Bar B Barn Is Back! Montreal’s Legendary Ribs Have Returned in DDO, Sorta

Chef Fernando Benliro is serving the original Bar B Barn recipes, and diners say they taste exactly as they remember.

Stop whatever you’re doing. The ribs that made Bar B Barn a Montreal institution are back. Well… sort of.

No, Bar B Barn hasn’t reopened. But the man who spent 15 years cooking its famous ribs is serving the original recipes once again. If you’ve been craving that unmistakable taste for years, your wait is finally over.

If you grew up in Montreal, there is a good chance Bar B Barn wasn’t just a restaurant. It was part of your life. Family dinners, hockey celebrations, birthday parties and first dates all seemed to end with sticky fingers covered in barbecue sauce, creamy coleslaw and that unforgettable tomato rice.

For years, Montrealers assumed the recipe had disappeared forever. As it turns out, it never left. It was simply waiting for the right kitchen.

Recipes can be copied. Traditions can’t. What made Bar B Barn special was never just the sweet barbecue sauce or the perfectly cooked ribs. It was the memories served alongside every plate. Birthdays were celebrated there. Hockey victories were replayed over dinner. First dates turned into marriages, and grandparents introduced grandchildren to a restaurant they had loved for decades. Very few restaurants become part of a city’s family album. Bar B Barn did.

The legendary Bar B Barn ribs are back, this time at Cuisine Philippine Fernando on Rue Sunnydale in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, and Montrealers are already making the pilgrimage. Social media has been buzzing with excitement, and early customers are saying these aren’t simply inspired by the originals. They are the originals.

The man making this remarkable comeback possible is Chef Fernando Benliro, who spent 15 years cooking at Bar B Barn’s West Island location. Ask him for the famous recipe and he’ll smile. It isn’t written down anywhere because he carries it entirely in his head.

Chef Fernando isn’t simply cooking ribs. He’s giving Montrealers a chance to relive those memories. That’s a responsibility very few chefs ever have the opportunity to carry.

According to a CTV News report by Christine Long, when Bar B Barn closed its doors, the owners told Chef Fernando to take whatever he wanted from the kitchen. He left with the original baking ovens, cooking utensils and even the iconic yellow rectangular plates that so many Montrealers remember. Those same ovens are now turning out the ribs that made generations of diners fall in love with Bar B Barn.

The ribs aren’t the only thing making a comeback. The famous sweet barbecue sauce, creamy coleslaw and unmistakable tomato rice are all prepared using the original recipes. Diners who have already made the trip are calling the experience an exact match to the Bar B Barn they remember.

I’d love to describe those legendary ribs. They arrive piping hot, glistening under a thick coat of that sweet, sticky barbecue sauce that’s caramelized around the edges. The aroma hits you before the plate even reaches the table. Then comes that first bite. The meat is so tender it practically surrenders, pulling cleanly off the bone with just the gentlest tug of your teeth. Before you know it, you’re holding nothing but a pile of clean bones, wearing a smile and wondering where the last twenty minutes went. That’s how you know you’ve had a great rack of ribs.

Then there are the fries, perfect for soaking up every last drop of that incredible sauce, and that unforgettable tomato rice that somehow tasted even better mixed together on the same plate. Every bite reminds you why generations of Montrealers fell in love with Bar B Barn.

Then comes the finishing touch that will put a smile on the face of longtime fans. The restaurant is still using original Bar B Barn yellow takeout boxes and bags that were left over from the original operation, making every order feel like a trip back in time.

Now that’s the kind of recycling I can get behind. Save the environment. More ribs, please.

The restaurant serves the legendary Bar B Barn ribs on their own or as complete meals, and everything is very reasonably priced. Since word spread that the original recipes had returned, demand has been overwhelming, so calling ahead before you visit is highly recommended to make sure your order is ready when you arrive.

While the Bar B Barn revival is drawing curious diners from across the city, Cuisine Philippine Fernando has earned an excellent reputation for authentic Filipino comfort food. If you’re feeling adventurous, this is the perfect opportunity to discover why so many people have been recommending the restaurant long before the ribs arrived.

House favourites include Pork Sisig, Chicken Inasal, Lumpia Shanghai, Pancit and the impressive Kamayan Platter, a traditional feast served on banana leaves and meant to be shared. It is another reason to make the drive to Dollard-des-Ormeaux.

I’ll happily drive across Montreal for these ribs, and I have a feeling I’m not alone. There is something magical about food that transports us back to another time, reminding us of family dinners, old friends and restaurants that became part of the city’s history.

I had the pleasure of doing business with Manny, the creator of Bar B Barn’s legendary ribs, years ago. Manny didn’t just build a successful restaurant. He created one of Montreal’s greatest comfort foods.

One day, he brought me out to his car and opened the trunk. Inside was a big, old vintage toolbox. Pointing to it, he smiled and said, "This is the most important thing in my business."

He explained that by doing most repairs himself, he kept electricians, plumbers and repairmen out of his restaurant, saving a small fortune because, in his words, "They’re all crooks." If you’ve ever paid one of those repair bills, you probably know exactly what he meant.

I hope Chef Fernando took that toolbox with him, too. If he did, he inherited more than a collection of tools. He inherited a philosophy that helped build one of Montreal’s most beloved restaurants.

When Bar B Barn closed, I wrote what was essentially its obituary. Like so many Montrealers, I honestly believed that chapter had come to an end. I never imagined I’d be writing about its return, even if it’s only part of the original story. Sometimes life gives us a second helping when we least expect it.

Chef Fernando hasn’t simply recreated a recipe. He’s brought back a cherished piece of Montreal’s culinary heritage, and that is something worth celebrating.

God bless you, Manny. Your recipe will live on, and I hope Chef Fernando enjoys the same success that made Bar B Barn a Montreal institution.

Now, excuse me while I order a full rack. I want some more, you want some more, and I have a feeling many Montrealers are thinking exactly the same thing.

"Please, sir… can I have some more?" If that line sounds familiar, it’s from Oliver!

But seriously, I want some more.

Sorry, RibFest. I think I’m going to pass this year. I’m saving my money for these ribs. Besides, why settle for an imitation when the real thing is back… sorta.

Maybe that’s what we’ve all been hungry for. Not just another rack of ribs, but another chance to relive a little piece of Montreal’s history.

Some recipes fill your stomach. The great ones become part of a city’s history.

Cuisine Philippine Fernando is located at 15 Rue Sunnydale in Dollard-des-Ormeaux and is open Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays). Because demand has been overwhelming for the classic ribs, it is a good idea to call ahead at 514-421-6666 before making the trip.