Wagners Ribs - Chesterton

Excellent food. It was extremely busy, but worth the wait.

Excellent food. It was very busy, but it was worth waiting.

Quite possibly the best ribs I have ever had. Extraordinary waitstaff. Had a wonderful time.

The Pride of Porter!! What a great time I had at Wagners Ribs. Nestled on the outer reaches of Chesterton Indiana, in the town of Porter is a local hot spot known as Wagners Ribs. I had heard about Wagners from people I know from the area, and they had but great things to say about this award winning Rib joint. I checked into the Best Wester Indian Oaks and made the quick drive to Wagners. I luckily found a parking spot right outside the restaurant and went in. The Restaurant was celebrating Halloween and Halloween decor was hung throughout the bar and restaurant area. I did go outside to check the patio, but the sun was going down and the patio only had a few patrons sitting there, so I ate inside instead. hey have two main sections inside, a bar and seating in that area and a main dining room. I was seated in the main dining room. Wagners serves American Style BBQ and Comfort food, and is known for their BBQ throughout the area. Food and Drink for This Evenings Meal. Starters and Sides A Cup of their Homemade Chilli Haystack Onions Lightly fried, seasoned and served with a Southwest sauce Mashed Potates and Gravy Main Course Ribs and Shrimp Combo with Jumbo Grilled Shrimp served with melted Butter Beer Yuengling Black and tan The chili was amazing, full of meat and beans, and not too spicy. Those Haystack Onions alone are a worthy starter on their own and perfectly paired with that Southwest dip. Light with a touch of crispiness, you can easily over indulge of those onions.The ribs were smokey, sauced just right and of course fall off the bone tender. Wagners pumps out thousands of pounds of ribs every year, and they have their technique down to a science. The mashed potatoes were a worthy side, and probably the least appealing. Not that they weren't good it's just that I've been spoiled by many a holiday home cooked meal with mashed potatoes. The shrimp were juicy and plump and had a very slight seasoning on them. You could taste the fire and the shrimp without any overpowering added flavours. Wagners is a popular spot for a reason. The food is a culmination of a great kitchen and a great technique. The bar area is lively and dining room is charming. The staff are very friendly and you can feel their smiles and positivity through their masks. There is reason why Wagners is so popular and if you're ever the Dunes/Chesterton/Porter area, you will have to stop in and check it out for yourself.

Ribs were phenomenal, Mac and cheese and french onion soup was great! My fiance was sent back to the car for not having her ID on her, even as she wasn't drinking. Waitress was nice and friendly with good recommendations for the food and drinks as well as being fast and efficient