Ritz Barbecue — Restaurant in Allentown

Foodies, it's time to take a bite out of history here in the Allentown Fairgrounds! Brimstone here and I'm going to tell all of you Food Hounds about our experience at the legendary Ritz Barbeque at the Allentown Fairgrounds. For starters, this place was built in the 1920's and retains its classic look. You would never know that the original structure had actually burned down in 1998 and was rebuilt to replicate everything down to the nails. Ritz as we know it has been under the same ownership for the last thirty-two years and has continued the utmost quality that has come to be expected from them. For years they've always carried the tradition of down-home cooking and service with a smile! We couldn't wait to dig into what they had to offer; we actually felt like sharks preparing for frenzy with the thoughts of the morsels on this extensive menu.

On to the food... we started with a bunch of their appetizers to start. The Sweet Corn Nuggets were simple - sweet creamed corn in a lightly fried batter shell... 'nuff said. I could eat those all day EVERY day... very addicting and utterly delicious. Sauteed Pierogies were smitten with flavor from the sweet caramelized onions while their Potato Pancakes were light, crispy and soft on the inside - they were SO good, we didn't want them to ever go away! One of our favorites was the Chili Cheese Fries - crispy shoestring fries engulfed with homemade chili and homemade Mmm cheese sauce that was BOSS! Sweet flavor infused with cheesy goodness; the flavor behavior was off the proverbial hook and a WIN!!!

The entrees were a sight to behold, every single one of them was overflowing with hefty portions of food. The Pub Battered 10oz Haddock Fillet was enormous and filling - fresh, lightly battered and very crispy. Accompanied by their homemade coleslaw, you can actually see the effort put into every bit of the food - finely chopped cabbage and carrots with the perfect dosage of mayo makes this slaw worth eating! Chicken Fried Steak is an old fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch recipe that they do to perfection. The batter offers a thick layer of crunchy southern fried goodness with loads of herbs and spices, while the steak stays moist under its shell. As if all of that wasn't tasty enough; in comes the homemade brown gravy... damn! Speaking of all the homemade goodies in store for you at Ritz, they make fresh Baked Beans daily, almost ALL of their sauces and one of the most incredible tasting things I've had in awhile... Double Stuffed Baked Potatoes - light and fluffy with hints of sour cream and cheddar buried deep within.

Moving right along, the Chicken Pot Pie was classic - a flaky and delish crust that opens the doorway to everything that is good in this world. My favorite hands down WIN, was the Black Diamond Steak. A mound of meat-a-tarian perfection, cooked well-done while retaining every succulent but of flavor behavior - juicy and scrumptious. A local favorite is the BBQ Pork Sandwich - sweet and tangy, melt in your mouth pork! We were treated to a sample of the Manhattan Clam Chowder which was chock full 'o clam and veggies - chunky and slightly salty make this a great offering of this classic soup. Although in Allentown, we had the Philly Cheese Steak - unreal; reminded me of an Italian steak adorned with hot banana peppers, pickles and Mmm cheese! I enjoyed this version of the Philly tremendously and it certainly didn't hurt that the hoagie was stuffed! Lastly, we were treated to Poutine (a popular French Canadian delicacy) made with brown turkey gravy and fries.

I wasn't sure if we would be able to make it to their dessert menu; but since Ritz is also known for its ice-cream - we had no choice! I had the privilege of being presented with an Old Fashioned Banana Split... ermehgehrd - this baby was not only ginormous; but sweet, creamy and yummy. If you are looking for a great spot to take the family for a big meal or a quick snack; you can never go wrong choosing Ritz BBQ & Ice-Cream. We can't wait to come back and sample the other half...

Quiet and established, the throwback stainless steel offers no blemishes through out its open kitchen. Tarnished from a hard days work, the seasoned deep fryer has made its foodie trade mark on this generational beauty. Danielson has not lost his rhythm-waxing on and waxing off the carbonated polish. Putting on the Ritz, illuminating as a local favorite mounted as an ambient collectible. A well lit sign flashing the color of autumn resting gently on a golden hour's pillow. I asked and ordered their prideful bbq pork sandwich served on a sweet Pennsylvania sour Kaiser roll. A delicious Scooby snack but disappointedly dry with an after taste of an uncovered aromatic fridge left over. This should have never been served! The beef dropped the ball in this game , leaving it up to the steel curtain defense to win this playoff game. The French fries came off the bench crisp, hand cut and golden hot. I went for the two point conversion and for the second chance. The mighty Ritz recovered the on-side kick with its homemade grandma peach pie and creamy butter-mash old school ice cream. Hands down, and without a fumble, this ice cream should be in every grocery store across the nation! Don't settle with dust here, bring it's well deserved...

An Allentown staple; still going and going for as long as I can remember! Stopped by the other day for lunch. Walked inside and felt like I entered a portal to a nostalgic Allentown. The dining booths are made of wood, have high backs... workers exude the hometown personality of yesterday, when neighbors and acquaintances would get together for chit-chat at the Ritz. Took at seat at one of the booths; little girl sitting at the booth next to me smile and waved; then screamed out "HI!!! between eating her french fries.Sweetest moment that made my day!!! Ordered the California Burger without cheese and the fries. (I'm a Cali-burger fan; order it often from different places). This burger was phenomenal !!! Tasty beef, crunchy lettuce, sweet tomato.... and fries that were hot and crispy. (Don't use salt often, but the fries didn't need anything!!! Authentic potato taste). Waitress was down to earth; very helpful. When exiting, I felt like I spent a few minutes visiting my childhood, where locals sat together for a meal without rushing to nowhere and without checking their cell phones. Will return again.......