A smoked rib, a smoked sausage, a plate of prairie fries. All of the things that can make your taste buds water and nostrils flair. Satisfy your hunger at the Iron Starr Urban Barbecue. My husband Joe and I were eager to try their tempting offerings. If you go during a weekday lunch (before 1pm), be prepared for a wait of 10 to 20 minutes. We passed the time waiting by studying the menu.

The first thing you notice about the menu is that the fare offered at Iron Starr is a step above your neighborhood barbecue joint. You may start your meal with a bacon-wrapped quail breast, stuffed with fresh jalapeno and glazed with apricot-serrano jam ($10.95), or try Mama’s deviled eggs ($5.00).

Joe and I started our meal with the prairie fries ($4.00), hand-cut fries tossed with fresh jalapenos and sweet Texas onions. The combination was a tasty sensation with the jalapenos and onions lightly fried so they still had a crispness to them. The perfect bite can be made with a piece of tender French fry, a piece of crisp jalapeno, and a piece of onion dipped in ketchup. Next time I will request extra peppers and onions on this; a little kick, a little heat, a great way to start your meal.

Joe first eyed the slow-smoked St. Louis cut ribs, smoked with a hickory-pecan wood blend. But when he spied the pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw ($7.50), he quickly changed his order. The pork topped with their slightly tangy southern slaw can be irresistible, and the sandwich is also available with chopped beef. Joe initially cut the sandwich in half to make it easier to eat and save half to take home, but alas; he ate every last bite. For his choice of side he chose the barbecue baked beans, a cup of juicy beans flavored with bits of meat. Yum!

The decision of which side to relish can be overwhelming. We had the prairie fries as our appetizer, and Joe enjoyed both the slaw and beans with his sandwich. I chose the fancy mac and cheese for mine since I had heard from friends that it is yummy. They used a rigatoni pasta in a creamy white cheese sauce. I look forward to trying the dutch oven potatoes and the corn pudding on my next visit. If you want more ‘down home’ flavors you may want to try the braised collard greens or southern fried okra. With the variety offered here, your dining experience can be different on every visit.

As soon as I opened the menu and saw ‘apricot-serrano glazed’ I knew I would be trying the grilled chicken breast sandwich ($7.95). It is a chicken breast with an apricot-serrano jam glaze, gruyere cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a huge bun (I found the bun to be a little overwhelming). The glaze had a slight sweetness and the heat from the pepper was very mild. I asked for a little extra glaze on the side to enjoy with my sandwich. My side of the mac and cheese was served nice and hot but I found the white cheese sauce a bit too mild and bland for my taste.

Iron Starr also offers a nice children’s menu with choices of the smoked meats, chicken fingers, grilled cheese with all the side choices, all for $4.95. These come with a drink and a side—what a value!

By the end of your meal, if you are still able, you may want to try the desserts, or at least share one. They have several to choose from, all for $5.50 except the 7 layer chocolate cake, which is $10; that would have been my choice. We should have gotten something to enjoy at home later but were too full to even contemplate one.

Annie's Rating

4 of 4 forks

Iron Starr Urban Barbecue

3700 N Shartel

Oklahoma City, OK 73118

405-524-5925

Hours: Monday: 11am–9pm

            Tuesday–Thursday: 11am–9:30pm

            Friday & Saturday: 11am–10:30pm

Menu prices: $3.50 - +$21.95