I know I'm in the minority but I still say Kenny's on North is better than Russell's and is the best in the area; damnig with faint praise, right?
I will however be sure to give the new North ave. Smokin' M's a try and truely hope to be proven sorely mistaken.

I think the slim jims at the CVS on North and Thacher are better bbq than Russels.

Russell's isn't true BBQ as I am almost certain that no smoke touches the meat but it is tender and their sauce is, well, their sauce.

Smokin' M's sandwiches are Russell's but only better the way that smoke on the meat can give.

Neither can hold a candle to the brisket at Smoque or the pulled pork at Honky Tonk but I have been known to crave the lesser from time to time.

Kenny's on North is about half as good as it was before it closed. Not sure what changed when they re-opened, but it went from a place we'd pick up from at least once every 4-6 weeks, to a place we haven't gotten food from in close to a year.

Russell's isn't real bbq, but I go there knowing that and enjoy it for what it is. That may be partially due to being taken there often when I was a kid though, and the strong nostalgic feelings I get from both the food itself and the inside of that location. It reminds me a little of the White Castle discussion recently - I didn't have WC until I was 21 or 22, and I hated it. I've had it maybe 3 times since then, hated it every time, and haven't touched it in 10 years or so. Being drunk doesn't help; sliders are inedible to me in any state. If I'd ever had it while growing up though? I think it would probably be a different story.

Smokin' M's is a place I've really enjoyed in the past, but got pretty down on after 3 bad orders of tips in a row. Not even mediocre, but actually bad. Not nearly meaty enough and horribly overcooked. It's been a while since I've been willing to give them a shot, but they are definitely capable of turning out some decent Q so I'll try to get back over there within the next week or two. Hrm. Planning on some lunch from Honey 1 on Saturday, so probably more like 2 weeks for Smokin' M's. I do hope they're on when I make it in though, I always liked the staff there and wish them well.

It was odd watching that strip mall on North/Oak Park. There were many "for lease" signs, but none on the store that was Jerk Grill. It made me hope, have my fingers crossed, wish, that some savior would rescue it. Alas, I saw too, recently that Smokin' M's is opening. I will go in with very open eyes, but like about everyone else here, I had enough experiences that I had not been to the Roosevelt location in ages.

The Kenny's on North has been closed since about February (as I have vague memories of getting something awful during a football game)--it too went from at times OK to all times bad, but who cares. For several weeks now, there's been a banner in the window advertising Thom's BBQ and Turkey. Somehow the "and turkey" in the name has me less interested in its opening.

Just as some people like White Castle (not really me), and some people don't need their fries extra crisp, some of us enjoy ribs that have not been kissed with any smoke. Given the size of the Russells and the long waits I've remembered, there is a big crowd for this food. I don't call liking Russells a guilty pleasure, although I will say that, unfortunately, the product can vary. Yet, when it's right, their ribs are thoroughly enjoyable in their own damn way, and I have no problem at all with that place. Through in the cole slaw, the decor, and that little pickle, the onion rings, sauce, man I like Russells. (I will add, for the haters, that my wife cannot get past the fake butter and fake sour cream for the baked potatoes.)

Anyone want a $25 gift certificate for Smokin' M's? I bought it because the new location is right by me house but they will not honor it there and I'm sure as hell not driving all the way across town for shitty bbq.
I paid $5 for it from restaurant.com but whoever claims it first can just have it – a pay it forward kind of thing.

Disclaimers:

Redeemable only at: Smokin M's
Address: 7507 Roosevelt Rd Forest Park, IL 60130
Special Instructions: Minimum purchase of $37.50. Valid Sun-Thur. 15% Gratuity added prior to discount. Excludes: Other Offers/Promotions. Present prior to ordering.

Be first to PM me with your email address and it'll go out to you ASAP.

Claimed.

Just a quick 2 word review about the new location on North avenue: Don't go.

OK, that is just my opinion, but we grabbed some ribs and BBQ beef this weekend for dinner, and it was close to inedible. The ribs were tough and had no smoke flavor, and the BBQ beef was as dry as cork. It came with fries and I felt sorry for the potatoes, since they were so flabby and lifeless it seemed such a waste. It really was one of the more sorry meals I have had in quite some time. The former Jamaican place that was replaced by Smokin' Ms is now really going to be missed.

Since I hate being so negative, on the up side my 5 year old's fried shrimp were actually not too bad (in fact, I sorely wanted to trade with her, but she wanted no part of my BBQ). I also was able to repurpose the rib meat into a type of fried rice today, so it wasn't a complete waste.

I have had some good tips at the Madison St location but I mostly go for the sandwiches.

Shredded beef or pork. Juicy and slightly smokey (sauce on the side). When I am in a mood for a better Russell's style sandwich.

Not real by a long shot but it scratches that itch.

Shame on me for not visiting the North Ave location. Maybe, I too am in mourning for Jerk Grill.

Well I quit reading this thread a long long time ago based on the original poor reviews. I didn't even realize they opened a spot on North Ave. I was so unaware that when I happened to drive by a few weeks ago and saw a BBQ sign I was intrigued. From the street I couldn't even tell that the place had a name. I didn't realize it until I was already in the parking lot, out of the car and almost to the door. At that point I figured I'd give it a try.

I ordered the small tip link combo and my wife ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Ordered both to go with sauce on the side. First a word on the pulled pork sandwich. It's not pulled. The chalk board sign said pulled. It's not. It'sshredded. It came, as everything does, with fries and cole slaw. The fries were under cooked enough that was had to crisp them up in the oven. The cole slaw was too dry for me to even eat, though my wife said it was OK. The sandwich itself was good sized, but just boring to the point that she left about a third of it.

Now for the combo. Those of you that swore off the links because they were too dry will be happy to know that you haven't missed anything. This thing was horrid. Trying to cut thing left me with a piece of skin and cereal. It's hard to believe a restaurant could serve this and think it's acceptable.

The tips, by comparison, we're the star of the show. Alas, the show was a Pauly Shore movie. The tips actually had a lot of rub applied. The rub itself was a little bland, but it wasn't offensive. But the tips themselves were very dry. Not as dry as the link, but dry well past the point of any moisture being left in the meat. Tips with no moisture left are just tough little pieces of meat. It's just a shame. Very little smoke, bland rub and dried out pork.

Unfortunately, my hopes of finding an alternative to driving all the way to Honey 1 have been dashed. I might give them one more chance, but based on the other reviews here I'm not sure why.

This is why Oak Park is a mystery.
M's is decidedly poor and should not be successful, while the Jerk Kitchen was quite good and is now gone.

The only reasonable, nay, plausible explanation is that Oak Park is built over an ancient American Indian food court and is thereby cursed.