This Week's New BBQ Place: Chicago Q

This Week's New BBQ Place: Chicago Q

The BBQ places are opening fast and furious, with Chicago Q scheduled to open this weekend.

Like Lillie's Q, this place is notching up the ambiance and includes the name "urban" in the descriptive material, which picks up on a theme also carried (more overtly) by Urban Burger Bar and and many other places. Not sure what message is being sent by that word (cool? hip? fancypants?).

Some interesting menu items: pig powder chips, "competition" baby back ( unsauced?), and kobe brisket sandwich.

As this place hasn't opened yet and I've never eaten there, I'm going to give it only 3 out of 4 stars.

Thanks to Grub Street Chicago for the heads-up.

Chicago Q
1160 N. Dearborn
312.642.1160

Not sure what message is being sent by that word (cool? hip? fancypants?)

"liquor license"

David Hammond wrote:As this place hasn't opened yet and I've never eaten there, I'm going to give it only 3 out of 4 stars.

Just finished my 3rd negative review of it on Yelp

Commbrkdwn wrote:

David Hammond wrote:As this place hasn't opened yet and I've never eaten there, I'm going to give it only 3 out of 4 stars.

Just finished my 3rd negative review of it on Yelp

I have declared it a witch!!. . . it turned me into a newt. . i got better.

Mike G wrote:

Not sure what message is being sent by that word (cool? hip? fancypants?)

"liquor license"

Nope. Means "cook went to culinary school so we charge more." Liquor license not required. See Urban Belly.

Kennyz wrote:

Mike G wrote:

Not sure what message is being sent by that word (cool? hip? fancypants?)

"liquor license"

Nope. Means "cook went to culinary school so we charge more." Liquor license not required. See Urban Belly.

I'm not positive but I don't think your interpretation (shocking cynical, coming from you, sir) applies to John McLean of Urban Burger Bar, who I believe earned his craft the old fashioned way in a restaurant kitchen.

After reviewing the menu from the Grubstreet link, why in the world would anyone pay $11 more for the competition Babyback Ribs or Spares?! Wouldn't you always want to put out top quality at all times. I hope I am missing something here.

jhawk1 wrote:After reviewing the menu from the Grubstreet link, why in the world would anyone pay $11 more for the competition Babyback Ribs or Spares?! Wouldn't you always want to put out top quality at all times. I hope I am missing something here.

You have to have some way to justify charging $36 for a rack of ribs.

ETA - Those "competition ribs" will set you back $2 more than a wonderful sounding Wagyu tri tip main course at Blackbird (based on their current menu)

I award this place 1 out of 4 pre-opening Yelp stars.

Josh, you cynic

I should have clarified: "Urban" = cook went to culinary school or worked way up to senior corporate culinary position before opening own place. BTW, I like Urban Belly, so none of this is a negative to me.

interesting menu, and the picture of the interior of the restaurant looks pretty cool.

the whole pork shoulder, cole slaw, kobe beans, and cornbread option on the menu for $305 intriques me.

I hope they do well.

jimswside wrote:kobe beans,

Beans cooked in kobe beef fat?

kanin wrote:

jimswside wrote:kobe beans,

Beans cooked in kobe beef fat?

Id bet smoked kobe brisket added to the beans.

jimswside wrote:

kanin wrote:

jimswside wrote:kobe beans,

Beans cooked in kobe beef fat?

Id bet smoked kobe brisket added to the beans.

some brisket added along with three Benjamins, and I'm all over that dish.

Kennyz wrote:
some brisket added along with three Benjamins, and I'm all over that dish.

$305 does seem alot for a whole shoulder and a few sides, curious if its Berkshire pork shoulder they are doing.

Shoot folks can come out to my house Saturday and have some/alot of the Berkshire shoulder I am smoking for free.

Anyone remember Famous Dave's place near Clark and Chicago? 500 seats and live music, then they got Isaac Hayes in on the deal too. The BBQ was good. Didn't last real long at the location though if I remember right.

These new guys on Dearborn will have a ton of rent there near Division. Gotta sell alot of BBQ and even more liquor to make the nut. But unlike some other places it seems the product cost gives them a better margin than say a steak house.

Interesting menu....Milk & Cookies 5.25! X 12

http://chicagoqrestaurant.com/

Here's the web site for Chicago Q.

The amazing increase in new bbq restaurants can only be attributed to the success of smoque in my opinion. Everyone else is chasing the trend they started. I suppose it's a good thing if you love bbq as much as I do, but chicago q looks too rich for my blood. Give me Uncle Johns any day, or any of the other bbq "shacks" around Chicago. Great bbq is best when eaten off the trunk of your car, with a plastic fork in hand for the beans or slaw, and a cold one from the cooler.

With all due respect, those prices are ridiculous. I couldn't come up with a better, or more accurate word. Maybe the most ridiculous from a percentage basis was $3 for an 8 ounce coke.

To paraphrase a famouse dead president;
"You can fool some of the people some of the time... and most of the time that's enough!" (Works for most politicians too!)

Putting a big bowl of pickles in front of me is always going to put me in a good mood, and I was glad to see these little bastids appear.

.

Slightly sweet, mildly acidic, gorgeously green and juicy, I enjoyed this “first course.”

I was intrigued by the Pig Powder Chips, which my server told me are house-made and sprinkled with rub. Honestly, I was hoping for something more gastro-molecular, like maybe aerosolized pork, but what I got was a generous bowl of appetizingly delicate fries, which I enjoyed with three sauces: North Carolina, Mild and Spicy.



Though the chips themselves were very good, I could not detect any other flavors than potato and salt…I should have asked if maybe they forgot the “pig powder,” but I enjoyed these chips well enough just as they were and at $3.25, they were as well priced as one could have hoped.

I got the BBq flight, and from left to right it’s Kobe brisket, pulled pork and pulled chicken.



I thought the lightly vinegary Carolina sauce with the pork was (predictably) delectable, but I had to stretch to taste the Kobe, which was appropriately fatty but didn’t deliver quite the flavor punch I was eagerly leaning into. None of the meat seemed to convey much sense of smoke, and the chicken had the additional fault of being a little mushy, perhaps a touch over-brined, but this, like all my observations here, has to be taken with two grains of salt: Chicago Q opened last weekend, and I went for lunch (it’s true a restaurant should be on its game all the time, but it is the first few days of its existence and truth be told, lunch at many restaurants seems not quite so focused as dinner).

The pretzel rolls on all the sandwiches were fine, but there was just a little too much bread for the meat, and the flavor of the BBQ was too easily overwhelmed. In many dishes, I’m all for having meat function as a condiment, but in a sandwich…well, the taste of the central ingredient should be be a little more forward.

Pitmistress Lee Ann Whippen has placed well in a few competitions, and I think it would be good to try her award-winning preparations of “Competition” Baby Back and St. Louis ribs. She told me that all her BBQ is served with sauce on the side.

Though as noted, this is not a cheap place to eat, Chicago q is currently BYOB, and will probably remain so for the next two weeks or so.

David Hammond wrote:and I went for lunch (it’s true a restaurant should be on its game all the time, but it is the first few days of its existence and truth be told, lunch at many restaurants seems not quite so focused as dinner).

interesting observation,

If i pay for bbq(which is really rare), I will only only eat bbq @ lunch & right when a place opens, seems to be the most consistant, and fresh off the smoker at that time of day.

as for service, I find the owners/pit masters are more likely to stop and chat as well at lunch time..

jimswside wrote:as for service, I find the owners/pit masters are more likely to stop and chat as well at lunch time..

True, true...

nice pictures and post btw,

I also have to agree with your take on using pretzle rolls for bbq sandwiches. I used some this past weekend, and while they held up well, they took focus away from the meats.

Has anyone tried Chicago q yet on Dearborn? I am planning on heading there tonight to get some pulled pork takeout. I would love to hear about it!

David Hammond wrote:

jimswside wrote:as for service, I find the owners/pit masters are more likely to stop and chat as well at lunch time..

True, true...

I was wondering why she looked familiar. She (Lee Ann Whippen) was on the first season of BBQ Pitmasters on TLC.

Will definately give the place a try next time I am in the area.

nice post dave,
i can't wait totry this place soon

David Hammond wrote:Though as noted, this is not a cheap place to eat, Chicago q is currently BYOB, and will probably remain so for the next two weeks or so.

No longer BYOB Chicago Q has a well stocked bar comfortable bar and is a convivial place to tipple. Far as price point just let me say I never thought I'd pull up to a BBQ joint that had valet parking, carjacked maybe, but Valet.

We sampled a fairly wide representation of the menu, I was the guest of the ever effervescent man-about-town David Lissner, and surprising myself I liked the food, restaurant and Pitmistress Lee Ann Whippen. Lee Ann is sincere, personable, better looking in person than on tv and a BBQ gal to her core. About one minute into our first conversation, I was early and had a solo drink at the bar, when she realized I was equally serious about BBQ, she shifted from host/owner/personality mode to collegial and we had the type of true enthusiasts conversation that I've enjoyed everywhere from backyards to BBQ contests to BBQ joints far and wide.

Lee Ann Whippen, Chicago Q



Started with a bowl of perfectly fried crisp Pig Chips and pickles. Pickles are made in-house, crunchy, sweet-tart, Lissner and I struggled not so snarf them all down so we could have them as counter-point to BBQ.

House-made Pickles, Pig Chips



Oninon rings crisp and light, Hush Puppies nice crunch yielding to soft cheddar/bacony interior.

Onion Rings



Bacon Cheddar Hush Puppies



Next up BBQ Garlic Shrimp w/polenta, which Lee Ann sent out. Tender aggressively seasoned shrimp resting on a bed of griddled polenta.

BBQ Garlic Shrimp w/polenta



Full rack of Saint Louis and "Competition" Saint Louis. Main difference, as I understand it, competition ribs are trimmed slightly more and rubbed with Trim Tabb's Pig Powder and rested overnight. Competition ribs skewed a little sweeter and were firmer to the tooth, though Lee Ann, who sat with us much of the meal, said house ribs that evening were softer than typical.

"Competition" Saint Louis Ribs



Saint Louis Ribs



Did I like the ribs, short answer, yes, though in the context of commercial Southern Pride smoker volume restaurant. Distinct smoke flavor, though not overpowering, hint of apple from intermittent apple juice mops as the meat twirls in the carousel and notes of chili, salt balancing sweet. Taste wise, I preferred house ribs as "Competition" ribs skewed a smidgen sweet for me.

Lee Ann brought out a few slices of Kobe brisket, some of the best BBQ brisket I've had outside of Texas. Rich, almost too rich, a couple slices more than sufficed. In the past I've equated Kobe/Wagyu to a banana split, nice for a once in a blue moon treat.

Kobe Brisket



Not much of a sugar sweet dessert guy, liked the moist carrot cake, thought Bourbon Caramel Bread Pudding overly sweet, though Lee Ann mentioned it was their most popular dessert.

Carrot Cake



Bourbon Caramel Bread Pudding



Best bite of the evening was when Lee Ann took me in the kitchen for a look-see at the side by side Southern Pride smokers. As we were leaving she handed me a couple of smoked grape tomatoes from the mise en place, sweet smokey savory, juices exploded in my mouth, diversity and intensity of flavor so disproportionate to expectation I looked around for Grant Achatz.

Lee Ann Whippen with Southern Pride Smokers



Service was impeccable, though Lissner seems to know every waiter, maître d’ and chef in the city limits, and Lee Ann Whippen made a point of going table to table chatting with customers.



As a dyed-in-the-wool BBQ man Chicago Q's fine dining surroundings require some suspension of disbelief, but as I looked around the three quarters full restaurant on a weeknight I noted the happy murmur of people tucking into big plates of BBQ, licking fingers and smiling through sauce smeared faces.

Enjoy,
Gary

I dont have much more to add after reading Gary's post above, but I too had the pleasure of dining at Q last week during lunch. Everything was terrific as noted above, nobody mentioned several items that i found to be excellent, specifically the cornbread and chicken wings. The cornbread was moist and almost cakelike--really great. I see myself taking many cab rides north from the loop for 2 hr lunches now that Q has opened its doors.

went to chicago tonight with a group of bbq guys,sweet baby ray & crew, willie from honky tonk, bill from heads red sauce, matt,
had like family style ,comp. ribs, brisket,pork, all great . i liked the ribs-1,pork 2- brisket 3rd.
all the sides where outstanding,chicken wings ,corn bread,hush puppies, & the pickles are great
would have no problem going back . loved it

thanks to leeann & crew for a great meal
thanks also to bill rodes

philw wrote:went to chicago tonight with a group of bbq guys,sweet baby ray & crew, willie from honky tonk, bill from red heads sauce, matt,
had like family style comp. ribs, brisket,pork, all great . i liked the ribs-1,pork 2- brisket 3rd.
all the sides where outstanding,chicken wings ,corn bread,hush puppies, & the pickles are great
would have no problem going back . loved it

thanks to leeann & crew for a great meal
thanks also to bill rodes

have to agree Phil..nothing came across the table that I didnt like..good food and good company as well.