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Smoque BBQ
Categories: Barbeque, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Irving Park3800 N Pulaski Rd
(between Avondale Ave & Grace St)
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 545-7427
- Nearest Transit:
-
Irving Park (Blue)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
Chili's Grill & Bar
- Location:
- Skokie, IL
Chili's® Grill & Bar is as bold and flavorful as the food it serves. The energetic, fun atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for a... more »
520 reviews for Smoque BBQ
Review Highlights
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We walked into Smoque's around 2pm on a Saturday and it was very crowded. No available seats. A guy asked us how many and said he would help us find a table. The line moved quickly to place our order. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. My friend ordered the brisket.
We had to stand around awhile aimlessly because there were no available seats. People were sitting around post-meal, which I understand but this is not the type of place to do so because seats are so limited.
When I took the first bite of pulled pork sandwich, I was amazed! It was so good. The bread melts in your mouth and the meat is so tender and flavorful. The macaroni was AMAZING. Not a cole slaw fan--wish I would have substituted the macaroni for cole slaw. My date LOVED the brisket as well. He got cornbread which HE LOVED which is to say lot because his mother is a baker. The beans were wonderful as well.
It seems you can do no wrong at Smoque's
Had another good meal here recently, and I think they've earned another star. The BBQ beans were amazing(and have now become my favorite thing on their sides menu), and I only wish they'd make the portion of the macaroni and cheese they get(if you choose this as your side) equal to the portion you get of the BBQ beans. Finally tried the Saint Louis ribs, and those are excellent! The sauce that comes with the ribs(it has a very tomato-based taste) compliments the ribs very well. Peach cobbler isn't too bad, not my favorite place I've had it at, but certainly is still very enjoyable(and within the city of Chicago, how many places serve it anyway? not very many).
I'm starting to think the cole slaw issue is just more of a matter of taste, as I just prefer cole slaw that isn't heavy in vinegar. But I've gotten past this, and my opinion of this place is definitely on the way up.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/24/2008
Got to Smoque for the first time this week, and have to say it underwhelmed me more than I thought… Read more »
Check off another long time renowned Yelp bookmark. We came by and picked up a carryout slab of St Louis ribs and they did not disappoint. The ribs were lean and meaty, with an intense smoked flavor, and just the right touch of spiciness when accompanied with their sauce. Hard to say if Smoque or any one particular rib joint is the "best", but Smoque certainly sets the bar for smoked style of ribs in our experience. We also like LL Woods, and Famous Dave's for their style of rib preparation and flavoring. We need to hit Lem's soon to compare.
The accompanying mac n cheese and cornbread were also very good and fresh, though the size of the sides was small. For $19.95 for a slab and 2 sides and cole slaw, it's a good value nonetheless. We didn't care for the vinegary cole slaw.
There was a 1 hour wait time for call-in carryout orders at 4:45pm (pick-up at 5:45pm) on a Sunday. We learned that you can just walk up and maybe wait 30 minutes total if you see the line go from the counter to the door. They are experienced and pretty quick with the lines. I'm sure the wait times are all over the map depending on day and time. Nearby street parking was easy to find. What's with all these restaurants on the NW side of Chicago anyway (Kumas, Hot Doug's) - don't they have any where you can just come in and order and eat ??
Great meal for $10. If you like BBQ and don't care about the atmosphere of the restaurant; you've got to check this place out.
2 full meals for $25, pretty awesomely cheap Sunday dinner out.
The Brisket is great. I decided to order even before the woman behind me in line was making gross noises about ordering it. She cemented the deal for me, and it was worth it.
We arrived at 5:15 on a Sunday night and only stood in line for 15 minutes.
This is the point where I wish Yelp offered half stars....because if they did, I would give Smoque 4 and a half enthusiastic thumbs up. But, being from Texas and knowing the true definition of authentic bbq, I just can't give it 5 stars.
However, the one feeling I had after last night's last minute decision to venture to Smoque was...when's the next time we're going??? We happened to stumble in there at the right time...because as we sat down, we looked up and all of a sudden the line was out the door. Thank goodness for good timing, because I was starving!
The fiance and I split a half chicken, brisket (sliced, not chopped), cornbread, mac and cheese, and cole slaw. I am a brisket fanatic, but I have to say, I thought the chicken was even better. Everything was really delicious.
One small downside...and it's really only because, as my fiance says, I don't like people...they pack you in to these tables, and we were seated across from each other, but pretty much packed in like sardines with a people on either side. At first, I was a bit uncomfortable, as though I were eavesdropping on these other tables...but once the food came, I was so engrossed in the delicious meal, I hardly even noticed anyone else was even there.
I have been to Smoque on many an occasion and it has consistently proven to be the best BBQ I've had anywhere, hands-down. Though the restaurant has seating, I've usually enjoyed the food in the comfort of my own home, thanks to take-out. Recently I surprised my fiance with a mid-day meal from Smoque and knew I was going to score major points with him for that. This place serves the best pulled pork and sliced brisket sandwiches of all BBQ places in Chi (probably even the US). The slaw is crunchy and fresh, cornbread is delicious, baked beans are unreal they are so tasty. Inexpensive, and while you may have to wait a while to get your meal (lines sometimes to the back wall), make the time, because it is soooo worth it.
My first experience with Smoque involved cold, leftover pulled pork. Honestly, after that, I was sold.
M'lady and I went in on Saturday for lunch to try it hot and fresh...I wish there was a sixth star.
Not only is the food delicious, but you get SO MUCH for your money.
For around $20, we got the brisket plate with two sides (the day's special of brisket chili as well as baked beans), the pulled pork plate with two sides (double mac and cheese), two drinks, and a side of cornbread...WITH PIECES OF REAL CORN INSIDE!!! HOLY COWS!!!!!
And, if I may say so, I think they're cooking with holy cows because it was allllllllllllllll delicious (and yes, I know pork is not cow...I was just making an animal pun. Woot!)
Hooray for Smoque.
Oh, um, super friendly staff, too.
Fast-food BBQ - Just be warned!!
The food is decent but nothing to write home about. Sauce has a good taste and I thought the brisket was the best item on the menu. It was really tender and had the right amount of sauce. Don't get the bread - it is uncessary calories.
You feel pretty gross after you eat for several reasons: the seating is smooshed together, the food is greasy and obviously bad for you, and the place seems a bit...dirty. Sorry to say.
Parking is a big annoying too cause it is on a main street with lots of no-parking signs. The price isn't bad, but again it is fast food for sure.
Score another victory for the Food Network's #1 show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I love barbecue and Smoque does it right.
We were in town for the USC/Notre Dame game and decided to break our tradition of having pizza on the first night so we could try this legendary restaurant. And it was a little bit of a tough sell because from our hotel in downtown it looked like it was half way to O'Hare. But after the first few bites the consensus was that it was worth the $20 cab ride.
I went with the baby back ribs and they were the best I have ever had. I liked that they were served with the sauce on the side so you could appreciate the rub that not only flavored the meat but caramelized slightly to give the ribs a great texture. The girlfriend, J, is a brisket fan and she declared the brisket at Smoque the best she's ever had.
So why 4-stars and not 5? Well for me the barbecue experience has to have great sides. The sides at Smoque are great. We had a combination of mac & cheese, beans, coleslaw and cornbread. But --and this is really nitpicky-- I didn't think the sides were as good as the sides at Baby Blues BBQ in Venice, CA, another Triple D hot spot. But if you haven't had Baby Blues then you don't know what you are missing.
BTW, the peach cobbler is the best peach cobbler I have ever had and if you are a fan of almonds you will love this dessert. It's like fresh peach cobbler and a bear claw had a one night stand and this is their shameful but delicious offspring. Do not pass it up.
...and I was back for the brisket, and it ROCKS. I felt as though I owed them an update after they catered my wedding in September. I just wanted to say that they were awesome. They were right on time and everything was just as we imagined it would be. Tons of rave reviews about the food. If you're looking for something a little more fun and much more delicious for your event I would definitely recommend Smoque. The only thing I would say is that they somewhat overestimated the amount of food we needed. Not that I'm complaining... we froze bags of meat and macaroni and sauce and will be eating Smoque for the rest of the year. :) Thanks guys!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/2/2008
Finger-lickin' good. It was so good I almost crippled myself trying to be a member of the clean… Read more »
Absolutely Amazing. My boyfriend, his father, and I went here last night after hearing that the one and only Guy Fieri had gone here on his show, DDD. Every single thing we had was good. My favorites were the mac-n-cheese, fries, and Brisket. I am such a big fan of the carmelization of BBQed foods, and this place has it down to a science. Truly a great BBQ spot. Do not be scared of a long line it goes really fast, and they work really hard to find you a seat!
What can I say, what can I say, if I lived near Smoque I would redefine obesity.
Ladies and gentleman, this is probably the best BBQ I've had at a restaurant, ever. True, better BBQ is available, but only in someone's back yard or at a cook-off. As for mass produced BBQ, Smoque is really not just a little better than the rest, it is much much better.
I ordered the St. Louis style ribs, brisket, mac & cheese and corn bread. Holy cow the ribs were good, and you get two different kinds of truly fantastic bbq sauce. They don't serve the same old Cattleman's sauce, they have something different that I have never had before, damn is it good.
It's BYOB, there are napkin dispensers at the tables, prices are extremely reasonable. The dining area isn't fancy at all...they basically focused on the food.
Stop reading yelp reviews about this place and just see for yourself!
So after hearing about this place from a bunch of friends I finally made it in. First off, I'm not a fan of lines or waiting 2 hours like Kuma's corner...not gonna do it. I walked away from this place twice because I didn't want to stand in line.
It is a small place inside and they do not serve liquor.
So I went and patiently waited. I ordered food to go as it was a nice day and figured I'd find a park somewhere, snag a beer or two from a liquor store and eat in the sunshine. I orderd a brisket sandwich, half slab of ribs and a small mac and cheese as I heard it was great.
My ribs were not the tenderest that I've had, the taste was good but I'll take Merle's or Gale Street in over these. The mac and cheese was eehhh, not so great. I can make better mac and cheese at home.
The brisket....now that's where you earned your stars, I'd have rated this place much lower but the brisket is some of the best I've had and I will definitely go back for that.
I like this place. Good food and a pleasant atmosphere. This place does almost everything right. Carnivores will enjoy the variety of meats, side dishes to how you want your meal prepared.
This place has "Hungry Pig" written all over it.
But, the sticking point for me is the sauce. I'm just not into the sauce man. The sides are also pretty damn good, with cornbread being my favorite. This place does everything better than any barbecue place in the area but, again, it is the sauce that fails. It's good but not great.
While most of the meat is amazing... and some background info before I write further:
I don't care about fruit so much
I don't give a damn about peaches
I would eat ribs and bbq sauce every day for the rest of my life if i could
I would bathe in that sauce, could I get enough
...
I usually end up finishing that peach cobbler side at home, and get my hands messiest that way, trying to scrape out the burnt sugar out of the aluminum thingie... it's completely addictive, and... no... not ashamed of it, rather the opposite;-)
Good call, Pall!
Minus:
that asshole on my left, talking my ear off, screaming to be heard (granted the place is busy and loud)
Plus:
BYOB, really can't beat that to go out cheap
Did not steer me wrong. Finally got up there after hearing about this place for years.....
My friend was told to order the chicken; I will absolutely return for that. I'd had the pulled pork and brisket at other venues (Jiucy Wine Co.) and enjoyed the pulled pork platter again. Special brisket chili last weekend was spot-on, esp. with a side of cornbread.
I am not big on french fries, and they really grabbed me. Plenty of pepper (a must), nicely crisp, quite fond of those. Can't wait to go back with my p's who have seen this on various programs.
So, my past review of Smoque got me thinking it was time to revisit, and yup, it was just as good!
Full slab of back ribs was a little heavy on the rub, but I still loved it. The beans were great with nice chunks of meat and onion. Then, my only deviation was trying their brisket chili. It was pretty good, but definitely not as good as other options.
Still, definitely fantastic ribs and BBQ in general. This place has really nailed it.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/25/2009
Holy love of the "Q" (both mine AND theirs)!
This place is SO good (and I pride myself on finding the… Read more »
Great bark and good smoke ring on all the meats.
The sides were very good.
The service was good.
Prices are fair.
The mac and queso was very bueno.
cole slaw and corn bread was muy chingon.
Berry was pleasant and cheerful.
The food was pretty good, but nothing all that spectacular. It will satisfy your BBQ craving, but don't expect anything out of this world.
We had the baby back ribs, chopped brisket and pulled pork as our main dishes and the mac n cheese, peach cobbler, cole slaw and cornbread as our sides. Everything was cooked in cute little silver cups and served on a mini cookie sheet which was very cute. The cornbread was pretty good, but everything else was just average.
Believe the hype. This is fantastic BBQ.
Our party had the pulled pork sandwich, the chicken, ribs (of course), mac & cheese, cornbread, french fries, and peach cobbler. I can't think of a complaint for any of it.
The fries were out-of-this-world.
I love me some Smoque. Nom nom nom...
I will admit I am not a huge BBQ snob, but this is pretty darn good food. The brisket, ribs, pork, and chicken are all super yummy, and the baked beans and mac and cheese are great sides. The cole slaw is vinegar-based, as opposed to mayo-based, and I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. The peach cobbler is a nice finale.
Only drawbacks - it's small, gets crowded, you may have to sit next to people you'd rather not, and I'm gathering the neighborhood folk aren't too pleased with Smoque patrons parking on their street (note the NO SMOQUE PARKING signs). But I can't seem to stay away for too long....
Sweet Jesus! I haven't reviewed Smoque yet? Well, it all started at a friend's birthday party, well it wasn't his birthday, but his daughter's. Anyway, he told me about this wonderful place that sold amazing bbq and brisket. He even had some at the party, what luck! I tried the brisket and it was amazing. The mac and cheese...mouthwatering. I had to have more. I had to be sure it wasn't a fluke.
It wasn't.
I really tried to love this place but you can't have a bbq place and serve sweet tea from a soda fountain. The ribs were pretty tasty, but the chicken came out dry. The service was nice and prices were resonable.
This place is ridiculous! If you are a BBQ snob, like me, you will love Smoque.
As a Texan, I know GREAT barbeque and Smoque delivers!
The brisket is the best outside of Sonny Bryan's in Dallas. The sausage is imported from the world famous Mikeska's.
When I'm homesick for Texas BBQ and I'm in the city, I always stop at Smoque!
My better half has had a hankering for GOOD barbeque for oh, I don't know, TWO YEARS or so. A quick search on Yelp revealed that Smokin' Woody's is nearby, but reviews were mixed. A second quick search revealed an average rating of 4 stars for some place called Smoque BBQ.
We public transit over to Smoque BBQ to discover A HUGE LINE. (I returned home after our meal to discover that the place has 460 reviews, a minor oversight of mine).
Okay, so this place must be good. An hour later we sit down with a sample of everything on the menu--pulled pork, brisket, chicken, ribs, mac & cheese, fries, cole slaw, and baked beans. Was it worth the wait? Hell yes. Everything was fantastic. The long line did not lie. My favorites were the pulled pork, mac & cheese, and fries.
What's almost as amazing as the food is the system. Once you get in the door, a guy asks how many are in your party. He keeps an eye out to let you know where to sit. They have good insight on how long people stay and by the time you are getting your food, your spot is ready. It's really efficient.
On top of all this, Smoque BBQ is BYOB. You can drink in line as you wait!
If you love true Texas barbeque then you will love this place. It still doesn't come close to Salt Lick, Driftwood or Rudy's in Texas but it's pretty good and it's in CHICAGO! I don't have to go all the way to Texas for good barbeque.
Everything looked tasty so I was in a bind. I was eating for one today and I wanted everything. So I ordered taste portions of brisket, pulled pork, texas sausage, mac/cheese, and cole slaw. The brisket is fall-apart good. The pulled pork was a tad dry. The sausage took home the grand prize! It's smoky, garlicky and very flavorful. The casing is crunchy and a good thickness. The mac and cheese was definitely unbelievably tasty. The cole slaw is NOT creamy and heavy on the vinegar. I love it but I can see how those from Chicago don't really like it. I do miss one thing that Texan bbq places always have with their bbq...PICKLES!
I will definitely be back. Go on Sunday and you can park in the attached parking lot without being towed.
I followed Guy Fieri to this place. He had raved about the brisket. And I wasn't that impressed with it. But the ribs and pulled pork were delicious. And the mac and cheese was really good.
We went at an off time (2 pm on a Saturday) and still had to wait a bit for a table. So plan to wait to sit and eat.
On my recent trip to Chicago, Bella(my fat friend) brought me here, It was walking distance from where we were staying.
I ordered the pulled pork combo with 2 side dishes. She got the 1/2 brisket and 1/2 pulled pork and got way more meat than I did! I have never tasted a better mac and cheese in my life. Only problem was that the serving was too small. The pulled pork was really good and so was the brisket.
This is one of the better BBQ places I have been to.
It's been a while since I've written, I may be a bit rusty, but here we go. Last night husband and I tried Smoque. We'd heard so much raving about it, that we were dying to try it. True to what we'd been told there was a line from hell. However I had called ahead at noon to order dinner at 7. Once we got into the door enough for me to see an employee I asked where to go's orders get their goods. He pointed me straight to the front and I was relieved. The place smells of, well...smoke. What did I expect.
We ordered a slab of ribs and a pulled pork sandwich with fries, slaw, cornbread and peach cobler. Seemed like enough to put us in a food coma.
We grabbed the goods and headed home dying to rip into the bag. Portions were generous. They were smart and put the sauce on the side so everything wasn't a gooey mess. We doctored everything up and got to eating. This is our impression.
The ribs fell off the bone they were so tender. Good sign. However the smoke flavor was so incredibly overpowering we couldn't taste the meat at all. It was like eating smoke.
As for my pulled pork. It was tender as can be. Thank god it didn't taste as smokey as the ribs. The sandwich was huge, I couldn't finish. Fries were fresh cut tater style and plenty of them. Slaw was good, not to much mayo (maybe there wasn't any at all) but unfortunately they were peppered with raw red onions that don't sit well in my stomach so I couldn't enjoy them. My husband slurped them up.
Cornbread, if I'm honest...we took one bite each and threw it away. It was terrible. Sorry :(
We saved the cobler, maybe we'll have it this morning with breakfast.
The place is a dive, you'd drive by and miss it unless your windows were down and you smelled the smoke. It was packed, so you know people are coming back. We might try it again and order the chicken. But in my humble opinion, while I enjoy a good smokey flavor to my BBQ, I also want to taste the food. Ribs were a fail on that account. But I enjoyed the hell out of my pork sandwich so, it's like it evens out.
I'm trying not to eat out much lately, but today was a miserable failure. Breakfast at Jam's (biscuits and gravy were good, not great) and lunch at Smoque's.
I was on the Northwest side see, as one is when they're not in another location, and google maps for iphone conveniently informed me I was a mere few blocks from one of the more revered BBQ restaurants in Chi-city. Brilliantly, I made the decision to invest $11 towards keeping my weight up.
The sliced brisket sandwich was off the fucking hook. Just amazing meat. The mac 'n cheese, despite a distinct lack of truffle oil, was also epic. The coleslaw, however, was flavorless and sorely lacking in calorie content. It was not mayo-based see.
The restaurant is fairly clean, with 2 bussers just waiting for you to take your last bite so they can snatch your tray. There were also other randomly scattered employees who have clearly mastered their trade, but appeared none-too-happy to be working there. I caught a couple of random scowls. Maybe it's because I was dressed like a total d-bag? I rocked the untucked Polo shirt, khakis, and flip flops getup today. I might as well have had "How do I get back to Wrigleyville?" tattooed on my forehead.
5 reasons why Smoque is my new favorite BBQ place:
1. ribs taste like real outdoor firewood grilling.
2. Mac & Cheese... OH YES PLEASE.
3. order here/ pick up here ordering style
4. BYOB
5. finally something on the NW side.
Overrated............enough said.
Brisket, yummy. Ribs, yummy. Mac n cheese, pulled pork, cole slaw...everything I've tried was yummy yummy yummy! And byob...yippee! Regarding bang for your buck, Smoque is fantastic.
My belly was so full that I was literally holding it out the door...
After Yelp Summerfest, I convinced Denton J. to head over to Smoque. Sure, we had already feasted on all sorts of deliciousness, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity since we are never in Portage Park.
As we pull in the parking lot, a Range Rover tried to literally beat us through the front door. With only 10 minutes to spare, they wanted some BBQ and were willing to fight me over it.
Um, I don't think so.
Anyway, we got to the door, smelled the deliciousness, and all of us were served. Luckily. Otherwise, I'd have to fight them south side style.
But enough about the drama: let's talk about the food. Oh my, is it sooo mouthwatering good. Denton J. ordered a full slab of ribs and I ordered the pulled pork. It was so good that we just kept on eating, ignoring the fact that we were on our fourth meal of the day. Finally, we called mercy and packed the leftovers to go.
And then we got home and realized, ribs and pulled pork won't taste nearly as good the next day. So we finished the order, like two fatties, at the breakfast bar.
I didn't eat until 3PM the next day.
I have a personal rule that I only give out five stars when a restaraunt does something better than I've ever experienced before (or at least damn close). Smoque met this criteria on with SEVERAL items! First of all, and most importantly, it was the BEST bbq ribs/pulled pork I'd ever had. Listen to me here, EVER! Next, it was the best Mac 'n Cheese I've eaten in my life, and this is coming from someone that considers himself quite the expert on the Mac 'n Cheese.
The line can be a bit of a wait, but it is well worth it. That is, is if you can withstand every single person exiting the place (the exit conveniently next to the line) thinking they are at amateur comedy night at the Apollo. My personal favorite was: "Oh no, they are all out, sorry about that (as they rub their belly)". About every third person out the door gave us that one... However, for every person that made the obnoxious joke, there was another behind them offering a supportive: "Don't worry it's worth the wait (also while they rub their belly; that is a consistent theme)". Overall, if you haven't already been there, I'm jealous of you that you get to go for the first time very soon...
My friends and I had a mean craving for some beers and bbq last night and went to check this place out to see what all the hype was about. I heard it was popular but did not expect to be waiting in line for about 15 minutes on a Tuesday. Thankfully, it's byob so we drank some beers while smelling the deliciousness that awaited.
The best kind of dinner to have with friends is the one where everyone is not shy about sharing their food. But when my buddy asked to share my napkin, it got a little weird. The brisket platter was f-ing awesome. The meat falls apart and melts in your mouth. I got the bbq beans and mac and cheese as sides which completed the holy trinity of bbq. My friends got the st louis ribs and pulled pork sandwich. The ribs didn't have an ounce of fat on them and I imagined the pulled pork tasted exaclty like ms. piggy. Both were awesome. Man, woman, small children, and even domestic pets will enjoy this place.
I *finally* made it to Smoque after how long? I will say this - it is the best BBQ that I've had in Chicago, so I will definitely be going back. I'm happy to finally find a place that makes me want to say that. Three stars just because I have my BBQ favorites, all of which aren't in Chicago, but Smoque will do the trick when I have a hankering. Their sauce is a little bit more vinegar based that I'd like (I'm a sweet fan), but that didn't stop me from eating as much of my pulled pork sandwich as I could. The mac and cheese and cornbread (and my friend's fries) were really good as well. We go there around 6 on a Wednesday, which happened to be perfect timing - we got a table immediately, but by the time we were leaving, the place was really starting to fill up. Is it work an hour+ wait on the weekend, maybe not, but you can call in your order for pick-up!
I saw this place on the Food Network channel about a year ago and decided since I was in Chicago I would check it out.
After a week long marriage to deep dish pizza, I decided that on my last day in Chicago I would check this place out.
I'm not a huge BBQ fan and we don't have a lot of good BBQ in Los Angeles, but I was really impressed with this place. The brisket I had was awesome, it was flavorful and juicy and the sauce was so good, I could drink it. It had a good amount of vinegar in it. I love vinegar.
Anyhow, I'd gladly return to Smoque and as far as BBQ goes, it's far better than any BBQ I've eaten in Los Angeles.
We picked up some pulled pork and some brisket for a concert at Ravinia. We also got some baked beans and cole slaw.
I can't say enough about how fantastic the pulled pork was. It was juicy and tasty and complex. The barbecue sauce was tart and vinegary and really perfect. I thought the baked beans were great too. The brisket was well cooked and tasty. I'll pass on the cole slaw next time though.
Smoque is Smokin'!
With this many reviews, I'll keep my short and let it be known I KNOW good BBQ, having lived in the South for many many years and married into a Southern family. Yes, M'am.
MUST HAVES: sliced brisket, mac and cheese with its wonderfully crumbly topping, ribs, slaw, baked beans, frieds AND peach cobbler that comes in a scrumptiously pecan-crunchy caramelized crust.
MUST NOT HAVES: nothing whatsoever. Well, the sweet ice tea was a little weak, but hey, at least there's that option. I'll still take that, thank you very much.
The leftovers taste just as good the second time around. My stomach and mind are clamoring for another visit very soon.


