Black Dog Smoke & Ale House
| Address: | 320 N Chestnut St, Champaign, IL 61820, USA |
| Phone: | +1 217-954-0465 |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
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L Esther
From another reviewer: "The hype here is largely caused by the self-imposed shortages of items like beef ribs and burnt ends. They run out every day, which either means they are inept planners (unlikely) or are doing this on-purpose to shape demand. The fact that the waiters make a big overt announcement to diners that there are only a few portions left suggests the latter. Ive actually had the burnt ends, which is a dish I generally enjoy, but these were a letdown. The fact that they continue to have daily shortages begs the question of just how popular these items would be if you could actually get them on demand." I am not sure you understand what "burnt ends" are. They are not something that can be accurately predicted or prepared "on demand". They are exactly what the name would suggest: the burnt ends of the meat that are a result the of the smoking process. There is no saying how much will be produced. I cant speak for the lack of availability of beef ribs, but I can say that when it comes to real bbq, nothing can be prepared "on demand". It takes hours. So, if a lot of people order a particular item one day, and they only have so much room to smoke, they are going to run out of things. They are not a factory. Perhaps you would be more satisfied at the type of place that has vats of pre-cooked items in the kitchen that only need to be heated before serving. I am thinking something in the vein of Applebees riblets. I think the concept of Black Dog is lost on people like you.
SA
Sam N
Ive been going to the Black Dog in Urbana for a few years and have always enjoyed it. The Urbana location was small, and always busy. This was a fresh change. The food is nearly identical. The quality is just about the same. The bourbon selection is pretty good. I found some Stagg Jr. around $8.00 a pour, not a bad price. They have a great rotating bourbon selection, just like their Urbana location. The new modern decor really helps. Also does the added space. The bigger dining room doesnt make the place seem cramped. What needs improvement is the service. Our service was very short and not very friendly. This was on 1/10/16 around 7:45pm. It seemed our server just wanted to call it a night and peace out. Bad service leads to a bad experience. If you fix the service, then youve got a 5 Star establishment.
SA
Sam Mang
Speaking quality wise, this is one of the best BBQ places in town. Their ribs are delicious, chicken is good, their rib tips are huge, sausages are good, and their fries are the best in my opinion. Their sauces are quite nice and arent necessary to enjoy the food, but are good options. There are sadly some downs that prevent me from giving it a 5, the brisket is good, but not amazing, which is a dish I expect top notch BBQ joints to be able to cook. Also the burnt ends, while seemingly the favorite of people, seems to me to be just cut off portions of brisket. While this is the right cut of burnt ends, I dont think they get the treatment that makes them burnt ends (being smoked again, etc). Their cornbread used to be out of this world, but they changed them so now theyre just decent.
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Terrence Stuber
Black Dog Champaign has much more room than their original location in Urbana, however the food still tastes the same...GREAT! I love the atmosphere of the old train station. Great choice for a second location; your saved a hidden gem and you have expanded your BBQ empire! If you BBQ and have never tried their burnt ends...you should be ashamed of yourself! They sell out fast, but once you have some...youll understand why. If you arent fortunate enough to get some of these...try ANYTHING else. They take great care of there food, and the staff is pretty awesome in both locations. If you and hungry for BBQ for lunch sometime...Do yourself a favor...if you dont have time to sit down to eat...call in a lunch order (lunch starts at 11am in Urbana). You can thank me later.
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Nicholas Storm
I dont get the hype; was the food good? Yes, for the most part, but I do have a couple gripes. First, we were told the wait would be 20-30 minutes... it was 50. Next, we were advised to order the burnt ends so we did as an appetizer; the "burnt ends" we were served were little more than sliced point... it was pretty good brisket, but burnt ends are supposed to be point thats cut then smoked a second time, which is not what we were served. Things were better after that, everyone liked their entrees, service was solid, and they have a pretty extensive beer selection. Bit pricey for BBQ, but if youre too lazy to spend all day by your smoker and rather have someone else do it for you, then Black Dog in Champaign is a solid option.
JO
John Kokoris
Fantastic barbecue. Maybe my all-time favorite and Ive been to many around the country. Id tell you to order the Burnt Ends, but I want to make sure they have some when Im there. Potato salad is a bit spicy but great! And the twice baked, cheesy potato casserole is another great side option. Get the corn bread—theres pepper and meat baked into it—and a couple sauces. The cole slaw is good but not the sweet and creamy kind youre used to if youre from Chicago. Ok, as for the meat, you really cant go wrong. The brisket, pork, and sausage are probably the best options as far as regular BBQ fare (OK, aside from the supreme Burnt Ends), but the burger is quite good too. Dont pass up an opportunity to eat here.
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Kevin Hauger
Black Dog BBQ is a favorite among the locals and students who attend(ed) the University of Illinois in Champaign. Great selection of BBQ, sides, and alcohol. Always great service and very friendly staff. Be sure to plan on waiting 20 - 45 minutes to be seated. They now use an iPad to have customers sign in and they will text you when youre table is ready. While waiting you can grab a beer or soda and they will just add it to your tables bill when you eventually get seated. You have to try all the BBQ Sauces. Get the sampler for only $2. TIP: Burnt Ends run out fast, but they replenish them around 4 Oclock for dinner. So if you want Burnt Ends, you have to eat an early lunch or early dinner.
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limed99
Food was fantastic but service was worst Ive had in years. We were seated promptly and our order was taken quickly but our waiter disappeared. Other staff brought out our appetizers and food promptly but our drinks went dry and we had to flag down another waitress to get refills. Our waiter never came back at all. I noticed people from 2 other tables taking empty glass up to the bar for refills since their waiter must have disappeared as well. Come on black dog, you could have made another $20-$30 from our table alone on refill opportunities. I was ready to drink some beer but could never get it! Oh yeah, at 4 in the afternoon they ran out of 4 different menu items including the advertised special.
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Blingram87
Best barbecue in the region, hands down! If you want burnt ends, you have two small windows of time per day to get some because the servers will yell out "86 ENDS" before you know it (Meaning no more burnt ends available). Burnt ends go FAST. Both locations are comparable in quality and freshness of food. I usually go to the Champaign location for proximity reasons. The food is delicious and the service is adequate, even during peak times. Good selection of beers as well as barbecue sauces (get the flight if youre new/unfamiliar) Pricing is fair and the parking is plentiful at both locales. P.S. Get the cornbread, you wont regret it.
