c_howitt_fealz wrote:The cashier at Lem's told me about the fire. I see a tweet from Pigmon from June- but can't seem to find anything else.

Rene G wrote:Barbara Ann's has been closed for many months, approaching a year I think. I had no solid information, so never posted before. Passing by numerous times since last spring, it always looks the same.

mtgl wrote:I believe I have one slightly more recent data point: I picked up a pan of links for a party with some classmates at Promontory Point over the past summer (June 2012, sometime around then), not that that is much consolation. When it was on, it was as good as UJ's or Lem's.

You probably had one of the last pans of Barbara Ann's links. PIGMON and I heard about the fire from a customer at Uncle John's on June 15, then drove by to find it closed. No doubt about it, having Barbara Ann's out of business is a big loss to the Chicago barbecue scene. I hope they're able to reopen soon.

Driving home from class yesterday, I noticed a friendly sight on Cottage Grove: the neon "OPEN" sign at Barbara Ann's all lit up, a customer walking out the door. Having already gorged myself on free food, I made a mental note to return soon.

That 'soon' turned out to be today. I asked when they reopened--"Last week," came the friendly cashier's reply. A blessing, indeed. I sated my hunger with a jumbo tips and links, sauce on the side. Everything was pretty damn good. The tips especially were nice, the bark quite good. It was a bit overdone/carbonized in some places, but still the tendon-y bits were well-rendered and things were pretty juicy. Links were solid, heavy on sage and more breakfast-y than some other renditions, but with the familiar chunky grind. I was a happy camper, and I hope you are too when you hurry back to this re-opened vertex of the BBQ Triangle.

mtgl wrote:Driving home from class yesterday, I noticed a friendly sight on Cottage Grove: the neon "OPEN" sign at Barbara Ann's all lit up, a customer walking out the door. Having already gorged myself on free food, I made a mental note to return soon.

That 'soon' turned out to be today. I asked when they reopened--"Last week," came the friendly cashier's reply. A blessing, indeed. I sated my hunger with a jumbo tips and links, sauce on the side. Everything was pretty damn good. The tips especially were nice, the bark quite good. It was a bit overdone/carbonized in some places, but still the tendon-y bits were well-rendered and things were pretty juicy. Links were solid, heavy on sage and more breakfast-y than some other renditions, but with the familiar chunky grind. I was a happy camper, and I hope you are too when you hurry back to this re-opened vertex of the BBQ Triangle.

so .. this place is up and running? I'm confused.

Roger Ramjet wrote:

mtgl wrote:Driving home from class yesterday, I noticed a friendly sight on Cottage Grove: the neon "OPEN" sign at Barbara Ann's all lit up, a customer walking out the door. Having already gorged myself on free food, I made a mental note to return soon.

That 'soon' turned out to be today. I asked when they reopened--"Last week," came the friendly cashier's reply. A blessing, indeed. I sated my hunger with a jumbo tips and links, sauce on the side. Everything was pretty damn good. The tips especially were nice, the bark quite good. It was a bit overdone/carbonized in some places, but still the tendon-y bits were well-rendered and things were pretty juicy. Links were solid, heavy on sage and more breakfast-y than some other renditions, but with the familiar chunky grind. I was a happy camper, and I hope you are too when you hurry back to this re-opened vertex of the BBQ Triangle.

so .. this place is up and running? I'm confused.

Yes, Barbara Ann's is up and running, open for business, selling barbecue.

Barbara Ann's Bar-B-Que
7617 S Cottage Grove Av
Chicago
773-651-5300
noon-midnight Tue-Thu, noon to 3am Fri-Sat, closed Sun-Mon

Edited to correct hours.

Rene G wrote:Yes, Barbara Ann's is up and running, open for business, selling barbecue.

Barbara Ann's Bar-B-Que
7617 S Cottage Grove Av
Chicago
773-651-5300
noon-midnight Tue-Sat

Have you had any opportunity to try it yet?

Regards,

I haven't been there yet and I expect that since Mack made the move to Uncle John's BBQ this is now just another BBQ place.

Is there any reason to detour from Uncle John's BBQ or Lem's?

There was, when it was open after closing before closing before opening again. I'm looking forward to some freshly smoked data this weekend.

Barbara Ann's was once a GNR (whereas Lem's has never had that distinction!), and ought not to be overlooked. Things were exactly as I remembered them in my trip yesterday. Depending on one's own mood and the time of day, BA's tips and links are sometimes better than UJ's. Yesterday, the tips were better than UJ's, while the links could've perhaps used a bit more smoke to them. Also, lines tend to be shorter here at peak hours. The reason for my previous trip to BA's was because lines at the other two establishments were out the door and around the corner. After my party devoured an entire pan of Barbara Ann's links, I wondered why I ever doubted BA's.

Second this. I don't think anyone ever suggested that BA's ceased being destination BBQ after Mack left. In my experience, the guys that stayed did a great job keeping up standards. I have not been back post-fire.

A beautiful sight: Barbara Ann's open for business.



When I called last week to check their hours, I think I got some misinformation. I edited my post above to note the later weekend closing times.



Tip and link combo was as good as ever, right up there with the best renditions of this classic Chicago meal.



Barbara Ann's has been preparing topnotch barbecue for many years, presumably long before Erik M first wrote about them on Chowhound over ten years ago. I thought this batch of Barbara Ann's rib tips (and also Lem's on a recent visit) was superior to a couple recent orders from Uncle John's, though I remain a huge fan of the place. I think sometimes at Uncle John's, when the line stretches out the door, they pull the meat out of the pit a little sooner than is ideal. If you limit yourself to a single vertex of the barbecue triangle (or might it be a quadrilateral?), that's your business, but you might be missing out on some good eating.

Barbara Ann's Bar-B-Que
7617 S Cottage Grove Av
Chicago
773-651-5300
noon-midnight Tue-Thu, noon to 3am Fri-Sat, closed Sun-Mon

Edited to restore photo links.

mtgl wrote:Barbara Ann's was once a GNR

Pretty sure they still are--the last time I was there last spring was to bring them their certificate and while we may have removed them from the list due to the closure, I don't think they lost their GNR status.

Rene G wrote:A beautiful sight: Barbara Ann's open for business.

THAT IT IS ! I was in heaven with the links late Thurs night, as good as I remembered.

Rene G wrote:I thought this batch of Barbara Ann's rib tips (and also Lem's on a recent visit) was superior to a couple recent orders from Uncle John's, though I remain a huge fan of the place.

funny you mention Uncle John's, one of the customers I was chatting with at Barbara Ann's said I should go to Uncle John's for rib tips. (This customer had also ordered links)

Sweet Willie wrote:

Rene G wrote:A beautiful sight: Barbara Ann's open for business.

THAT IT IS ! I was in heaven with the links late Thurs night, as good as I remembered.

Tips and links excellent at 12:30 PM yesterday too. Their noon opening always a bonus for me and glad to have them back in the triangle.

Has anyone been to Barbara Ann's lately? We were in the neighborhood last Friday, just after noon, and found the place shuttered. I've called a few times since then. Nobody picks up the phone and the voicemailbox is full.

Ruh-roh. Any intel out there?

--Rich

RAB wrote:Has anyone been to Barbara Ann's lately? We were in the neighborhood last Friday, just after noon, and found the place shuttered. I've called a few times since then. Nobody picks up the phone and the voicemailbox is full.

Ruh-roh. Any intel out there?

I'd been wondering if anyone went to Barbara Ann's anymore. A couple months ago some old friends were visiting for a barbecue tour and Barbara Ann's was one stop.

Barbara Ann's, 2pm Saturday, September 5, 2015


The woman in Barbara Ann's Motel said it had been closed "a while," but didn't have much more to say. I wanted to get some more information before posting here. I just tried calling the motel (773-487-5800) only to find the number has been disconnected. I'd have to say things don't look too good.

any updates with the closing?

I really hope its not gone forever. Used to go here all the time while I was at Chicago State and havent been back in a year or so.

Rene G wrote:Barbara Ann's, 2pm Saturday, September 5, 2015

. . . I'd have to say things don't look too good.

I'd have to say things are looking even worse for Barbara Ann's.

March 2016


Empire Motel and Suites (man, does that sound classy!)
7621 S Cottage Grove Av
Chicago
773-493-4939

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had my fingers crossed it'd be back. A devastating loss.