G Wiv wrote:Spoke to Robert Jr yesterday. Honey 1's grand reopening is set for 9/22/05!!

Thanks for the good news. I’d been wondering about that since I walked by last Sunday night. It looked like things were finally moving along and the pit was certainly in place. I hope everything goes smoothly for them the next week. It’s been far too long since my last visit to Honey 1.

Honey 1 on 11 Sept 05

That looks fancy. Hope it works out well for the Adams family. They are a jewel in the crown of Chicago Barbequers.

G Wiv wrote:LTH,

Spoke to Robert Jr yesterday. Honey 1's grand reopening is set for 9/22/05!!

Enjoy,
Gary

For once Lady Luck smiles on me -- I'm taking that day off! (For other reasons, but that won't stop me from being able to get there that afternoon.)

Any confirmation that they will indeed be open for business tomorrow?
Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:Any confirmation that they will indeed be open for business tomorrow?

Yes, see this link .

They have been open for 1h25m, why hasn't anyone put up any pictures yet?
Any clue what their new menu is? Did they add anything new (like pulled pork?). Guess I could wait till this evening when I go for myself, but what fun is that?

Hi,

I was there when they were opened about 2 hours. Things were mighty slow though I did meet one other LTHer: Alfonso XIV. Though from all the ribs on the smoker, they were expecting a party. I hope you will give it to them this evening.

They have a larger kitchen with a few more options. Though it is possible all were available at the old location but I was just unaware. They have fish diners of catfish, perch, Jack salmon and jumbo shrimp. Poultry is represented as whole and half chicken dinners, chicken wings plus turkey legs. They offer sandwiches: hamburger, cheese burger and steak burgers. Sides of gizzards, okra, cheese fry, cole slaw and BBQ sauce.

I had a half slab of ribs, which came with fries, coleslaw and bread. I made one strategic error of not asking for the BBQ sauce on the side.

Gary is expected later this afternoon, who will likely provide all the pictures you want.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:I had a half slab of ribs, which came with fries, coleslaw and bread. I made one strategic error of not asking for the BBQ sauce on the side.

Well, how were they!?

HI,

The ribs were delicious though I really would prefer sauce on the side. The sauce as good as it is does mask the smokey flavored meat, which I prefer with some sauce as an accent.

My friend who came with me had long heard about Honey 1. She was very, very pleased to finally have some.

I will defer to GAry on how these ribs stand up to what he recalls from their former location. For a first day in a new location with a new smoker, I thought they did very, very well.

Regards,

I'll also wait for those with more bbq-adjusted palates to comment, but I had a small order of links today that were quite good. Even the fries managed to not be awful, which, for a bbq stand, is impressive.

I ran into choey there, who was buying far more food than I. Here's hoping he chimes in as well. At about 3:30pm today Gary and the others from S&W wine week still hadn't made it.

I've sampled a broad palette of Honey 1's Que and can say with confidence that I will be returning. I only visited the old location once and can't recall it well enough to say if everything's the same in the new place, but I like what I had. The links are nicely hot and I prefer them without the mop sauce. The tips were on the lean side, but well smoked. The smoke on the ribs was very good, too, but again, I need to specify sauce on the side. I have the same reaction to Honey 1's chicken as I do my own: an oven roast appeals more to me than smoked. As a Deputy Assistant Pit Man (Junior Grade), I'm not prepared to call it quits on the WSM, but I'm going to have to think twice about whether it's worth it to start a fire just for a slab. With Honey 1 nearby, I'll be tempted to carry out instead. I'm glad they're in the neighborhood.

Ed, I see nothing controversial about a tips and links combo (small), half slab of ribs, and half a chicken, to go, (intended for one, though my wife tried one rib tip and some chicken, and the dog had some chicken, too). Since I'm dieting, I only had half the fries and none of the Wonder Bread. And only one Stella Artois.

Choey wrote:...I see nothing controversial about a tips and links combo (small), half slab of ribs, and half a chicken, to go, (intended for one, though my wife tried one rib tip and some chicken, and the dog had some chicken, too).

And what did they think?

Since I'm dieting, I only had half the fries and none of the Wonder Bread. And only one Stella Artois.

Isn't Stella a diet beverage?

A

Antonius wrote:And what did they think?

They didn't get their little tastes with impunity. While I was fetching a diet beer, my wife pilfered the food from the King Henryesque platter I had laid out for myself. She and the dog are now cowering behind locked door, mindful of the continued relevance of the Darwinian struggle for existence, while I digest at leisure.

Call me Polyphemus.

Honey 1 opened auspiciously.

Forbidding bouncer:


Typical customers:


What an order of tips looks like, eaten:

Honey 1 is Back



Saw Robert Jr. and his mom walking out of the restaurant around 5:15, getting ready to stick postcards for the restaurant in local mailboxes. Of course the main advertising was already in place: you could smell that good smell a block away.

I really think we have a new candidate for best chowblock in Chicago here-- certainly one of the most diverse, when you consider that within two blocks or so, anyway, you have Honey 1, Ixcapuzalco, Think Cafe, Cafe Bolero (Cuban), Thai Eatery, and (as PDaane pointed out) Jimenez grocery with its cafeteria. And probably a couple of others I'm forgetting.

I asked them how business was. Okay, they basically said, but not packed yet. Hopefully the word will get out quickly, now that they're finally open.



How was it? Very good, but I hope that with a few more weeks of seasoning the smoker will begin to impart an even deeper flavor to the ribs. Still, no complaints about quality meat, excellent toothsome texture, and depth of real smoke flavor. Showing your appreciation by turning up in their first week will not be taking one for the team, believe me. I do agree with the advice to get sauce on the side, not least because I don't really like BBQ sauce on fries. And I'm not wild about their sauce-- it's fine, but it's pretty one-note, sweet-gloppy-tang sauce. Most BBQ places cover weak meat with a sauce that has some complexity and interest to it. Honey 1 is exactly the opposite.



Unfortunately as in the old location, derelicts are a problem. These two stumbled in from the Smith & Wollensky Wine Week. They must have been drinking it from tumblers, is all I can say.



Here Pdaane demonstrates the barbecue-huffing technique he developed in high school. Note the picture on the wall, in the spot where a Mexican restaurant would have a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

One thing I wonder is whether the new, yuppier neighborhood will go for barbecue served in the authentic west side style-- everything dumped in a paper basket with sauce all over it. Some people will probably prefer a place like Fat Willie's up the street, which is neither that bad nor that good, because it's a little nicer in presentation (never mind the pseudo-roadside BBQ shack atmosphere) and has more upscale seeming sauce. I suspect Honey 1 has a bit of an uphill battle offering a directly transplanted west and south side experience-- all the more reason we should help them get off to a good start.

What are the prices for the ribs approximately? Have they gone up in the move?

Hi,

A full slab of ribs at the old location was $14.50, at the new it is $17.50. Not a reason to not go, you now have a very convenient off the expressway location instead of Division west of Cicero; which was a hike.

While we love their smoked meats, it is interesting their take-out menu emphasizes, "Come eat and taste the best SAUCE in town." When it is really not about the sauce!

Regards,

About the sauce...it's really pretty good, and I'm not a sauce fan, and I usually order it on the side, but I was so busy goofing around with Mike's kids that I forgot to ask for it that way, and I was happy with having it right there on the meat. On Honey 1's new business cards, it says "Best Sauce in Town," and this may not be a lie they're feeding us.

Back home, my daughter said they were the best ribs and we'd had in a long time.

Full slap is $17.50.

I may stop in tomorrow, too.

Hammond

Hammond wrote:On Honey 1's new business cards, it says "Best Sauce in Town," and this may not be a lie they're feeding us.

Yeah, but sauce is not the same level of skill as their smoke cooking. I think they make a mistake emphasizing the sauce over the principle thing they do outstandingly well: smoking their meats. Of course, they are probably appealing to the 70% who walk in who do believe it is all about the sauce. We are the 1% who go ga-ga over their skills with smoke. Anyway, its great to see they haven't lost their touch.

When I was there, the woman taking my order was Robert's daughter. Were there any children behind the counter? Those are likely Robert's grandchildren. There was a strong family presence for the grand opening.

Regards,

C2, I agree with you completely about the sauce...and I like Honey 1's more than most.

There were some younger people behind the counter when we were there.

Hammond

Is the call-ahead-if-you-want-ribs rule still in effect?

Hi,

When I was there today around noon, they had many racks of ribs on the smoker though few customers. Until they get into their rhythm and feel for the client demand in the new location, I would consider calling ahead for the racks just to make sure your visit is successful.

Regards,

Are they BYO friendly? Seems like a few cold ones and some BBQ would make a lovely dinner tonight.

I'll definitely be there tomorrow afternoon to pick up a couple slabs.

Kate Moss and I have one thing in common, we both think it is unfair to take pictures of us indulging our addictions...o.k., two things, H&M hypocritical policy of doing business only with models that have a healthy and wholesome image would exclude me as well.

Even in my post-Bacchanalia state, having smoked a Pigmon largess cigar, I could still taste the smoke in the tips.

Git yo behind to Honey One and try some REAL 'que.

Do they still make a killer Torta Milenasa at Jimmez? I haven't been there since I lived in that hood.

pdaane

Cathy2 wrote:Gary is expected later this afternoon, who will likely provide all the pictures you want.

Cathy,

I went last evening with m'th'su and Juanna Rumble. Iron Man Hammond and Daane went right after S & W, I needed a short respite.

I thought Robert Adam's BBQ spot-on, equal to the old location, in other words, very damn good.

I took a few pictures, but not one turned out well enough to post. I'm going again for lunch today, Friday, at noon with Pigmon and Trixie-Pea, and whomever else would like to join us, and will take pictures.

Ran into ReneG and El Panzone last night at Honey 1 and Robert Jr. said they had a number of LTH customers during the day, LTH was well represented.

Enjoy,
Gary

Lunch, noon 9.23.05
Honey 1
2241 N Western
Chicago, IL
773-227-5130

My dinner plans fell through at the last minute so (seeing as it's on my way home from work) I thought I'd stop at Honey 1. I wasn't overly hungry so I had a small order of tips/links with sauce on the side (the way to go, for sure) and liked it a lot. Not that I'm an expert or anything...

When I left (at about 7) all of the tables were full, which I would take as a good sign. Everyone I spoke to there was really, really nice and I look forward to returning and picking up a heartier portion this weekend. I really hope this place does well in its new location

LionRock wrote:When I left (at about 7) all of the tables were full, which I would take as a good sign.

That is good news. When pdaane and I got there, the dining room was dark, and I have the feeling that we (along with MikeG and his two wild monkey boys) might have been the first to eat in there. The tone when we walked in was somber -- opending day nervousness, I believe, but genial.

I can't stress how much these ribs stood out from what I've eaten over the last 30 days from Robinson's, Weber Grill, Carson's, Russell's, and Chicago Rib House. Honey 1 ribs are so clearly better than these other offerings -- and I like the Cole slaw.

Hammond

kafein wrote:Are they BYO friendly? Seems like a few cold ones and some BBQ would make a lovely dinner tonight.

I had the same thought last night but, no, they do not want drinks brought in. Still, a great meal even without beer. Don’t overlook the turkey legs.

Just got back from lunch there--and ReneG, I did see someone working a turkey leg that looked mighty fine. Between the 6 of us we ate our way through a slab of ribs, 3 extra large tip-link combos, and an order of fried okra. GWiv's chile oil elevated the already fine sauce. The BBQ tasted great--especially the links which I had never had before.

Honey One?

That's right.