October 24, 2003
Daisy May's BBQ U.S.A.
It was a long time in the coming, but we were unable to resist the siren call of BBQ, especially from newcomer Daisy May's BBQ U.S.A., located in Hell's Kitchen. After reading what seemed like countless articles in the Times, as well as hearing wonderful things from Paul and other readers, we made from the trek from Times Square to a relatively deserted stretch of 11th Avenue with this BBQ mission's companion, Mike C of Meccapixel. 
And we knew we were close to some BBQ when the air was filled with the smoky sweet scent of meat cooking. Mmm...meat...
Located on the corner of 46th Street and 11th Avenue, Daisy May's is a bright, cheery, and efficient storefront. The menu is straightforward: The meat dishes, or "Eats," all cost $8 (tax included in all prices) while sides, "Country Fixings," cost from $3 to $10 depending on the size. Per Daisy May's Chef Adam Perry Lang's suggestion, we tucked into a Tasting Menu, complete with sweet tea in a Mason jar, as we talked to Lang about his store.
First we tried the Oklahoma Jumbo Beef Short Rib (right), which Lang told us was smoked for 14 hours. When we poked at it with our plastic forks, the tender meat fell off the bone. The meat was rich, hearty and delicious, and we alternated between the short rib and our side fixings: Baked Beans with Burnt Ends (perfectly mellow), Creamed Spinach (decadent), Rustic Corn with Wisconsin Cheddar (a surprising and delicious combination), and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar (heavenly). Daisy May's doesn't have tables but does have a small counter where you can stand eat, a tribute to Gray's Papaya.
While Lang and his team make 2000 pounds of BBQ a day and could succeed solely as a catering and take-out operation, Lang wanted to have a storefront presence so everyone could come, try the food and talk to the staff. And it is a smart idea, as we witnessed a post-work rush of people come in, with at least five different people tell Lang how excited they were about Daisy May's. Lang was in his element, fielding questions from customers.
Then came the Kansas City Sweet and Sticky Ribs (pictured above). Armed with extra large Wet Naps, we tore in. The sauce was tangy and luscious, and the meat was succulent. Then Memphis Dry Rub Ribs (right) were last, and with these ribs, we could taste the pork more intensely (sweet and juicy). We added some Peaches in Bourbon to our mix of sides and fell silent, happily taking a bit of ribs, then having some spinach, more ribs, then some corn. Beans. Dry rub rib. Etc.
Though it was surprising how many people were in the store at 7:30PM, given the location, it reveals a passion for BBQ in the city - if you build it, they will come. After his experience at fine restaurants like Daniel and Monzu, Lang wanted to concentrate on the food and give customers a great, affordable meal. One customer came up and told Lang she had stopped by one afternoon, but Daisy May's was closed. It turns out the store will close when the BBQ runs out, and on that Friday, they shuttered the store in the early afternoon and broke out the champagne. The customer's husband asked if delivery was restricted to just the West Midtown area and Lang assured him that one of the Daisy May's vans would get to him. "Even Upper West Side?" the skeptical but hopeful man asked. "Even the Upper West Side. Call us," Lang said, adding, "better to call early." As people streamed into the store and contemplated what they should order (occasionally glancing at our spread and asking what we were eating - and we were only too willing to engage in some BBQ dialogue), we knew that we'd be having some more Rustic Corn with Cheddar and Peaches in Bourbon would be in our future, maybe with a Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich or the wonderfully messy and yummy Sticky Ribs.
Daisy May's BBQ U.S.A.
623 11th Avenue (at 46th Street)
212 977 1500
Delivery all over Manhattan (just call and ask)
Open Monday - Friday, 11AM till the BBQ runs out
Menu
Eats
Oklahoma Jumbo Beef Short Ribs
Kansas City Sweet and Sticky Ribs
Memphis Dry Rub Ribs
Tennessee Bourbon Beer Can Style Half Chicken
Texas chopped Beef Sandwich
Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich
$8.00 Even (Tax Included) for Each Eat
Country Fixings
Baked Beans with Burnt Ends
Creamed Spinach
Mashed Potatoes with Wisconsin Cheddar
Cajun Dirty Rice & Beans
Creamy Cole Slaw
Peaches in Bourbon
Apples in Brandy
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar
Corn Bread with Jalapeno
$3.00 Even (Tax Included) - 8 oz. Fixings
$6.00 Even (Tax Included) - 16 oz. Fixings
$10.00 Even (Tax Included) - 32 oz. Fixings
Tasting Menu
A taste of Daisy May Eats and Fixings - Ideal for groups of 5 or more
$20.00/ person Even (Tax Included)
Drinks
Sweetened Tea served in a Mason Jar (32 oz.)
$3.00 Even (Tax Included)
Canned Soda $1.00 Even (Tax Included)
Gothamist went to the 1st Annual Big Apple BBQ
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just bumped into tis site...it
is very intersting..great fun to be
here...keep it up!
I went to Daisy Mae's last week because I live 2 blocks away. While the food was delicious, Chef Adam spent the 10 minutes that I was inside berating his staff with four letter words and screaming things like, "Come on you guys get it the F**k together, you idiots." Unfortuantely, this left a taste much more bitter than BBQ sauce in my mouth!
Nice try, kcw, but anyone who knows Adam will attest to his mild-mannered, soft-spoken nature.
So, are you a shill for the competition, or a bitter ex-girlfriend?
aren't you concerned for your health when you eat this kind of food? looks good though.
I am so glad you finally visited- easily the best BBQ i've had outside of texas. Next time try the brisket- heavenly..
I think I have to go there for lunch now- its worth the hike..Though, i suppose I could get them to deliver..
I had a great time there. As Mike and I stood at the window counter, with our spread of food, people would walk by and look at us stuffing our faces. It was literal dinner theater.
As for kcw on Adam Perry Lang yelling at his staff, after watching The Restaurant and Jamie's Kitchen, as well as reading a number of books about and by chefs, I'm not surprised at tensions running high, as disconcerting as it may be.
And healthwise, I do not eat 'cue every night, but I think you could if you ate the meat and sides in moderation along with other vegetables. However, I am not a nutritionist, people.
me so hungry! i'm thinking of going up there tonight- god it looks so good.
HULK HUNGRY TOO!!
Just to defend my claim:
1 - I could be mistaken if it was, indeed, Adam the owner yelling at the staff, but it looked like the guy from that article in the Times. Suffice it say, some dude, who seemed boss-ly, was freaking out on his staff screaming expletives and some other dude, who also looked kind of boss-ly, sheepishly apologized to me for having to witness it.
2 - Not a bitter ex-girlfriend. Never met the guy.
3 - Not the competition.
4 - Having worked in every kind of restaurant there is, as a waitress, bartender, manager & yes, cook, I find it upsetting when I see some white guy take out all of his aggressions on a staff that is most likely, underpaid & overworked & speaks, very little English.
The food was great, it just bums me out to see such childish behavior.
Kcw - Get a grip.
I love my employees (Many have been with me for over 9 years). They are paid extreamly well and enjoy working for me (just ask them, please don't assume). I hire based on attitude and work ethic, not on experience. I probably have one of the highest ratios in the city for giving unskilled labor a chance to become chefs. If they want to learn there is nothing I will not share. I want them to succeed as Human Beings. I am anything but exploitative(just ask them, please don't assume).
Yo Hablo Espanol y Je Parle Francais.
My agression does not exist in my kitchen, my passion does.
"Some white guy" - Please!!!! obviously there is something else going on here that you need to deal with. Way out of line.
If you want to enjoy my food, you are welcome. If you want to frame me in a box and compare me with your limited restaurnt experience, I recommend doing some homework before taking time to comment. Next time you come in, introduce yourself, I would love to meet you.
Daisy May's, as well as the new Pearson's on the UES, as well as every other Manhattan BBQ joint's menus can be found at www.menupages.com - VERY useful resource for comparing items, prices, etc.
I am fascinated by how the internet has become a resource for food.
Hey Adam,
A bit touchy, aren't you? KCW's just expressing an opinion.
Not important though. What is important (at least to me) is that I just had my first Daisy May's brisket today, and it was wonderful. Not quite Cooper's in Llano, but awfully, awfully good, especially for this side of the Red River. Congrats, and I'm looking forward to the ribs.
And everybody was happy and cheerful while I was in your place. Now if the folks on this bulletin board would chill just a bit... :-)
I haven't been yet but if the food is half as good as this comment banter it must be great!
I wouldn't mind a berating boss(ly) person there either, a little entertainment while you eat. Kind of like the soup Nazi!
Can't wait to try it.
As to KCW's comments, on my recent visit there seemed to be a fair amount o acrimonious banter between the staff, especially when trying to figure out who screwed up my order. Twice.
8 bucks for some BBQ meat with no side is highway robbery, more so for being way the heck out in the boondocks of 11th Ave. And there's no place to sit. Sure, it's good BBQ, but not particularly better than anywhere else in the city. All the hoopla over Daisy May is unwarranted.
Having said that, my wife enjoyed it, so what do I know.
Will Daisy Mae's every have sit down? Its a real pain to come all the way from the village and then have no place to eat.
The food kicks butt and i want it every day, but the location coupled with no seating makes makes it difficult to fully enjoy.
I'm just a two-cents tosser...
I gotta say, it makes sense that Adam responded on this blog the way he did- remember that this place is his baby, his LIFE right now, the project he has invested all of himself into. (the ol' blood, sweat, and tears model)
how easy it is for someone to make an anonymous post and undermine all of that! - with not-so-mild accusations of abusive behavior, and not-so-subtle allegations of racism...
I just met Adam last week, and had some killer BBQ... he's certainly a passionate guy, but I recognized instantly that he cared for everyone in the place.
Anyway, I see it as a favor that he maintains an open storefront- 'out-of-the-way' and 'nowhere-to-sit' be damned, I'm just glad I can get me some ribs! He could easily close down the storefront and operate on catering and large-order delivery alone...
I love bbg. This place is great. Adam Perry Lang has won me over with his generosity & great, great, GREAT!!!! BBQ & sides. Where does he get those great kaiser rolls? Dry or sicky wet these flinstoneesque ribs rock & slide off the bone. The curry kick in the corn w/cheddar is a treat. We had the order Friday night, Saturday for lunch & Saturday night for dinner. The sweet mint ice tea in the Ball mason jar is just a wonderful topper....Go Adam Perry Lang!! You rock.
Let me say this. THIS PLACE IS NOT WORTH IT !!!!
The food is ok. But I have been waiting over 2 1/2 hours for delivery. Everytime I call this happens and they try to blame it on Big orders they have. Give me a break.
Then they told me it was traffic.
I always call around 11am .. and they still can't get the food here ( a few blocks away) until almost 3 hours later. They even guaranteed it this time by 12:30 - 1pm and it is still almost three hours. And guess what. NO FOOD !!!
I wouldn't recommend anyone order from this place. You might as well go catch a pig and cook it yourself. it would probably be quicker.
Scratch this place off your list !!!
And by the way. You have $8 for the Jumbo rib on every site or menu I have. Once delivered it was $12. Just not worth it. It was mostly fat.
But at least I got my food. 3 HOURS LATER !!!!
Great Food...POOR SERVICE
The food is honestly great, but to increase prices across the board, increase delivery minimums ($10-$15), still have nowhere to sit, have a location near nothing, and continually insist on losing business from non-corpoate customers as opposed to making people simply happy by at the least, selling them DMBBQ's delightful food...if DMBBQ prefers to run their operation where they are currently, they should at least consider that they could probably increase orders by dropping the minimums (lets face it, with these prices everyone will spend $10 anyway!)
The pleasure of eating is one of the great joys of life. Adam offers us the culmination of his life experience at this time by creating this food for our pleasure. Adam is a true artiste who has created edible masterpieces. I salute you Adam.
I love Daisy May's. As soon as I found out about it (through the Times article, which three of my friends told me about) I went, and was not disappointed. Finally, real barbeque in NYC. For awhile I was going there three times a week. The pork sandwiches are the best I've had outside of TN/AR, and the baked beans are the best anywhere. Of course, my wife was unhappy when I ate so many of the beans that the smell was coming out of my pores for days.
Only problem I've experienced, aside from the occasionally inept service (which has improved greatly, of late), are KC sticky ribs that are usually too fatty.
Love the place, everyone should try it.
I guess our whole family loves Daisy May's. I love the bbq chicken a lot and I share that with my 15 months old daughter. The mashed potatoes, the dirty rice with beans are pretty good and my favorite side is your sweet potatoes..Yummy! I quess I would love your beans too but my husband(see above post) won't share his beloved beans and would even get up in the night for more..The iced tea with mint is refreshing and the jalapeno corn bread is very good too.
After reading about Adam and Daisy May's in the NYT Dining In section, and after seeing this glowing pictorial review with entertaining commentary I'm hungry for some of those tantalizing ribs! I think it's time for a weekend visit to New York City. Hopefully a Friday night, Saturday and Sunday will be enough time for me to enjoy ample helpings of everything on your menu.
Like all fine young Americans, I am a meat enthusiast, so imagine my delight when I stumbled upon your website dedicated to the king among meats (in my humble opinion) the low down and dirty mud sucking swine.
Anyhoo, I don't know how you can accuse any rib of being too fatty, I love the fat. I am the fat.
I've been looking for a good BBQ place in NYC and this place sounds great (I'm going to ignore the drama here), but I refuse to go to a place that has no seating. I cannot stand bars or restaurants that think it's okay to have people waiting forever for service either. That seems to be a common thing in the city and I won't tolerate it. Waiting 2 1/2 hours for food is ridiculous. There are plenty of good places to eat and every time I've waited a long time for food, I've never thought it was worth it. I'd rather go to a comfortable spot where they take reservations or at least let me sit down and eat the food I paid for. Just my two cents.
We just got delivery today, the tasting menu for 6. It was fifteen minutes early and they called this morning to confirm the order. There was enough food for at least 10-12 and it was amazing! Yummy ribs (2 varieties), chicken, pulled pork & beef, and 8 sides! Quite a value for $20/per person... I would actually recommend that you place one order for every 1.5-2 people (i.e. order for 5 to serve 8-10)
I love this place and can't wait to check out the new chili vendors found on street corners around midtown.
Today I discovered a Daisy May cart that recently opened on Wall Street. For now there is just Texas chili and Sante Fe hot chocolate (not on the printed menu yet).
The chili was excellent, but the hot chocolate was a revelation--thick enough to eat with a spoon, not overly sweet, with a slight suggestion of pepper.
In case y'all can't hear my celebratory rebel yell, try this food and you'll be yelling for more!
Adam should be yelling at his staff
I just placed an order on the phone and the person
taking the order can barely retain the info
be dictated to her because she is to busy talking to someone else!!!!!!!!!
This is the best BBQ I've had in the city and I've tried most places. The Oklahoma pork ribs and brandied peaches were unreal. It's takeout, and it's popular, so it seems unrealistic to expect great service. Even the best takeout places have bad days. We had no issues with service when we went there. Definitely required eating for BBQ lovers.
I don't get it! My wife and I ordered in...even at the $50.00 min. Greatly anticipated based on all the reviews. VERY Disappointing...dry chicken,mediocre ribs...the pulled pork sandwich was ok. The delivery time was very good but we haven't and don't anticipate ever ordering again.
I just don't get all the raves!!
ribs are ok, sides are delicious and cornbread was dry and tasteless. i was a bit disappointed after reading reviews. so far, imo, best value is dinosaur and best overall (but pricey) is blue smoke. i'm still looking for the perfect rib in nyc. (won't travel to arthur bryant's...yet)
can you give me the recipe for your sweet tea? its fantastic!