Just opposite Brindley Place and a lift ride up a couple of stories sits Rub Smokehouse – the second of this BBQ Southern American restaurant to hit the Midlands. Think basket burgers, low and slow pulled pork, ice cold beers and warm apple pie – Rub Smokehouse is a hipsters paradise that was absolutely packed by the time we’d finished our food on a rainy Saturday afternoon. 
With it’s shabby chic interiors and laid back staff Rub Smokehouse oozes cool and is actually a really relaxing place to eat despite the tables around us filling up. We started with a draft bud and a bottle of cider with our ‘Happytizers’ while deciding which burgers to go for. My friend Lucy is a pescatarian but there was still plenty on the menu to choose from so if meat isn’t your thing never fear, you won’t go hungry at Rub. Cheese and Onion Loaded Potato Skins (£5.45) for Lucy and a Corndog (£2.50) for me! Over a fiver for some stuffed potato skins is a little on the steep side despite them being pretty tasty, however my first ever corndog was yummy and I’d go back again just for a basket full of those and some beer!
For main we both went down burger lane with a Pulled Pork Roll (£7.95) for me and a Hardcore Prawn Burger for Lucy (£9.95). There’s loads of options to change up and upgrade your burger and fries package which is a nice touch. We were boring and went for the standard orders with a side of Mac N Cheese (£3.50) and Onion Rings (£2.75) too! 
Lucy’s burger was great with crumbed prawns and 1000 island dressing, crispy and tasty with a side of skin on fries. My burger came as a bit of a surprise smothered in BBQ along with my apple sauce – a knife and fork was a must…as was a napkin! I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappointed as I was expecting more of a pork and apple cider type thing and there was so much BBQ sauce it got a little too tangy towards the end. But the pork was tender and delicious smooshed between that brioche bun again with some of the best skin on fries I’ve had.
Dessert time and we both managed to find room! I went for a traditional Apple Pie and Ice Cream (£5.25) and it was delicious. Tart but super sweet with beautiful pastry and rich vanilla ice cream. Lucy went for one of the Rub Smokehouse Halloween specials – a Cadbury ‘Screme’ Egg Brownie and ice cream…and a LOT of whipped cream! After we ordered we found out this this bad boy was actually meant to be a sharer but that didn’t stop Lucy giving it a pretty good go on her own! It was warm, gooey and oh so chocolatey just maybe less is more on the cream front guys!
Rub Smokehouse is an uber cool spot in one of my favourite cities and if you’re a BBQ fan you need to give it a go. Rub isn’t going to win any points for food presentation but imagine tables full of tangy meats, cheesy fries and pitchers of beer, it’s the perfect place for a catch up with your friends. It’s intrigued me and I’d definitely go back, I think Joe would love it here too.
Take a look through the whole menu and book your table on the Rub Smokehouse website – they’ve got a restaurant in Nottingham too.
Have you been to Rub yet? What did you think?
Tweet me @xameliax or leave a comment below! #rubyourselfie
xax