Disgusting barbecue. What a disgrace to the craft! Avoid this place at all costs unless you want to crack all of your teeth on they call ‘burnt ends.’ Everything else that my friends and I tried was absolutely disgusting. 🤮
Food: 1
PATTI WHITE
Should be a historical landmark in Barrington!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scotty
The old school atmosphere and sweet wholesome touch of a beautiful waitress not too mention the best brisket benedict I’ve ever had!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
A\u0026A Automotive
Canteen is a hidden gem in Barrington! The smoked food is absolutely delicious—full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is amazing, warm, and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a great meal. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maria S Nasca
I finally stopped after passing this place for years. This place is amazing... in all ways! Starting with the menu, soo many great choices, all kinds of great meats and BBQ. Brisket, pulled pork, corned beef.. and then there's breakfast. Bbq's and Benedicts... if you love diners, BBQ and Benedicts this is a must stop!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maria Rojo
HORRIBLE BBQ.i had such high hopes and i was let down!! I should’ve known that a place that people of barrington Illinois were raving about was not going to be good. Especially a Bbq place. I wish i never paid for this or put this disgusting food in my mouth.
I got the brisket platter. It was like my meat was either pan fried or boiled in water. It came out looking like it had been sitting out in the sun for days. It was brownish gray. It was so dry. Had NOOOO FLAVOR!!! I added salt to EVERY SINGLE BITE. My boyfriend (who eats everything and doesn’t have super high standards) even said it was disgusting- and he likes everything!! I got a side of mac and cheese and it was so grainy and wet and tasted like a frozen meal Mac and cheese. So disappointed. The side wasn’t even good. Putting up a front like this was cooked at a high level…. There were also sooo many little flies everywhere!!!! They kept flying at me or onto the food. It was disgusting and made the experience even worse. I don’t know how everybody there looked like they were enjoying their food because there’s just no way. I think the owner was sitting outside but I’m not sure. But if he was- maybe go inside and try to make some better food because that was terrible and i am so disappointed that i spent my hard earned money on that. Please take the time to better your food and quality.
My boyfriend got a skillet with burnt ends and he said that the sauce was too much and just over powered everything. I didn’t try it but it looked gross.
Don’t be fooled by how cute the place sounds/looks. It’s not good…
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Tasha Siavelis
BBQ for Breakfast? Yes, Please. This Place Nails It!
I honestly didn’t know BBQ breakfast could be this good until I came here. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with the smell of slow-smoked meats and the warm smiles of a staff that clearly loves what they do.
The food? Unbelievable. I had the burnt ends and eggs— every bite was pure comfort. My husband got the diablo brisket skillet and is easily the best he ever tasted — smoky flavor, and ridiculously tender. You can tell it’s freshly smoked every single day. It’s real-deal BBQ done right.
But what really makes this place special is the vibe. It feels like a local treasure — no fuss, just amazing food and even better people. The staff went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect, and their hospitality made the whole experience feel like breakfast at a friend’s house.
If you’ve never had BBQ for breakfast, start here. If you have — this place will still blow you away. Come hungry and leave happy. I’ll be back again and again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anastasia Kulubis
A BBQ Breakfast Experience Like No Other!
I don’t usually write reviews, but this place absolutely deserves the praise. From the moment I walked in, I could smell that rich, smoky aroma of meat that told me I was in for something special — and I wasn’t wrong.
This BBQ spot doesn’t just do lunch and dinner — they’ve taken things to the next level with a BBQ breakfast that blew me away. I ordered the smoked brisket with eggs, and every bite was packed with deep, smoky flavor, perfectly seasoned potatoes, and melt-in-your-mouth brisket. You can see they smoke their meats fresh daily outside! This is the real deal.
But the burnt ends? On another level. Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender inside, with that perfect taste that only comes from hours in the smoker. Best I’ve ever had — no exaggeration.
Beyond the food, the service was top-notch. The staff was genuinely friendly, welcoming, and treated everyone who walked in like a regular, even if it was their first visit. It’s that kind of warm, local charm that makes you want to come back before you’ve even finished eating.
The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the quality is unmatched. Whether you’re a BBQ fanatic or just someone looking for a breakfast that’s a little out of the ordinary — this place is a must-try.
I’ll definitely be back, and next time I’m bringing friends. Five stars all the way!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nad Sokolovska
Hands down the best BBQ I’ve ever had!!! The Burnt ends melt on your mouth. The brisket and the pork were out of this world. They smoke meats there daily. I had such a great experience here! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the staff was friendly and attentive, and everything was well organized. I would definitely recommend this place and look forward to coming back again!!!!
Staff is extremely friendly. Atmosphere is fun, clean and hip. The restaurant claims to have the best brisket “This side of Texas”. I’ve lived in TX love to smoke a full packer brisket. So I went in excited to give it a try.
What I was served certainly didn’t meet standard. It might have just been an off day. I didn’t get that fresh brisket flavor and simply elected not to eat it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Sonny Bamra
HORRIBLE BBQ. This place is a disgrace, Gordon Ramsay would have a heart attack if he attempted to turn this place around.
Let me start with the brisket platter. This place has smokers on display outside of their restaurant along with grills, various other charcoal contraptions and yet…..when ordering my brisket, I received a pan-fried brisket that you can easily tell they heated on a pan because of the marks on the brisket itself. BLAND, no flavor whatsoever and the brisket tasted old. Really old. Then the sides, Mac n cheese and coleslaw. Mac n cheese was grainy, separating, hot, so hot that you instantly knew it was microwaved. Just plasticky taste, absolutely disgusting. Coleslaw was absolutely miserable, I have had better coleslaw at KFC and Popeyes. I also ordered a sausage link and it was inedible. I mean literally inedible. I think the owners have given up or maybe nobody simply cares. There is no standard at this place. The sauce was literally possibly Baby Kay’s watered down to save costs and there were bugs everywhere inside. My wife even had a gnat crawling on her plate. I instantly got bubble guts and now who knows how long I will be using the bathroom for. I wish I had never gone here, please don’t waste your money. For $70, which is what I spent, you can have some damn good food at home. Plus some wine to go along with it. This place should have the health inspectors come check it out, I bet they get shut down immediately.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kathy Maish
The food was excellent. The only issue was their air conditioning wasn't working. We would have loved to eat outside however there was a guy smoking a cigar at one of the tables that stunk up the whole area. It would have been nice for the patio to be no smoking.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tina Hill
The best burnt ends beef brisket I ever ate! A great small diner that know how to make a barbecue!!
Disgusting barbecue. What a disgrace to the craft! Avoid this place at all costs unless you want to crack all of your teeth on they call ‘burnt ends.’ Everything else that my friends and I tried was absolutely disgusting. 🤮
Food: 1
Should be a historical landmark in Barrington!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The old school atmosphere and sweet wholesome touch of a beautiful waitress not too mention the best brisket benedict I’ve ever had!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Canteen is a hidden gem in Barrington! The smoked food is absolutely delicious—full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is amazing, warm, and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a great meal. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I finally stopped after passing this place for years. This place is amazing... in all ways! Starting with the menu, soo many great choices, all kinds of great meats and BBQ. Brisket, pulled pork, corned beef.. and then there's breakfast. Bbq's and Benedicts... if you love diners, BBQ and Benedicts this is a must stop!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
HORRIBLE BBQ.i had such high hopes and i was let down!! I should’ve known that a place that people of barrington Illinois were raving about was not going to be good. Especially a Bbq place. I wish i never paid for this or put this disgusting food in my mouth.
I got the brisket platter. It was like my meat was either pan fried or boiled in water. It came out looking like it had been sitting out in the sun for days. It was brownish gray. It was so dry. Had NOOOO FLAVOR!!! I added salt to EVERY SINGLE BITE. My boyfriend (who eats everything and doesn’t have super high standards) even said it was disgusting- and he likes everything!! I got a side of mac and cheese and it was so grainy and wet and tasted like a frozen meal Mac and cheese. So disappointed. The side wasn’t even good. Putting up a front like this was cooked at a high level…. There were also sooo many little flies everywhere!!!! They kept flying at me or onto the food. It was disgusting and made the experience even worse. I don’t know how everybody there looked like they were enjoying their food because there’s just no way. I think the owner was sitting outside but I’m not sure. But if he was- maybe go inside and try to make some better food because that was terrible and i am so disappointed that i spent my hard earned money on that. Please take the time to better your food and quality.
My boyfriend got a skillet with burnt ends and he said that the sauce was too much and just over powered everything. I didn’t try it but it looked gross.
Don’t be fooled by how cute the place sounds/looks. It’s not good…
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
BBQ for Breakfast? Yes, Please. This Place Nails It!
I honestly didn’t know BBQ breakfast could be this good until I came here. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with the smell of slow-smoked meats and the warm smiles of a staff that clearly loves what they do.
The food? Unbelievable. I had the burnt ends and eggs— every bite was pure comfort. My husband got the diablo brisket skillet and is easily the best he ever tasted — smoky flavor, and ridiculously tender. You can tell it’s freshly smoked every single day. It’s real-deal BBQ done right.
But what really makes this place special is the vibe. It feels like a local treasure — no fuss, just amazing food and even better people. The staff went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect, and their hospitality made the whole experience feel like breakfast at a friend’s house.
If you’ve never had BBQ for breakfast, start here. If you have — this place will still blow you away. Come hungry and leave happy. I’ll be back again and again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A BBQ Breakfast Experience Like No Other!
I don’t usually write reviews, but this place absolutely deserves the praise. From the moment I walked in, I could smell that rich, smoky aroma of meat that told me I was in for something special — and I wasn’t wrong.
This BBQ spot doesn’t just do lunch and dinner — they’ve taken things to the next level with a BBQ breakfast that blew me away. I ordered the smoked brisket with eggs, and every bite was packed with deep, smoky flavor, perfectly seasoned potatoes, and melt-in-your-mouth brisket. You can see they smoke their meats fresh daily outside! This is the real deal.
But the burnt ends? On another level. Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender inside, with that perfect taste that only comes from hours in the smoker. Best I’ve ever had — no exaggeration.
Beyond the food, the service was top-notch. The staff was genuinely friendly, welcoming, and treated everyone who walked in like a regular, even if it was their first visit. It’s that kind of warm, local charm that makes you want to come back before you’ve even finished eating.
The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the quality is unmatched. Whether you’re a BBQ fanatic or just someone looking for a breakfast that’s a little out of the ordinary — this place is a must-try.
I’ll definitely be back, and next time I’m bringing friends. Five stars all the way!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hands down the best BBQ I’ve ever had!!! The Burnt ends melt on your mouth. The brisket and the pork were out of this world. They smoke meats there daily. I had such a great experience here! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the staff was friendly and attentive, and everything was well organized. I would definitely recommend this place and look forward to coming back again!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was Amazing- best brisket in chicago
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Staff is extremely friendly. Atmosphere is fun, clean and hip. The restaurant claims to have the best brisket “This side of Texas”. I’ve lived in TX love to smoke a full packer brisket. So I went in excited to give it a try.
What I was served certainly didn’t meet standard. It might have just been an off day. I didn’t get that fresh brisket flavor and simply elected not to eat it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
HORRIBLE BBQ. This place is a disgrace, Gordon Ramsay would have a heart attack if he attempted to turn this place around.
Let me start with the brisket platter. This place has smokers on display outside of their restaurant along with grills, various other charcoal contraptions and yet…..when ordering my brisket, I received a pan-fried brisket that you can easily tell they heated on a pan because of the marks on the brisket itself. BLAND, no flavor whatsoever and the brisket tasted old. Really old. Then the sides, Mac n cheese and coleslaw. Mac n cheese was grainy, separating, hot, so hot that you instantly knew it was microwaved. Just plasticky taste, absolutely disgusting. Coleslaw was absolutely miserable, I have had better coleslaw at KFC and Popeyes. I also ordered a sausage link and it was inedible. I mean literally inedible. I think the owners have given up or maybe nobody simply cares. There is no standard at this place. The sauce was literally possibly Baby Kay’s watered down to save costs and there were bugs everywhere inside. My wife even had a gnat crawling on her plate. I instantly got bubble guts and now who knows how long I will be using the bathroom for. I wish I had never gone here, please don’t waste your money. For $70, which is what I spent, you can have some damn good food at home. Plus some wine to go along with it. This place should have the health inspectors come check it out, I bet they get shut down immediately.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The food was excellent. The only issue was their air conditioning wasn't working. We would have loved to eat outside however there was a guy smoking a cigar at one of the tables that stunk up the whole area. It would have been nice for the patio to be no smoking.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 5
The best burnt ends beef brisket I ever ate! A great small diner that know how to make a barbecue!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Killer pulled pork sandwich
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
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