The Worst Chain Restaurant Ribs We Tried Left An Unpleasant Aftertaste

There's nothing quite like getting messy with a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. Something about ditching the silverware and embracing the art of hands-on eating is so satisfying and always leaves you feeling full. Meals like big-mouth hamburgers, chicken wings, and sloppy Joes all have this effect. But the epitome of finger-lickin' food has to be baby back pork ribs.

When they're made well, ribs are saucy, meaty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. You'll find them at all kinds of chain restaurants, too. Though fair warning, not every place does them justice. If flavor's your goal, maybe don't make Applebee's your first stop. In a recent Tasting Table taste test, the ribs from the neighborhood grill and bar ranked last among 7 total half racks sampled. Even though the restaurant's double-glazed baby back ribs are supposed to be slow-cooked "for that fall-off-the-bone-perfection," the tester found some faults in the recipe.

The problem wasn't with the sauce — a honey BBQ that was said to be thick and rich, sweet and smoky, and generously applied. Instead, it came down to a disappointing helping of pork lying underneath. Not only did the reviewer report a lack of moistness and butteriness in the meat, like what was found in the other selections, but she also picked up on an off-putting aftertaste. That's not exactly what we would call "eatin' good in the neighborhood."

A number of Applebee's customers agree that the baby back ribs could use some work. One YouTube reviewer labeled them as a "disappointment," noting their inferiority to other chain restaurant picks and that they certainly weren't worth the price. Others have also recounted negative experiences. On Facebook, one commenter even noted, "Applebees is not where you go for ribs. Appetizers, burgers desserts maybe. Not ribs or steaks. A steakhouse is where you'll find those cooked correctly!"

However, that's nothing compared to the complaints against a similar item found at the chain: its riblets. The riblets are actually "button ribs," meaning they're not really ribs at all. And according to employees, they're not slow-cooked in the restaurant, but arrive there precooked, frozen, and already covered in sauce. The result is a product that customers say is similar to McDonald's McRib — like "pressed together particle meat on some kind of half sliced bone."

At least the baby back ribs do have some fans. Some Applebee's diners praise their sauciness, smokiness, and juiciness. One TripAdvisor reviewer went so far as to call them "The best BBQ baby back ribs in NYC!" So, perhaps there is a saucy silver lining when it comes to the chain's rib rendition. And we can all be grateful that they fare better than the riblets, at the very least.