Barbeque Restaurants near Elgin

“Missed out on Robinsons ribs in Chicago coming back on the train. From Dekalb so don't get out to Elgin much. Needed my BBQ fix. Found this place near the train.
Chicken wings crispy and not greasy, moist and tender. Very good. I added their in house BBQ sauce.
AWSOME sauce! Best I've had in long while.
Ribs were a bit dried out. The outer bark was a bit chewey. The inside meat was decent though. The taste of the meat was spot even before sauce. Just a little leathery on the outside.
To be fare it was like 7 pm on a Saturday so they may have dried out a bit being cooked much earlier in the day. I'm more then willing to return but maybe earlier in the day. It's hard to know how many ribs to make and they take a long time to cook. So definitely worth going back.
Pretty decent fries . Ide like them a little crisper though. They taste freshly cut. Not frozen.
My only real complaint is probably packaging. My fries being on the bottom soaked up all the BBQ sauce. While they still tasted great , I don't like soggy fries. I had to basically squeeze out the fries onto the ribs to get them wet again.
So next time I'll order fries on the side and get a container of sauce on the side . It's an hour back to Dekalb.
I might go 5 stars if the ribs were less dry. I'm spoiled though after BBQ Smoque off of Pulaski in Chicago. But all said and done I definitely enjoyed them.“

“Duke is a joy and a blessing. I met him back in 2018 I believe with my mother on a bike stroll and he made it a memorable experience. The delicious BBQ was the icing on the cake. Cooked to perfection.

But what’s more important is just how humble and welcoming Dukes and his team are. I recently came back to visit from Los Angeles and my mother passed…he remembered her when I described our last visit. He was so empathetic and sincere…his energy is just a joy to be around.

Thank you, Duke. And may God continue to bless you, your family, and your business.“

“Been going there for over 35 years and just wanted to say this is the best bbq around the area. I just happened to read reviews and can believe that some people trash talk this place. They are obviously the the type of people who can never be satisfied. I give it a A+++++++“

“Stopped yesterday to check it out. I use to own a business downtown years ago n happened to be coming through town. The atmosphere was great as well as the food. Spent time talking to Michelle the manager. She leads a Great Team. Definitely will stop back“

“Went to I Smell bacon bbq for the first time last weekend, food was excellent! We had the brisket, shredded pork, mac & cheese, the Texas toast, and the cornbread, all were awesome! Didn’t care for the baked beans, but we will definitely be back!!“

“Ate there last night. The food was incredible and the service was outstanding. I’m pretty picky about vodka pasta and this one was the best I’ve ever had. The restaurant has such a fun modern 1920s vibe. They also have a kids menu so it’s great for date night or a family outing.“

“Just had a pretty terrific fish fry last night. The perch was outstanding . We will be back again and again !“

“The food here is AMAZING! So much better than their competitors. I got the combo meal and everything tasted great. The staff is so warm and friendly. My new favorite place! Will be coming here often.“

“We stopped for lunch and had the lunch combo plate and the gyro plate. We were glad we made the trip.“

“Not only have I loved Hawthornes from when I was a kid growing up in West Chicago! It was the PERFECT place to have my wedding. Lou, Heidi and Kelly did fantastic and helped make my dream come alive! Every question I had they answered and were able to accommodate so much! Heidi was in CONSTANT communication with me and was able to give advice and help me through the whole process. Her suggestions were so helpful and she helped during the ceremony and reception. I could not have done it without them. This place treats you like family and has amazing service! When my husband and I went to pick up our things the next morning we were planning on taking 2 trips and Lou let us borrow his truck that is how amazing and friendly they are! WE LOVE YOU HAWTHORNES! Thanks for making our wedding the best day of our lives(: not to mention EVERY guest couldn’t stop talking about how fun the venue was and there was something for everyone to do, wiffleball, volleyball, giant beer pong, bags, dancing, and more! Everyone was able to have fun the whole time!“

“These guys are fantastic! The food was wonderful and they did professional job throughout.“

“The service is always really good, our server was Anthony this past experience and he was very attentive and kind to us. The service always makes the experience better, and the food is pretty good. I like the warm bread they always provide. Will definitely come back.“

“The best experience. Amazing food, great atmosphere and big portions of food.
Had traditional desi breakfsst. Loved it

Vegetarian options: They have both options, vegetarian and non-veg

Parking: Free parking

Kid-friendliness: Yeah totally.“

“Mr. Jesus attended us, super attentive, the empanadas were very good, the ones with mechadas have a lot of meat. I recommend them when I return to Illinois, I would go to this place without thinking twice.

Parking: It is broad“