Hecky's Barbecue
Categories: Southern, Cajun/Creole, Barbeque [Edit]
1902 Green Bay Rd(between Asbury Ave & Emerson St)
Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 492-1182
- Nearest Transit:
Foster (Purple, Evanston Express)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
21 Reviews for Hecky's Barbecue
This place is all about the sauce. The meat is average--I've had better. But the sauce is outstanding. Highly recommend the pulled pork sandwhich. Quite delicious. They also deliver for those of you on the north side.
Hoo boy, was that good. I hadn't been to Hecky's for years. I used to live near here around the turn of the century, and Hecky's was a takeout staple. Today I got a big pile of food and headed over to the lakefront park just south of the NU campus. It was a little breezy for a picnic, but luckily all the droplets of sauce blew into my mouth and not on my clothes.
Pulled pork sandwich: B. Tasty but skimpy on meat and the bun was too greasy. However, this was the Keno special--sandwich, fries, soda for $5.
Fries: B+. Crinkle-cut goodness, perfectly cooked to be crispy on the outside and hot and mealy on the inside. Somehow these stayed warm for a really long time.
Turkey drumstick: A-. At $4.75 for this and some fries plus a slice of bread, this is one of the best lunch values in Evanston. This is not your grandmother's Thanksgiving drumstick; it's deliciously moist and there is a ton of meat on this thing. Plus, you know, the barbecue sauce, which certainly was not standard at my childhood Thanksgivings. At least 6 napkins required.
Rip tips snack pack: A-. By this time I was ready to burst, but I ate most of the rib tips because they are damn good. Another good value at $5.65.
Corn muffin: D-. An afterthought in my order, and obviously an afterthought to Hecky.
It was all just as good as I remember. The sauce is very, very close to my Platonic ideal of Barbecue Sauce. Perhaps just a shade too tangy, but excellent. I'll have to start coming back here every once in a while. I'll stick to one meal per visit though, instead of three like today.
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HURRAY FOR HECKY'S! I am so thrilled with this place. While my boyfriend and I are (and probably forever will be) loyal and diehard fans of Fat Willy's in Chicago, this is another excellent BBQ joint and we've been hoping for one that was close to us. Hecky's is probably a 5-10 minute drive for us and we went there on a Monday and MET HECKY! He's super nice and it's always great to see someone in that position still putting your order together.
There is absolutely no seating; it's one of those places where you take it to go, but while we were waiting, it seemed a lot of the locals were coming in to pick up their orders, which is always a good sign.
Also, another nice surprise was they have Half Off Ribs Mondays, so we got a full slab of baby back ribs, which ended up being like $10. (I think we know what we're having for dinner on Mondays now.) We also got the turkey BBQ drumstick because this 90 pound girl wanted a turkey leg the size of her forearm to gnaw on like a neandarthal. It's seriously like a foot long drumstick and I don't know how Hecky's does it, but it's tender and moist--unlike any turkey I've ever had. Oh, and it's slathered in BBQ sauce, which is heavenly. Like everyone said, Hecky's food indeed is very saucy. We were worried because with that in mind, we were afraid that 'saucy' meant 'sauce to cover up the lack of flavor in the meat' kind of saucy. But rest assured, there is flavor in the meat and in the sauce. We also bought a pulled pork sandwich and while we've been spoiled by Fat Willy's with huge sandwiches (pulled pork stuffed into a submarine roll), the pulled pork sandwhich is actually pulled pork stuffed into a hamburger size bun, but it's still delicious. Like, melt-in-your-mouth saucy deliciousness that I will return for.
We also got some sides--mac & cheese, greens, coleslaw and some corn muffins. Those ended up being relatively mediocre. The muffins even tended to be on the dry side. However, the boyfriend somehow snuck in a purchase of baked beans (much to my dismay for obvious reasons) into our order and it ended up the baked beans being the best of the sides.
We will be definitely be going back for the ribs and the pulled pork sandwich. Those are probably some of the best deals up in Evanston that I can think of for that BBQ craving. I would probably pass on the sides, but that's no problem at all because sometimes all a girl really needs is some good BBQ to satisfy that BBQ craving--nothing more.
BTW, as soon as you're within a block of Hecky's you can smell their mouthwatering BBQ in the air and resisting is going to be hard. Don't say I didn't warn you.
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This is one of those places you want to love. Hecky's is an institution in Evanston. They've been here for decades, they do great community outreach, but I hate to say that I'm just not a fan. The sauce has that phony liquid smoke taste and is sort of runny. Ordered this for delivery and it took 2 hours to get to us and was cold (we're a 10 minute drive away). Liquid smoke does not count as BBQ in my book - there are other places in the area that actually smoke their food if you want the good stuff.
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This is an institution- I've been getting food here for at least 20 years.
As the sign says, it's the sauce. That's mostly true, but it's the fact that everything is wood-smoked; not to mention prepared and served with pride. You don't see Hecky Powell, the owner, on site quite as much as in the past, but it hasn't declined here at all. I stopped in here for a pork sandwich about 5 years ago and not only was he on site, he was doing the cooking!
Portions are extremely generous. My princess (who has the extreme privilege of working less than a block away) and I shared the Super Mutt (fries, 6 wings, rib tips, and a hot link) and had some left over.
If you've never been here, you should know that it's all carry-out. Actually, very few people know this, but there's a small dining room one door west on Emerson but you have to ask if you can go in there since it's not always open. Lunchtime is your best bet for getting in there.
These are the best rib tips I've ever had. They're small, maybe a good bit fatty, but they give you a ton and the flavor is unparalleled among all the rib tips I've had across this great land of ours.
I strongly recommend Hecky's as an option for a picnic- take it to the lakefront park just south of the Northwestern campus on Sheridan Road, or get a box of ribs, tips, or even a Mutt and take it up to Ravinia for a concert on the lawn. Yes, the people with their silver candelabra and gourmet-catered affairs will look at you funny as you lick the sauce off your fingers, but you're living the High Life.
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Kudos to all of the other Yelpers who've pointed out that Hecky's really IS all about the sauce. I've been to some other BBQ havens, especially some acclaimed places down south like Goode's in Houston, where they pride themselves on serving the sauce on the side. A lot of those places will even sneer at any establishment that serves their food with any sauce, let alone smothered in like Hecky's does, and dismiss it as not being real BBQ.
I sneer at the sneerers, because there are lot of us in this world who just love, love, LOVE good BBQ sauce, and as far as sauce goes then Hecky's may be just as good as it gets. It's smoky and molasses-y and like any good BBQ sauce it stains your clothes permanently.
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I laughed out loud reading some of the previous reviews for Hecky's... how can there be complaints about the BBQ being too saucy, or the meat "drowning" in sauce, when the restaurant's clearly stated motto is "IT'S THE SAUCE" ?!?!? I don't think Hecky could have made this point any clearer, haha.
5 stars for the pulled beef sandwiches (my absolute favorite), the fries, and oh yes of course...THE SAUCE!
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The ribs and the pulled pork sandwiches are to die for. Seriously good food and seriously good sauce.
Best BBQ on the North Shore. I always get the ribs or the pulled pork sandwich and it never fails. As of recently, I've also been throwing the, "Mutt Special" into the mix. The sauce is absolutely amazing, Service with a smile, what more can you ask for?
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Apparently they're famous for their barbeque sauce, which is sweet and tasty, but stil...isn't this place a little overrated? We recently got some sandwiches - chicken and turkey - and they were both tasty, but not superb. I guess I personally had issues with the sauce dripping everywhere and soaking up the bread.
Or maybe it was the wait. We ordered well in advance before leaving to pick up the food, but regardless, we stood there waiting for over 30 minutes. I might as well buy their sauce online and make it at home.
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Since, as everyone knows, Natashka is not moved by human rights or baseball, I did not go here because Mister Hecky supports little leage and all manner of philanthropic goal. I went here to satisfy my Carniverous Appetites. And I can report that Hecky's satisfies more than some men ever will.
I am suspicious of any yelper with name like "Kake" to judge barbeque sauce (see below review of Hecky). Kake was name of my first teddy bear. Let me just say I would travel from the Winter Palace all the way to Evanston for Hecky's Barbeque sauce. Luckily, weather is similar in both locations so I do not have to change my hat on the way.
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Can either be the best or mediocre rib experience you've ever had depending on when you get there. The sauce is hands down the best.
I debate between 3 and 4 stars and would like to give them 3.5....anyway, The ribs here go either way. They were drowning in the sauce (so if you care for ribs drowning in sauce) and the sauce is pretty good - the baby back ribs were definately leaner but I wasn't fond of them. Definately didn't appeal to my senses. But their usual ribs were very tender and fell right off the bone and those were really yummy.
The rib tips were really good, too - service is decent. You can either order online or over the phone - they deliver (extra $3.50 charge) or pick up for free.
You do get seasoned fries and a slice of white bread with your ribs to dip in the sauce and clog up those arteries some more. oh, yeah - I like their coleslaw, too :) If you have a choice between their ribs - just go with their original - meatier and fattier but much better tasting!
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Really not that great compared to the competition in town. But I have found to each there own when it comes to BBQ and Hecky's has a following.
Do not care for their sauce. Everything is drowned in it.
It was a sad day in Evanston when he was sited for the smoke that he put out. He had to stop that and it hasn't smelled as good as it did in the ol' days
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Owner Hecky Powell opened this BBQ and southern comfort food joint in 1983 and has since gathered a strong legion of followers. Hecky's food is old-fashioned, hardy, stick-to-your-ribs, good. Vegetarians, this is probably not the place for you. Offering a spread of ribs, rib tips, chicken, burgers, hot links and pork with classic sides such as baked beans, corn bread, and greens....you will not leave Hecky's hungry. If you manage to save room, savor the peach cobbler or the family recipe sweet potato pie.
Having trouble deciding? No problem...order the "Mutt" special and get a little of everything. If you're curious about the origination of the special's name ask a local and get the full story.
If the already cheap prices aren't enough for you, stop in for a boxed lunch special. The lunches rotate and none come close to the same old same old.
While some may already be familiar with Hecky's Chicago, I must recommend you make the trip up to Evanston to experience the original. It is truly worth the trip. So stop in to Hecky's and find out why everybody agrees: "It's the sauce!"
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It's a total neighborhood joint for any Evanston boy; Hecky is a nice man who's done a lot of good stuff for the community, so it's doubly nice that his restaurant kicks four kinds of butt.
Good barbecue -- the sauce is well above average. Purists scoff at BBQ drowned in sauce but it works here, especially since the meat isn't really all that amazing.
But the fried chicken -- my god in wine-dark heaven, the fried chicken. Soooooo good. (Sooooooo incredibly bad for you, too, but let's not go there.) Seriously, if you're burned out on fried chicken because you think it's all Popeye's and KFC, check this stuff out.
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Oh goddess . . . RIB NIRVANA. Just the smell of this gets my taste buds goin' all Pavlovian. "It's the Sauce", and it's totally true, this place is the real deal. WORTH the drive to Evanston, and I dare you not to bust open the box on the way home to sample just a bit. I've been going there for years, and have always gotten the Rib Tip Dinner just 'cos I am so in love with it, but I'm sure anything they make is going to be supremely delicious. These are RIBS, baby, can I give it more than 5 stars? GO!!
And you know a rib place is oldskool when they give you that inexplicable slice of white bread (to wipe your fingers? lick them!!) and cole slaw. The slaw is yummy too!
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Heckys was at one point , in my opinion , the best place for ribs in the area. At some point in the late 90's , they started smoking the ribs too much or something because I bought about 5 slabs of ribs in a row that were way too tough. I can't verify if they have corrected this problem in the last 6 or so years , I probably should check back but haven't yet. All that said , this place has The Best rib tips anywhere , period. This is in large part because of their sauce , which is the best I've ever tasted. Heckys sauce is the yardstick I measure any bbq sauce up against anywhere. The area has much improved in the last 10 years , and is now college town trendy . I'd be surprised if they haven't expanded and have a outdoor cafe by now. I used to go here when there was a counter and a register, that's it , and that was all they needed. Go here for the tips , try the ribs , they were still pretty good even when they were over done. Writing this has inspired me to give the ribs another shot , check back later.
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Hecky's is right around the corner from my house so I've got that going for me, which is nice. It's good stuff if you like sauce-driven meats but, location aside, I'd answer my bbq cravings at bbq bob's every time.. .
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the first food i had in all of chicago came from hecky's. i'd just arrived in evanston after a long damned drive from detroit; it was move-in season at northwestern. given my disposition as a degenerate, i don't go to school. nawh, my beau attends northwestern. the hellish task of helping him move two trucks full of crap you'd normally find in buffalo bill's moth/sewing dungeon from detroit to chicago was worth it to sample hecky's chicken, though.
thusfar i've only had the chicken. i need to get back soon and shovel some pulled pork down my carne-hole. the sauce, oh god the sauce! i've shamelessly slathered it on already deadly fried chicken and french fries and inhaled it like i was andy dick backstage at dubya's inauguration. and was so struck by the sheer artery-clogging bliss that i could not possibly have cared about shaving a year off my life.
right now, there's a "FREE TANK JOHNSON" poster in the window, and a yellow shortbus omnipresently parked nearby.
go hecky!
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Great ribs for delivery in the Evanston area.
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