The bun was very sweet and soft, almost like a Brioche French pastry. The potato fries/​skinz were nasty. They were overly cooked, hard, and twig-​like. I ordered the sweet potato fries as a side order and they were soft, and tasted great.
The variety of BBQ sauces made selecting one or two very difficult, so we tried them all in small samples. I rather liked the Memphis sauce on my chicken sandwich and for the fries.
Our server was overwhelmed by the number of people in our group, but was very efficient and professional. The menu is ok, and the Detroit-​themed names for the dishes were a nice touch, but nothing that would give them an extra star or two in this review.
I heard great things about the selection of beer, as well as the mac and cheese. Overall I felt the food was acceptable and nothing to write home about. The mandatory 20% tip (or rather, suggested tip) kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
I probably wouldn’t eat there again, and I only ate there because it was a special luncheon for a co-​worker.

This place is decent. Doesn’t hold a candle to Slow’s BBQ though.

… I think some of you are being too hard on Rub.
Well, that was awkward…
… I suppose I should erase that and start over, but the play on words is hilarious.
Anyhoo, if you want Famous Dave’s, go to Famous Dave’s. It’s a freaking chain restaurant, they have a proven formula for which they do things. Don’t compare a local place to a chain. It’s just not fair. Moreso, if you are expecting Union Woodshop or Slow’s… mmmmmmmyou might be a bit disappointed, but if you go in with an open mind you might be surprised.
A friend and I popped in attempting to try something new after work. I can’t say that the décor is breath-​takingly impressive, but it’s manageable. I was actually rather surprised how large the space is. Our waitress was very amicable and helpful in explaining their sauce options and menu items. We ordered the fried pickles for an appetizer — $ 2.50 during Happy Hour (bonus!) — and I would dare say that they’re house-​made pickles or a local brand. They were served with a spicy ranch flavored with hot sauce, which (thankfully) was not too spicy for us mild people… medium and hot lovers might want a bigger kick.
Their menu seems to be locally-​oriented, with numerous options to choose from, but I went for a combo option to try their brisket, pulled pork and ribs. Frankly, I was please with my meal. The mac and cheese was a little sub-​par, but I was impressed with the meal otherwise. None of the meat was excessively fatty and wasn’t dry. …maybe a little under-​seasoned, but that was compensated by the sauce options.
And for those who say there’s «never anyone in the parking lot,» perhaps we should take into consideration their lunch crowd from the local businesses and the crowd my coworker sees nearly every time she drives past. If the place were that miserable, it probably wouldn’t still be open. Try it out!

How I truly want to like this place. I’ve been here 4 – 5 times now and I agree with D.V. that the food quality varies and leans toward unfavorable. I’m giving this the extra star for a stellar Michigan based beer tap selection. The girl that works during the weekend days, is really friendly and is why I gave the other star, but in general the place is understaffed, or so it appears and there are times you don’t see your server (I sit at the bar normally) for long periods. I don’t know that it is always their fault. I do see who I believe is the manager usually chatting with a local or two, but I don’t generally see this guy pitch in or ever check on non regulars.
I stopped in today for a meal and the chef, cook, or whatever he/​she is called forgot the top bread of my sandwich. The «Yzerman» was really fatty and cold-​cold pulled pork and cold mac and cheese mmmmmm… The bartender didn’t have time to give me any BBQ sauce so I ate it as is. I ordered mashed sweet potatoes on the side, which were unseasoned and inedible. The baked beans are generally good which is a nominal saving grace.
I think after today I surrender and won’t continue to visit this place. Its clear the kitchen and management might not care as much as they should. Sort of sad because it could be a really good place.

After reading the reviews I was scared but had a groupon and was only paying half price so I figured to give it a go.
We got: full slap of ribs, sweet potatoes fries, cornbread, chili and a fried twinke. Being a baker I know it was cooked at a temp that was much too high for it. This is why it was s hard and dry. The fries were the frozen out of a bag kind but they still were good and the ribs were fine. Some of them did have a lot of fat but the other half were perfect.
I saw give this place a try. It was dead tonight (Monday night) so the service was good and getting to spend a quiet evening with the love of my life was a bonus as we gulped down ribs and wiping our chins. Worth every penny.

It makes me sad to write this review. It really does. I’ve driven by this place countless times and seen the flashing sign, and I thought one day «Why not try it out?»
My first warning sign should’ve been the empty parking lot. Anyways, onto the food. The prices for the main courses here are about 11 – 16 dollars, pretty average for a bbq/​rib place. What was NOT average, however, was the quality of the food. I ordered beef briskets, something I love at famous daves. When it came out, I was dissapointed with the presentation: 4 – 5 beef slices sliced thick on a piece of bread. Literally, it was on top of the bread. I thought, «ok, I’m not eating how it looks» so I went at it.
Let me say this: the beef brisket is not for the faint of heart. Literally. ¹⁄₃ of my serving was fat. Not meat, just plain fat. A few of these will send me to the ER with clogged arteries. My friend ordered the same thing, and got the same result, so I know it wasn’t a one-​time thing. Another friend’s ribs were dry, while the other’s was juicy. Consistency certainly is lacking here. But what meat was on my plate was tender and juicy. However, it was sliced thick, not thin like it says on the menu. The service was really good though. It says they close at 2, but when we went on a thursday at 9:30, we were the only party there, and most of the tables already had chairs on them.
It saddens me to write this because I know how hard it is to run a new business, especially in an area with so many eateries around. But with especially this many eateries around, it’s crucial to serve good food. Rub BBQ and Pub certainly isn’t doing it for me.
But whatevs, there’s always Famous Daves or my backyard if I want bbq.

this place is just OK. I’ve been here twice, once right at the open, and it wasn’t good… at all. i gave them the benefit of the doubt and tried it again the other day.
both times, the brisket was overcooked, a typical theme in a lot of BBQ places around here. the service was subpar, however, the second time it was decent. the mac and cheese is a good side dish and the sweet potato fries are just OK.
when it’s all said and done, i’d rather go to lazybones, slows, or union woodshop.

This restaurant was painful on the eyes and painful on the stomach.
The entire décor, inside and out was a lame attempt at making the restaurant look good. Royal blue spray painted walls on the outside complemented poor landscaping while burnt orange walls and sporadic sports memorabilia were paired on the inside.
It just felt unfinished and uncomfortable as if the owner didn’t know how to set up or organize the place.
The food wasn’t much better. Soggy texas toast, small portions and less than stellar barbecue are all reasons why you should just drive to Royal Oak and hit up Lockhardt’s or visit a Famous Daves.

It pains me to finally review a location that I was so excited to have come to Warren. I have been here four times in a long drawn out attempt of hope only to progressively get bashed over the head with how fast a new location can go from ‘give them time, they are just opening’ to ‘they just can’t get any worse’. I am still trying to decide what is the failure of this place, it could be the décor (blue exterior, trashy interior), the food (that consistently got worse the further from opening), the staff (who do not seem to understand how to wait on a table), or the management (who look like they must sleep at the restaurant).
I was there on day one, excited and not disappointed at the food I received. I visited in week two, received an undercooked sandwich while listening to the staff getting yelled at by the manager. I visited in week three, received the wrong order, got charged for a completely different third order while listening to the manager drunkingly hit on a waitress. The fourth visit was in week five, when I received a cold meal which I made them replace with a different item.
The manager (the person I assume is the manager) has always been right there when I least needed him and has not been there when I needed him. So, I would have to say that it is a combination of the food and the management that is killing this restaurant.
I am still not believing that this building is cursed.