Barbecue Joints in Chicago


 
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Owen Layton

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I'm headed to Chicago in September and as long as I am eating out, I might as well eat barbecue. Does anyone have recommendations?
 
There are many. If you are staying downtown, I can't help that much, but if you get to the suburbs...

Evantson: Hecky's (it's the sauce!)also Merle's.

Westmont: Uncle Bub's

You are visiting Chicago at the right time. Fall is the best here!
 
If you're going to be downtown or on the north side, you have to try Fat Willie's, on Schubert near Western. It's just south of the intersection of Western & Diversey, an easy cab ride from downtown.

They do real low-and-slow smoked barbecue, not an imitation. Their pulled pork sandwich is huge, and excellent. The ribs are great, and I've heard their brisket is too, but I can't seem to order anything but the pulled pork.
 
I didn't get to try it last time I was there, but how about the Weber Grill Restaurant? They cook everything on ranch grills using Kingsford!

Joel
 
Just remembered - on the northwest side there's a place called the Gale Street Inn that's supposed to have great ribs. I haven't tried it yet, but I've always heard good things.
 
That's the name of that northwest-side place I could never remember.

Several jobs (and years) ago, a group of co-workers and I would head in to Gale Street Inn every now and then. This would have been in the early-to-mid-90s and before I went to Memphis my first time. Things may have changed in the last decade so take this with a grain of (kosher) salt.

As I recall them, they were good wet ribs. Sauce was reminiscent of Open Pit sometimes had a tendancy to fall off the bone; typical of Chicago-style ribs. Very messy (bring a tarp to use as a bib
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Their website has menus and beverages listed. Beer selection is adequate with draft Guiness, Harp & Goose Island Honkers and bottle Hacker Pschorr (for $5.75 though).

Here's their particulars:
Gale Street Inn
4914 N. Milwaukee Ave. (1 block north of Lawrence)
Chicago, IL 60630
773-725-1300
http://www.galestreet.com

Maybe it's time I went back to refresh my memory.
 
There's a Sal & Carvao's in Downers Grove (corner of Butterfield & Finley) that does the same as Fogo de Chao. It looks like there are others in the area too but I couldn't find a website for them. Haven't been in but people who have told me to be sure to go hungry as it's all you can eat for a set price.
 
on the north side of the 1800 block of diversy (a 5.00 cab ride from downtown) there is a very good BBQ joint that I ate at a couple of months ago, ribs were great and so was the pulled pork.

I am also a great fan of the Weber Grill restraunt not for BBq but for a great steak or Burger (the Sangria is killer as well1!) they have several locations one in lombard and another downtown!! Its like going to mecca!! a great and worthy pilgramage.


Here is a link to a great search engine for Chicago restraunts. It form their alternative paper the chicago reader and are reader submitted ratings. Also in the same block is a great cheap eclectic place calld leo's lunchroom. It looks like a dive but has great food!!

http://www1.chicagoreader.com/cgi-bin/rrr/form.cgi

If you need help getting really killer deals on hotel rooms in Chicago I have a way I can help you there too.
 
If you are on the southside of the city, there is a place that for the past 30+ years has been serving excellent Q. Lem's on East 75th Street. Takeout only.
 
Hey thanks to everyone who answered my post. Now I have some choices. I've gotta convince my friends that we should eat barbecue for every meal we're there. ha
 
Hey! What a trip. I just got back from my trip to Chicagoland. I was able to catch the 2nd game of the Cubs/Marlins double header, watch ASU/Northwestern, and eat at Hecky's barbecue. It turns out that my buddy there lives 1/4 of a mile from Hecky's and had never been there. I Liked Hecky's sauce, but I usually dont smother my meat as much as they did there. I had a pp sandwich, bbq beef sandwich, slaw, and a slice of sweet potato pie. Overall, it was a great experience. Thanks to Art R for the recomendation. My compliments to all of you in Chicago. It's really a great city.
 
I used to live a few blocks from Hecky's and when the wind blew from the west....the smell was fantastic. Makes me hungry to think about it. Glad you were able to check them out.

AR
 
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