BBQ Recommendations

I'm taking a friend, who happens to be a Texas native, to dinner this weekend. His request was for BBQ. What suggestions do the LTH'ers have that would help a homesick Texan who is looking for something authentic?

Thanks.

Do a search for Smoque and Honky Tonk. Both are well reviewed here and both serve brisket which should soften your Texan friend's homesickness.

Check out the four barbecue awardees in our Great Neighborhood Restaurants program:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=15149

My opinion: Uncle John's is the best quality barbecue, but has the poorest atmosphere / location and no eat-in area. This is NOT a reason not to take a Texan there, just a warning that you'll need to find a place to eat the 'cue.

Honey-1 has a nice eating room and the core meats are good, but the sides are not up to snuff. You also have to get there on the early side to guarantee a moist product.

Smoque offers a good balance of room, excellent sides, and consistent meats, but they use a machine smoker and lines can be out the door. There is also not as much family history behind the pitmasters for good chatting.

One to check out that is not GNR is Honky Tonk in Pilsen:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... honky+tonk

This is probably the most comfortable room. The owner has great stories (he'll be in competition in Memphis in May) and can just plain cook - many items other than what's coming out of the smoker are excellent. Don't miss the brisket, and order "burnt ends," mentioning your friend is from Texas.

Obviously, if a guy called "G Wiv" comes into this thread, and you can somehow charm him into hosting, ending up at his house for a few hours of patio chat and good smokin', that's just about ideal. No food license, but then again, you can pay him in chorizo or homemade jam.

While the temptation would be to target brisket due to the guest heritage, I wouldn't do it. Smoque has good brisket, for Chicago. It's not close to Texas brisket. As an analogy, imagine going to San Jose and having someone take you to an Uno's franchise because you are from Chicago. And don't laugh, it happened to me!!!

If they want BBQ, I'd say shoot for a place that serves tips. Tips are relatively unique to Chicago. I've not been to Uncle John's yet, so I'd recommend Honey 1.

If they want BBQ, I'd say shoot for a place that serves tips. Tips are relatively unique to Chicago

This is a good point. To pile on, the "tips & links" combo with fries is perhaps even more characteristic of Chicagocue. Uncle John's and Honey-1 serve hot links that I think would impress even people who grew up on barbecue and family-made sausage. Because of the quality of the fries, and sauce, and personal preference (I love that house recipe made for Mack by Grant Park Parking), I'd go Uncle John's for this specific item. But again, you're going to have to find a place to sit and enjoy, and if you're not familiar with the neighborhood, that could be tough. Hutchinson Commons at the University of Chicago (57th and University) is one thought. Open to the public, no hassle for outside food, and plenty of napkins. Having a picnic in Washington Park is another if weather is nice.

I'm with midas. Even with good intentions, Chicago Barbecue (and for the record, I love Smoque's brisket) is going to fall short of your Texas friend's expectations. Instead, if you're going to insist on taking him for Barbecue, instead of say, Chicago style pizza, hot dogs, or Italian beef, I would take him to a place that serves a product that represents the best of what would be considered Chicago style Barbecue and make no apologies for it.

A joint with an "aquarium" smoker that puts out rib tips and hot links (distinctly different from a Texas style sausage) would be your best bet. The consensus of opinion round these parts is that the best places serving that type of 'Que are, in no particular order, Lem's, Uncle John's, and Barbara Ann's; all on the south side, and Honey 1 up on the north side.

Hope you have a great dinner together,

Buddy

Personally, I'd be embarrassed to take someone from Texas (or Kansas City) for traditional Southern BBQ in Chicago if you're looking to impress. If I was forced to on a dare, for example, I'd pick Honey 1 (or Uncle John's, although there is nowhere to eat at UJ's). Instead, I'd do some out of the box thinking and take them for Pakistani BBQ at Kahnor Korean BBQ at San Soo Gab Sanor Hae Woon Dae or to Sun Wahfor Chinese BBQ. All of the places mentioned are GNR Winners.

Hae Woon Dae
6240 N California
Chicago, IL 60659
773-764-8018

San Soo Gap San
5247 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL
(773) 334-1589

Sun Wah BBQ
1134 W. Argyle
Chicago, IL
773-769-1254

Khan B.B.Q
2401 W Devon
Chicago, IL 60645
773-338-2800

Santander wrote:

If they want BBQ, I'd say shoot for a place that serves tips. Tips are relatively unique to Chicago

This is a good point. To pile on, the "tips & links" combo with fries is perhaps even more characteristic of Chicagocue. Uncle John's and Honey-1 serve hot links that I think would impress even people who grew up on barbecue and family-made sausage. Because of the quality of the fries, and sauce, and personal preference (I love that house recipe made for Mack by Grant Park Parking), I'd go Uncle John's for this specific item. But again, you're going to have to find a place to sit and enjoy, and if you're not familiar with the neighborhood, that could be tough. Hutchinson Commons at the University of Chicago (57th and University) is one thought. Open to the public, no hassle for outside food, and plenty of napkins. Having a picnic in Washington Park is another if weather is nice.

I would very much second this. If your friend is open-minded about barbecue, and is not expecting Texas-style barbecue (why would he in Chicago? Isn't the point of traveling and eating trying things you don't get at home), I would take him to Uncle John's for a tips-and-links combo. That place and that order typifies, at least for me, what true Chicago barbecue is all about.

I would never be embarrassed to take anyone there. You might have to manage expectations or at least give a quick introduction into what Chicago barbecue is, but even if I had the riches of Texas or North Carolina barbecue available to me every day, I'd need Uncle John's for my tips and links fix.

I don't agree with the posters that have suggested Chicago style que.

Although I enjoy it (and second the many recommendation for Uncle John's) I think the original poster is looking for something else.

He mentions that his friend is a Texas native and homesick - two things that happen to apply to myself. When I am craving Texas style barbeque, Chicago aquarium style BBQ does not fit the bill. Head directly to Smoque. While Smoque is not up to the level of some of the best Texas places, it is good enough as a replacement to scratch the itch. (My one experience with Honky Tonk was not very good.)

If your friend is looking to try regional style barbeque, then try UJs. The idea of Khan's or Korean BBQ is also interesting, but not chicago specific and available in Texas.

veeral wrote:
He mentions that his friend is a Texas native and homesick

I missed the "homesick" part. Yeah, if that's the case (looking for authentic Texas style BBQ), good luck in Chicago. As good as Smoque and Honky Tonk's brisket may be, it's nothing like Texas or even my backyard.

mss60614 wrote:I'm taking a friend, who happens to be a Texas native, to dinner this weekend. His request was for BBQ. What suggestions do the LTH'ers have that would help a homesick Texan who is looking for something authentic?

Thanks.

My recomendation would be Midway.