Ray Brothers BBQ in
Bouckville (NY)

Loved it, loved the food, loved our waitress, she recommended the owners air bnb next time we are in town and i definitely am considering it. ( this was a while ago of a visit)

This was my 1st time here since moving to the area 4 years ago. I do a lot of smoking meats myself so I'm usually very critical at BBQ restaurants. Parking out front was too busy so I parked out back. Unfortunately there was no clear path made to the back of the restaurant so we had to walk around. We were seated right away, it was only 2pm. The inside is very nice and clean and welcoming. The chairs and table were comfortable. Our server, Jill, was very nice and accommodating. She was very knowledgeable of the menu and what was available. Which was everything except the brisket. They don't serve it until 4pm...?. So I ordered the 3 meat platter with meatloaf, ribs, and hot links. Sides were dirty potatoes and baked beans. Wife had pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on it and sweet potato fries. Wife said the sandwich was good, just a little dry. The fries she said were very good. With my food everything was very hot! 1st time at a BBQ joint where that happened for me. I was very pleased with that. I had all my sauces on the side. The hot links were awesome! They were juicy and firm, but not hard. All the sauces are amazing! I could put that on anything and it would taste better. The meatloaf was well, meatloaf. It was good, but I was expecting more flavor. The ribs were very good. Tender, fall off the bone, but not overdone. They were pretty meaty too. FYI, I tried all meats without any sauce first so I could just taste the meats. I was very surprised that there was very little smoke flavor in my opinion. I was surprised at that because most BBQ joints are smokey. I make my meats with low smoke as well mainly because my wife doesnt like a lot. The sides were good too. The dirty potato salad was very good. The beans were okay. They lacked the flavor of a BBQ joint in my opinion. The beans had a good consistency but I think lacked some meat scraps they could have added and more of their rub for flavor. I added their regular sauce and they tasted much better. Overall I would like to go back and try the chicken and the brisket. Also I thought the prices were reasonable. I would definitely recommend going here if you haven't yet like me. It is worth the visit. Like my wife said, "it's a good place to go when you aren't cooking your own and you're in the mood for some." Good point!

Poor customer service by the front desk "young ladies" rude and not helpful. They need customer service training badly. We went to wing night and had 6 in our group. Wings were not good. Frankly, how did they leave the kitchen? They were not tender at all and needed more time. But the pit master should have known that with quality control. Taste it! If they are not right please do not serve. You know this. I now have 5 that do not wish to return. The pork sandwich was good and the chicken was dry but ok.... tender. We have been to Ray's several times. It seems that things are sliding and not worth the money. They could fix it by putting pride back into it. You are only as good as your last plate served to your customer. These customers are disappointed with the quality. Hope you turn it around.... side are good and sauces are as well. Step back and taste your food for quality. We wish you well. We may try again in the future. But dropping over 200 on a family outing for this experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

What a great place. We would frequent this place if it wasn't so far away from us. Check out their smoked wings. They are excellent.

We showed on our way to our son's lacrosse practice. Ordered today's specials to-go. The order was ready very fast and the food was absolutely delicious! We will be back!

Everything was so good. Very large portions, so expect leftovers. Family agreed, hands down the best potato salad and macaroni and cheese ever. Highly recommend

Best BBQ i maybe have ever had! Beat down Tony Roma in Vegas by miles!! I hate Mac and cheese but would have eaten a whole dish from here! Truly homemade. Coleslaw is awesome and hint of spice! Ribs are divine- a holy experience!! We got the NY style sauce- a little sweet w fall flavors. So good! We've live 2200 miles away but id drive here again in a heartbeat !!

A friend and I went yesterday for an early dinner on our way back from a girls excursion. We got the full rack sharing dinner for $47. The ribs were absolutely terrible - vastly overcooked and dry with very little meat. The waitress was great, checking in on us early and replacing our rack. The second rack was no better. I won’t go back.

Walking in didn't take long to be seated. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. Placing order was easy the sauces available were plenty to choose from. Started with the Hush puppies (jalapeno) were just a bit spicy but really spicy to my cousin. We ordered the ribs for 2 and it didn't take as long to come to table think wait was less then 15 mins. Not sure if that's a good thing or not. The ribs came out looking a lil burnt but surprisingly was tender. Yet lil crispy on outside for my liking. The sides were good not sure what type of beans in the baked beans but they were ok. Mac n cheese decent. Have to say that dirty potato salad was actually pretty good.

Hoping for baby baby back ribs and they had none on a Friday night at 5pm. So had to settle for the Saint Louis style. First order came out and could not even cut through with a knife must have been a leftover. Second order could cut through but in my opinion they should fall off the bone. Just saying

Ray Brothers catered my wedding and all my guests had rave reviews. We're obsessed with the nacho dip (and the chips). Even the leftovers were great. Shannon was super responsive and attentive. We'd highly recommend a visit or for catering!

Ray Brothers BBQ is a fun spot with a lively atmosphere. Their main offerings are Carolina-style BBQ—pulled pork and chicken are the staples, and occasionally they’ll have brisket. The food was decent, though on the pricey side for the portion size and overall quality. Coming from Texas, I wasn’t overly impressed with their take on “BBQ,” but it’s still a solid meal if you’re craving smoked meats in the area. The place gets very busy, so expect a wait if you’re trying to snag a table. They do have an outdoor area and a large yard, which makes it family-friendly and gives plenty of space to hang out. It looks like they host a lot of concerts and events, which adds to the fun vibe. Parking is decent and manageable even when crowded. Overall, worth checking out for the atmosphere and experience, though BBQ enthusiasts from the South might find the flavors and portions a bit underwhelming.

Food was excellent; fall off the bone ribs, tender chicken half, good pulled pork and crispy fries. Smokehouse ale is like a porter, very good. Lighting is a bit dim. Waitress was very attentive. Highly recommended and we will be back again!

Food was amazing. Love the sauces too!

This is a can't miss experience especially if you are going on night when they have music! We saw a Fleetwood Mac tribute band that was absolutely fantastic named Seven Wonders. The staff was helpful and freindly. They were right on time to help with anything you needed. A shout out to the nice girl who took good care of Pennsylvania. Let's get to the food, we had ribs of course and wings, some of the best this side of the Mississippi. They really know what they're doing here. The portions were large, the sides are amazing, especially the baked beans and cucumber salad. There was a huge crowd there and they still served us fairly quickly. This place is way out of the way of anything but worth the drive. This is family run by two brothers and it's great to support a local business like that, go there I'm sure you will enjoy it!!!

Worth the wait! I love my bbq food and this place is the absolute best by far. The meat and sides weren’t overly Smokey the bbq sauce wasn’t too heavy the potatoes in the potato were actually cooked and had eggs- bonus for me! The Mac and cheese was amazing and cozy! The meatloaf was to die for!

Ray Brothers Barbecue,,, What a fantastic delicious experience out in the middle of the most beautiful land in New York State highly recommended. The service was spectacular and the people were grand. !!

Awesome restaurant! Food was delicious and fresh. Mac and cheese was great. Pulled pork, ribs where juice and tasty.

Ray Brothers BBQ has absolutely blown me away. I have always been skeptical of good BBQ since working in the industry for years. Let me tell you that Ray Brothers is the real deal!! I went in on a Saturday and their special was the Brisket Dinner Platter. Brisket being my favorite, I had to get an order along with a side of the Smoked Baked Beans and the Dirty Potato Salad. The brisket was absolutely outstanding. The bark was thick and crispy, full of flavor. It was the perfect mix of fatty and lean. The fatty cuts just melting away in the mouth while the lean not being overly dried out. Both cuts were perfectly moist. Seriously the best piece of brisket I’ve had since before COVID when I was working in at a BBQ joint. The Smoked Baked Beans were a great balance of smoky, salty, and sweetness which provided the perfect warm accompaniment to the brisket. The Dirty Potato Salad was just as phenomenal with the pieces of chopped egg mixed in while not being overly dressed with mayonnaise. The Cornbread was the perfect morsel of heavenly, fluffy delicate bliss. I got my dessert to go which was the Apple Cake. Let me tell you, the Apple Cake has got to be one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. The cake is soft and fluffy with the perfect amount of moisture from the apple without being wet. The buttery sugary sauce that is poured over it is liquid gold. The best way to end a perfect meal. My only complaint is that I didn’t try this place sooner because Ray Brothers BBQ is authentic, full of flavor, and you can really see the care and the attention to detail that they have for what they are serving. Thank you so much Ray Brothers BBQ, I can’t wait to come back soon!

We were in town for a horse show at SUNY Morrisville and a couple locals recommended Ray Brothers to us. They warned us that it could get busy and the wait time can be long but they said it was worth it. It was a Friday afternoon and they were quite busy but we only waited about 30 minutes which is reasonable considering the day and time. It was 1000% worth it. Our Server Sue was incredible. She was super helpful when ordering our food and drinks and was right there whenever anyone needed a refill without us needing to ask(Thanks Sue!). Now for the food. The Food Network rated Ray Brothers "Best Ribs in New York State"and they were not wrong. The ribs were the best I have ever eaten anywhere. Not only were the ribs amazing but the sides were just as good. Between us we had the Mac and cheese, BBQ beans, dirty potato salad, corn bread and sweet potato fries. All were equally amazing. Do not hesitate to eat here if you get the chance. One final note. They have a little amphitheater outside the restaurant and have concerts there in the summer. It looks like a really cool place to see a show!

Awesome food and service. I love how everything was so different. Not the same old sides and flavors that can be repetitive at other places. We liked it so much we took 2 nights worth of food home. Yummy!!

I cannot speak on behalf of the taste or flavor of Ray Brothers BBQ because I have yet to actually taste any of their food. My first attempt was in vain because the original location was too busy to patronize. My second attempt at the new Hamilton location also failed. I ordered a burrito from what appeared to be a rather dried out array of ingredients. I imagine that, due to the novelty of the business there just wasn't enough traffic to turn the food. However, I lost all interest when the server deliberately mixed the ingredients all together. I politely explained to them that I was no longer interested and would have to pass on my order. I would like to see this location succeed and hope that my review serves well as constructive feedback. From what I understand they have a strong following.

Pretty good barbeque spot. Great atmosphere, nice outdoor area and live music. The meat was good - ribs fell off the bone, smoked chicken was tasty. Pulled chicken could have used more smoke. No brisket option, which I guess makes sense since they're going for the Carolina bbq style, but we're in NY so I was disappointed. Main complaint is about the sides. Beans were way too sweet - almost sickly. Maybe they accidentally doubled the sugar in the recipe today? Cornbread was also too sweet, and pretty dry. Mac and cheese was a little bland and pretty basic. Carolina sauce was good. Other sauces were again way too sweet. Bomb sauce would be great if they toned down the sugar.

First time trying Ray brothers BBQ. We were in the area and decided to meet up with friends here. It was a great spot to meet up since it was centrally located. Kids were able to play outside while we enjoyed a drink waiting for our table to be called. Outdoor area had a beautiful wood stage and looks like it would be a great spot to catch a show. All the food we ordered was delicious. We shared the pork nachos and a half rack of ribs. I was able to get a few locally brewed craft beer as well. Definitely would be back next time we are in the area.

Very good barbecue just 10 minutes outside of Colgate University and Hamilton New York. Can get very busy, we've been here a couple of times before and been turned away as they do run out of food, so go early or go on a slow day. Not a fancy place, but good bar atmosphere and family friendly dining room, with tons of outside tables during nice weather. Substantial selection of beers and ciders. Portions are large; with one frosty beverage each the bill was about $35 per person. We tried the brisket, the pulled pork and the barbecued meatloaf and all were top notch. For sides, the mac and cheese was the bomb, the potato salad and the big beans were good too. Only thing we didn't love was the salad, which was just some romaine lettuce torn up and thrown in with tomatoes and dressing. Definitely a top choice to eat when you are visiting Colgate and or Hamilton

My wife and I drove the 35 minutes from Utica to check out Ray Bros BBQ. We arrived early on a busy Friday evening. We're glad we did as both the inside and outside seating quickly filled up. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. The BBQ was worth the drive. My ribs and pulled pork combo and my wife's half chicken were perfectly prepared and tasty. We found the hush puppy appetizer, made with corn meal and onion pieces, too heavy and peppery. Otherwise, the rest of our meal was excellent! We'll be back.

I hate voting a locally owned restaurant badly, but we had the worst dining experience we've ever had today at Ray Brothers. It took 45 minutes of non stop calling to get through on their phone lines. (Fair, we know they're popular!) When we got through, we asked if they were out of any items , and were told they were out of a side, and cornbread. We placed our order (attached receipt) for three platters, all with sides. We were told a 25 minute wait, which ended up being 45. (Still okay) When we picked up our order, we asked if they would take anything off, or add an extra side because the meals were all supposed to come with cornbread and none of them did. The manager replied "absolutely not, the cornbread is a free item we offer with the platters so there's no money off for it". The girl at the counter honestly seemed embarrassed and was very polite and apologetic about it. We drive 35 minutes home and the $30 rib platter we ordered is missing both sides. So..no cornbread, and no sides. We paid $30 for a single rack of ribs. We checked the receipt and saw they they're also tacking on a "to go" fee, which they never mentioned and is really nice of them during covid when they only offer take out and nothing else. For three hours we've been trying to call them to see what can be done about the order, and the line is either busy or goes to their answering machine. At 6:30 (they close at 7) it's only going to answering machine, so I'm guessing they aren't taking calls anymore tonight. The food is okay. Pulled pork dry, Mac and cheese nothing special. Ribs were good flavour but a lot of fat. We didn't care for the slaw, but it's dirty style which isn't our favourite. Your milage may vary. Fries tasted weirdly sweet? Not great by any means and certainly not worth this terrible experience we've had. The portions are very small and we do not feel like we've gotten anywhere near almost $70 worth of food. Will not be going back and will be advising others to steer clear.