Good Ribs

For my entire life, I'd eaten at The Glass Dome Hickory Pit (on the South Side, I think next to the Edens). About 5 years ago (or so, it was a while ago), they closed. Ever since, I've been looking for a comprable rib joint. The closest I've found is Merle's in Evenston. What I liked about The Pit's ribs was their consistancy (the ribs didn't fall off the bone, you had to chew them off), the quality of their meat (good meat, fairly lean), and their sauce (realy nice, smoky BBQ). In terms of the sauce, Freddy's (next door to North Beach, until it too closed a few years ago), was the closest I've come. Merle's and Freddy's both had pretty decent meat quality, and Merle's was close in terms of their consistancy. Anyone know anywhere where I can find all three of these qualities?

(Incidentally, the actual closest I've seen for consistancy is the beef ribs at Dewick-MacFie Dining Hall at Tufts University outside of Boston, but that's another story for another time.)

Merle's is only so-so when it comes to ribs, but it's better than 90% of Chicago joints. I've had really good ribs there, and I've had terrible ribs there.

Chicago tastes (which Merle's avoids) are inexplicably geared to overcooked, fall-off-the-bones ribs slathered with syrupy sweet sauce with no smokiness anywhere to be found. You explain the popularity of places like Leon's to me. I just don't get it.

Anyhow, to answer your question, there are three places I like, off the top of my head, having the type of ribs you desire. In my order of preference: Fat Willy's, Smokedaddy, and Calvin's. Now, some people seem to have problems with FW's for some reason (I've never had a bad meal there, and I've turned many a rib-hater onto ribs by bringing them there) but ribs are a funny food. People defend their favorite institutions with a religious-like fervor.

So far, these are the only three places I've eaten in Chicago that have ribs as I like them: smokey, NOT fall of the bone, and NOT drowned in sauce. Anybody who says "the secret is in the sauce" should be slapped. Yes, a good sauce is desireable, and a little brush of it on the rib before it's put on the grill for finishing is de rigeur. But its the preparation of the rib itself that is key, and that's where many Chicago places fail. Without the sauce, most Chicago ribs would be tasteless, lifeless, slabs of fatty meat. And it shouldn't be this way.

Anyhow, so try these three. You should be able to find one you like in the bunch.

Fat Willy's Rib Shack
2416 West Shubert
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 782-1800

Smoke Daddy Restaurant
1804 West Division Street
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 772-6656

Calvin's BBQ
2540 W. Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 342-5100

Barnelli's ribs are pretty good too. They're the partners of Portillo's hot dogs and can usually be found in the same premise occupied by Portillo's. Yummm...

Incidentally, Chief O'Neils had pretty good ribs for their anual Memorial Day Barbeque, but they only do that once a year. =( It was a sweet deal though.

Binko, surely you haven't missed all of the talk about Honey1? That would seem to fit your specs pretty well.

I think also that this board is filled with facts that undercut the notion that Chicago tastes are geared toward the jello rib. North side baked ribs a la Twin Anchors and Barnelli's are a well-known phenomenon, but the South and West Sides (hey ,that's 2 out of 3 of Chicago's sides) are jello-free zones where the meat is cooked in aquarium smokers.

Your three recos, along with Honey1 are nice North Side examples of BBQ. I would also add Smoke Country House, Leon's on Ashland, and Hecky's of Chicago as places that try to be real BBQ, as opposed to baked jello-rib places, but all three are just awful in my experience.

(The Leon's on Ashland absolutely does not serve jello ribs; they serve tough, dessicated, heavily worked-over ribs that were partially smoked at some Leon's commissary then re-heated at the Ashland store. I had high hopes for the place before it opened, because a couple of the S. Side Leon's aren't that bad and the Ashland store is set up to smoke -- it just doesn't and never has.)

In the end, I would much rather eat the semi-jello ribs from Biassetti's than the smoked-but-awful stuff from, say, country house where the ribs are par-cooked, partially smoked in an electric smoker, then placed in the fridge and re-heated in a frying pan full of bad BBQ sauce upon ordering.

Biasetti's ribs were always tasty, and they improved markedly when Larry Tucker was there after NN closed. Whatever he did remains. They seem to be a hybrid of baked-jello and smoked, not unlike Carson's -- which does apply smoke contrary to popular belief. Just don't call the ribs BBQ. That's what Honey1 does. Don't get me wrong, when I BBQ, I BBQ. And I prefer BA, Lem's and H1 to any jello rib. But Biasetti's is a nice peccadillo, especially after you throw in the relish tray, cheesy potatoes and creamed spinach, all exemplary. Which leads me to a...

KANKAKEE REPORT

The fact that it's really BBQ doesn't mean it will be good. I recently took one for the team in a big way by touring the BBQ shacks of Kankakee. (Had to be there for work.)

Wrightway BBQ is a perfect looking little smokehouse that offers the standard ribs/tips/links/wings setup of the South and West sides. Problem is, the meat is quite obviously boiled first then finished with a light smoke. Not inedible, but no where near most of the Chicago spots. Link was more like a small, hot frankfurter than a Chicago link. It reminded me of what they call in PA and parts of NJ a "Texas Tommy."

Soul da Soul is a neat place that seems to be a community anchor. Absolutely huge BBQ and fried foods menu. I tried some tips and a chopped pork sandwich. More boiled-first, smoke finished action. Aslo, no seasoning whatsoever and the smoke was 100% Kingsford briquette. Really not good. I still very much enjoyed the place and the people, and would bet that the fired stuff (chicken, fish, shrimp) is better than the cue.

Now then, on the way back from KKK, I stopped for a beer at this German Biergarten-cum-roadhouse in Peotone. The place rocks. It's like Resi's or Laschett's-meets-Rt. 66 Biker Bar. It's a few minutes off of I-57, and well worth a stop. Huge garten with a big fireplace. Hackpeter and beer. Don't think too hard about the big German WWII weapon collection above the bar.

http://www.peotonebierstube.com

JeffB wrote:Binko, surely you haven't missed all of the talk about Honey1? That would seem to fit your specs pretty well.

In fact, I have. I will need to check it out

I think also that this board is filled with facts that undercut the notion that Chicago tastes are geared toward the jello rib. North side baked ribs a la Twin Anchors and Barnelli's are a well-known phenomenon, but the South and West Sides (hey ,that's 2 out of 3 of Chicago's sides) are jello-free zones where the meat is cooked in aquarium smokers.

Perhaps we have different definitions of what a "jello rib" is, but I've never encountered a good smoked rib around these parts. I've only had Hecky's in Evanston and, while I like it, it's that style of Chicago rib I have problems with. Maybe it's not exactly "jello ribs" I have an aversion to: it's ribs that fall off the bone, don't have any smoked flavor, are cooked to within an inch of their life, and are drowned in sauce.

I live on the southwest side. The rib standbys here are the Pit Rib House in Hickory Hills and the Patio. In fact, the Patio was rated #2 rib house by that "Best of Citysearch" website. They are awful, unsmokey, fall-off-the-bone ribs. In fact, the first I encountered ribs that were NOT fall of the bone was on the North Side. I mean, the Pit Rib House flat out was one of the worst BBQ restaurants I've eaten in, and the Patio was not far behind. I always thought ribs were supposed to be sloppy and jelloey as every place I've tried near my neighborhood (47th & Pulaski) has these types of rib.

If you know a good rib joint in my area that has smokey ribs that are not drowned in sauce, please recommend a place, because I've always had to go to the North Side to sate my tastes.

Binko,

You are right. The Patio is terrible, and can not be considered BBQ, there is no smoke. It is a wart on the face of the BBQ in Chicago.

Now that I have vented on that, I can suggest that if you are SW, try Chuck's at 79th and Central. Does anyone know if they have re-opened yet after their fire?

It is a shame that Baby Joe's BBQ Co closed down, which was just a few doors down from the Pit. They really turned out some good Q, and even better sides.

Incidentally, what do you dislike so much about The Pit? Their sauce is too sweet, but they are at least cooked over wood, and their chicken and pulled pork aren't bad either.

Glenn

glennpan wrote:Now that I have vented on that, I can suggest that if you are SW, try Chuck's at 79th and Central. Does anyone know if they have re-opened yet after their fire?

They have not. The message on their phone is saying that they will open late november at the earliest.

I was lucky enough to taste dry-rubbed spare ribs from Chuck's, which are not always available, and they were quite good.

Best,
Michael

glennpan wrote:Binko,

You are right. The Patio is terrible, and can not be considered BBQ, there is no smoke. It is a wart on the face of the BBQ in Chicago.

Now that I have vented on that, I can suggest that if you are SW, try Chuck's at 79th and Central. Does anyone know if they have re-opened yet after their fire?

It is a shame that Baby Joe's BBQ Co closed down, which was just a few doors down from the Pit. They really turned out some good Q, and even better sides.

Incidentally, what do you dislike so much about The Pit? Their sauce is too sweet, but they are at least cooked over wood, and their chicken and pulled pork aren't bad either.

Glenn

I've been to Chuck's many times, and Chuck's is good. I prefer their other offerings to their ribs, though. I wouldn't go out of my way just to get Chuck's ribs, but they're better than anything else I've had in the area.

What do I dislike about the Pit? Well, I've been there once, and my brother has been there twice. I went there on the recommendation of many online reviewers. My brother warned me that this place was no very good (his exact words were "It sucks"), but he admitted he didn't try the ribs when he went there.

Here's a review I posted at Check Please immediately after my visit:

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I went to the Pit Rib House yesterday, based on recommendations from here and some good reviews on Metromix.com.

All in all, with four diners present, we were all disappointed. We tried the following: BBQ chicken, BBQ beef, BBQ pork, ribs, and souvlaki. (Pretty much everything on the BBQ menu.)

Well, the Texas toast was good.

The souvlaki were overcooked, underseasoned and practically inedible. The BBQ beef and pork were passable, but I (honestly) can do a better job. The chicken had the texture of boiled chicken, and I didn't like it.

So how 'bout the ribs? Well, for one, they didn't taste smoky at all. Perhaps it was the copious amounts of syrupy-sweet BBQ sauce they were drowned in, but I could not discern any obvious smoke flavor. And the ribs themselves had a stringy, overcooked texture to them. A well-crafted rib should be able to stand up on its own, without any sauce. If the rib is not good enough to eat without sauce, sauce isn't going to make it better.

I honestly don't understand the appeal of this place. Neither did any of my other diners. The only plus was the good service and large portions.
--------

Sorry. The place is very mediocre.

If you can brave the long drive to St. Charles, Bar-B-Que Shack is run by a guy from Ft. Worth TX whose wife forced him to relocate to her home town (that's his story...). He brought his room-sized smoker with him and opened this place.

Outstanding ribs and brisket (best brisket I've had in the Chicago area), the best sweet potato fries I've EVER had, and pretty good chicken and pulled pork. The turkey and sausages are OK-but-not-great.

Bar-B-Que Shack
210 Cedar St. (one block north of the 31/64 intersection)
St. Charles, IL 60174
630-513-7700

Binko,

No need to apologize. The Pit does have its shortcomings. However, in the Chicago BBQ landscape, I still consider them avg to above average.

I normally stick to 3 different items there, and only can comment on those 3. The wood roasted Greek chicken compares just fine to the Greek Chickens I have had in Greek town. The ribs, we both agree the sauce is way too sweet. That is why I order them without sauce. The smoked flavor, while not comparing at all with the KC joints I like so much, is more apparent (though does not completely permeate the meat). I like the pulled pork, especially for the texture which has plenty of the crispy burnt edge pieces mixed in. As you said, the service is good (very quick) and portion sizes are fine.

Glenn

glennpan wrote:The wood roasted Greek chicken compares just fine to the Greek Chickens I have had in Greek town.

I didn't try this dish, so I don't know, but those souvlaki--wow. Bad. Maybe it was just a bad night for souvlaki. Or perhaps I had my hopes set too high when I read those reviews and the "It's so good
cooked with wood!" slogan.

And I still have yet to find a brisket or pulled pork that I love in the city. Mainly, it's because I like Carolina-style pulled pork with a vinegar or mustard-based sauce, and I don't know of any places that do this. As for brisket, I'm going to have to check out this place in St. Charles, so it had better be good !

Hmm...sounds like a west suburban Q-a-thon might be in order.

Uncle Bub's - Westmont
Bar-B-Que Shack - St. Charles
Sweet Baby Ray's - Wood Dale
The Texan Bar-B-Q - Lombard

Any more good suggestions? Who is interested?

I'd love a BBQ-a-thon. As someone who grew up in Texas, my experience with brisket in this city has left me cold. Of course I was out of town during the last LTH brisket tasting...

Considering the ski shop I frequent is in St. Charles, I may have to give Bar-B-Q Shack a go, as well as the other suggestions. Now I just have to convince the parents that my ski boots need retuning...

And if Sweet Baby Ray's ribs are anywhere near as good as their commercial barbeque, I might have to give them a go too.

And I still have yet to find a brisket or pulled pork that I love in the city. Mainly, it's because I like Carolina-style pulled pork with a vinegar or mustard-based sauce, and I don't know of any places that do this.

Does anyone know of a place that does this? Preferably CTA accessible, but I can go out of my way for a taste of the mid-Atlantic motherland.

More goat, please! wrote:And I still have yet to find a brisket or pulled pork that I love in the city. Mainly, it's because I like Carolina-style pulled pork with a vinegar or mustard-based sauce, and I don't know of any places that do this.

The best restaurant for this is the backyard of a graduate of the 5-step program.

Rob wrote:And if Sweet Baby Ray's ribs are anywhere near as good as their commercial barbeque, I might have to give them a go too.

I like it and go there quite often. However others here were unimpressed. They just started offering daily specials from 4pm to 8pm. But Sunday the specials are all day and they offer rib tips for $2 a pound and wings at 50 cents each. For less than $5 you won't leave hungry.

For my entire life, I'd eaten at The Glass Dome Hickory Pit (on the South Side, I think next to the Edens)

The Glass Dome was on 28th and Halsted. The Dan Ryan or Stevenson might be the expressways, considering the Edens is a bit North...

Anyway, once again among the living, yay me...

RSMBob wrote:Hmm...sounds like a west suburban Q-a-thon might be in order.

Uncle Bub's - Westmont
Bar-B-Que Shack - St. Charles
Sweet Baby Ray's - Wood Dale
The Texan Bar-B-Q - Lombard

Any more good suggestions? Who is interested?

If your trekking out to St Charles from the other locations you might as well add King James BBQ in West Chicago. I've never really been impressed, but it's worth a try. I'd be interested in participating depending on the timing of the event.

Flip

Well, me being in SoCal doesn't exactly make the coordination of an event easy or convenient, but I will likely be back there for 10 days or so during Christmas (prob abolut 12/22-1/2).

I will throw out a suggested date of Saturday 12/31...that's New Year's Eve day...we could have our own revelry before the real parties begin!

I'll let you guys take it from here and determine things.

In addition to the West Chicago place suggested in the previous post, you might even want to include Weber Grill in Lombard...not "real" BBQ, but it might be worthy. DOn't worry I won't suggest Chili's or anything like that!

I'm up for a BBQ event, though to be honest, including Bar-B-Que Shack with places in Westmont and Lombard would make for a LOT of driving.

I'd do 12/31 afternoon, weather-permitting...

And to echo others' thoughts, if anyone knows a place in the Chicago area that serves pulled pork Carolina-style, please let us know!

Mark

The best commercially available pulled pork that I have found is at (believe it or not) [url=http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=40843#40843]Sweet Baby Ray's[/url], although they do not serve it with the proper sauce. They serve it with the same SBR bottled sauce that they use on everything they serve. The pulled pork is just about the only thing that I consider decent enough to make a trip for at SBR's, but bring your own sauce.

stevez wrote:The pulled pork is just about the only thing that I consider decent enough to make a trip for at SBR's, but bring your own sauce.

And ask for sauce on the side!

Sweet Baby Ray's pulled pork, sauce on the side.


Enjoy,
Gary

Swwet Baby Ray's pulled pork: Tried last week on a sandwich and was pretty good if a little dry, but forgivable as it had nice flavor all around.

Bar-B-Que Shack in St. Charles- With the caveat that one should not judge a place on one visit here is my take: I held off on trying this place for a few months to get the new restaurant kinks out, but was disappointed at best. Chopped brisket sandwich was a one note tune of smoke which could have been tofurkey for all I know, served on a sad deflated bun . Sweet potatoe fries did not hold up on the 5 minute drive home, but that is no fault of the restaurant. Chili was sweet and bland. Kinda of a bad sign as well that the prices have raised across the board and the place has not been open more than about six months. Oh well. I fully realize that restaurants can have bad days and that cooking and holding BBQ is quite the variable practice.

Salt Creek BBQ: Only ever tried the pulled pork but quite respectable. Moist, smoky, multi-dimesional flavor

Salt Creek Barbeque
538 1/2 North Ave, Glendale Heights, IL
Phone: (630) 534-6600

RSMBob wrote:Hmm...sounds like a west suburban Q-a-thon might be in order.

Uncle Bub's - Westmont
Bar-B-Que Shack - St. Charles
Sweet Baby Ray's - Wood Dale
The Texan Bar-B-Q - Lombard

Any more good suggestions? Who is interested?

Uncle Bubs is probably the best of the lot..there is a place in Glendale Hts on North Ave called Salt Creek BBQ but I have not tried it..Bobby Q's in AH was closed last time I was by there..and for good reason

deke rivers wrote:there is a place in Glendale Hts on North Ave called Salt Creek BBQ but I have not tried it..Bobby Q's in AH was closed last time I was by there..and for good reason

I had ribs at Salt Creek in Elk Grove. Mush.

Bobby Q's has re-opened. I haven't been in since, so I can't say if it's any different. A sign promises "same great food."

Calvin's does a good job with pulled pork -- it's the best of what they do; tell them to go light on the sauce, though.

I can't think of anywhere that's doing Carolina-style currently. Perhaps, More goat, you should buy your pork without sauce and just make your own sauce?

Calvin's BBQ
773/342-5100
www.calvinsbbq.com
2540 W. Armitage Ave.
Chicago

Bobby Q's
http://www.bobbyqsbbq.com
(847) 590-0400
Prospect Crossing Shopping Center
1279 N. Rand Road
Arlington Heights IL 60004

Salt Creek Barbecue
847/956-1606
552-D E. Devon Ave.
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

LAZ wrote:
Calvin's does a good job with pulled pork -- it's the best of what they do; tell them to go light on the sauce, though.

Some friends had lunch at Calvin's this week and brought me a menu (I guess really GOOD friends would have brought me some 'Q but that's another story). As I perused the (rather large for a 'Q joint) menu I was struck by the highlighted text for the Pulled Pork sandwich. $5.25 or, with cheese add $.75. With cheese? Hey, I know, there's nobody making me put cheese on my sandwich so I'm free to order it as it should be but I've just never in all my life even heard of cheese on a PP sandwich. OK, I'll step down off my PP sammy soapbox and go stack it neatly next to my no-ketchup-on-hotdogs soapbox.

Pulled pork with cheese? Ugh. What a terrible idea.

So I tried out Honey1 today. It was exactly the sort of place I like: no frills, limited items on the menu, wonderful smokey smell permeating the restaurant. I knew this place was going to be good, and it was. It had the best rib tips I've had in Chicago. The ribs themselves? I was expecting them to knock me off my socks the way people here have talked about them. I didn't particularly think they were better than Fat Willy's. I really wanted to like them more, because Honey1 is more my kind of joint, but I think my honest assessment is I prefered Fat Willy's ribs. *shrug* The sauce, though, at Honey1 kicked all kinds of ass. (A big problem is the ribs I got were very bony, hardly any meat; however, this seemed to be just my luck. My cousin seemed to have a very meaty half slab.)

Honey1 definitely makes my short list, but I wasn't completely blown away like some people were. The search for the perfect rib continues...

me and the Mister did Honey 1's today as well...
They were doing brisk business, all tables full and a great mix of folks...