Smoque BBQ

Reviews 3

A

A Private User

Smoque is the best BBQ Ive had in a long, long time. The shop is located in the Irving Park neighborhood on Chicagos northside. Its a small place that where you would expect good BBQ...and you get it. This place exploded in popularity after being featured on the Food Network show Diners Drive-Ins and Dives. The group I was with had been told to get there between lunch and dinner...dont try to go for either meal. We arrived at about 4:30 and found on-street parking. We got to the door and the line to order was out into the street. After about a half hour wait, we got to the front of the line to place our orders. The menu is pretty limited and pretty much what youd expect at a BBQ place. Their specialty is the smoke bristket which you can get sliced or chopped. They also have pulled pork, Baby Back Ribs and St. Louis Style ribs. I went with the pulled pork sandwhich and one side. The pork came piled high on a buttered roll. They put a little bit of sauce on top but also gave you a sdie of sauce. This is a very Carolina style sauce...very vinegary...which I LOVED! The complaint Ive heard from most people is the sauce isnt thick enough...this is NOT a KC style sauce...its very thin and has a very strong vinegar taste. For the side, I ordered the fries. They were fresh cut with a hit of a cajun spice. The side order was huge. The plating was pretty interesting for a BBQ joint. The plates were metal trays with parchment paper and the fries were served in a paper bag. The meal also came with cole slaw, but Im not a slaw fan so I didnt try it. Two of the other people in my party ordered the pulled pork platter. This is a pile of the pulled pork again served with the thin BBQ sauce. With the platter, you get two sides. My girlfriend got the Mac and Cheese and the baked beans. Both come in a smal tinfoil cup. The serving size is the thing I hear most people complain about, but do you really go to a BBQ joint to get Mac and Cheese? She thought the size was perfect so she wasnt tempted to keep eating. The Mac and Cheese was very creamy and had a bread crumb topping that made the dish. The beans came with little slices ofthe brisket. She doesnt normally eat beef, but it was so good, she let it slide this time. The other guy I was with ordered the chopped brisket sandwhich. Again, meat piled high on the buttered roll. I didnt hear anyone complaining about their food. We all left stuffed and very satisfied with portion sizes and taste. The biggest complaint was space. This is a very tiny store. Just a handful of tables. We were lucky and were able to get one. Its not quite a "someones leaving, go sit down and well order" type of place. You place your order then a host will seat you if you decide to eat in. Most of the orders were carry-out, so if your patient, you may get a table. Like I said, this places popularity just blew up after the Food Network show. We drove from Peoria pretty much just to eat there. Even with the long wait to place an order and get a table, we were out in less than an hour and a half. Our bill for 4 people was right at $50, but I really think it was money well spent. Smoque is right up there with some of the best BBQ in the country and gets my vote for best in Chicago.

MA

Maque Sim

One of the only restaurants in the Chicagoland area that manages to understand and execute REAL barbecue. They dont just broil your food and soak it in bbq sauce. Ive eaten everything on the menu and everything is more than edible. Real bbq aficionados will appreciate the smoke ring on the bark of the pork and beef. As aforementioned in other reviews the wait can get lengthy but for a barbecue starved city, its worth it. I think that cretin with the bleach blonde tips is a chode so Im not going to mention his stupid show. If youve ever been to his restaurants youll know hes full of bs and youd never take his word on food again. He has the dead palette of a 90 year old grandma. Ive never had an issue parking but I never go to Smoque during peak hours. I like the watery vinegar based sauce as it reminds me of a West North Carolina style sauce. They also have a sweeter sauce that is reminiscent of Memphis barbecue. Again, they dont slop it on your food, which is typical of restaurants masking bad bbq. They serve it on the side the way a good barbecue place should. The sauce should complement and enhance the meat, not cover it up entirely with a corn syrup based goo. Im also fond of their sides. Beans and cornbread were on point. Cole slaw is good but I prefer cream based slaws. (simply a matter of opinion, theirs is vinegar based) I had some of their cobbler for dessert which was also good. With cobbler its easy to screw up the cooking time. A few minutes one way or the other and you either have raw topping or over-caramelized sugar resulting in a taffy like consistency with unpleasant acrid flavors. They nailed it. While I agree that the hype isnt nearly reflective of the actual quality of the place, we dont have a lot of options here in Chicago and these guys are about as good as it gets here. This place is far from where I live but I go at least twice a year with the woman who is practically my wife who happens to also be fond of Smoque. (Never hurts.) Oh, one last thing. TIP THE KIDS WIPING YOUR TABLE. Living in Chicago is expensive. Even in the hood its comparable to living in NY or LA. You just spent $40 on two meals, slip the kid a five you greedy b*stard. Not many people do.

CA

Carlos Navarro

I went there a few years ago and I am still buzzing or rather my Taste Buds are ! Im hearing good things from people I know , whom recently ate their . I went there the day after (Saturday) Steve Z. (Channel 7 / Food Critic) gave them a Sparkling Review ! We came by Public Transportation (113th & Indiana) and as we passed it up , to get to the nearest Stop . We could NOT , believe our eyes : 1》 Its a small " joint " regardless ; Jam Packed Inside (+/- 50 Patrons) ; The line Snaked Out The Door and Down +/- 250 Along the N. Side of the Adjacent Street To The Alley (+/- 100 Patrons) . . . 2》 The Staff was overwhelmed , the Owner/Manager sent Staff out to , Pass Out Free Samples & Water (I was so , Impressed) . . . 3》 In reality that was one of the Best Days , Ive Ever Expierenced ! Not one , verbal altercation . In fact , a rare display of Manners in unison with Gestures and Good Natured Banter . . . 4》 I had a Low Paying Job , when this occurred and Managed To Shell Out $156.00 for Various Cuts and Sides . Everyone of the Plates deserved its Props . . . In conclusion , Still the Best Assortment Of Bar-Be-Cue and Sides (Greens , Mac & Cheese & Corn Bread & Slaw) " For A-L-L -L TIME " ! More important (Primarily Due To Present Circumstances) , Ill Never Forget , How Well We Treated Each Other , Under Less Than Utopian Circumstances (WAY LESS) ! Please , Please , Please ! ITS SIMPLE , ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TREAT EACH OTHER , AS WED LOVE TO BE TREATED ! THAT ISNT TOO MUCH TO , ASK FOR . THE BOTTOM LINE YOU GET MORE OUT OF IT THAN YOU PUT INTO , IT . . . THX , Stevie Z.