50 Best Barbeque Restaurants near Elmwood Park

“We have been going to Russell's 50 plus years. Everything has always been amazing from the ribs falling off the bone to the original pulled pork sandwich that was so good. The last 3 time it has not been enjoyable. Tried it again last night the ribs were dry over cook not falling off the bone. Very disappointing. Four of us had them and all four was said they were terrible. Salad had to be returned. Baked potato was old. So disappointed, we drive 50 mile for this. Please fix it! Go back to your original recipe!“

“I had a mistake on my order and I called the staff was amazing . I just wanted my food but they went above and beyond and made it all right the food is great You can go there and be assured your getting good food and service“

“Great food and interesting menu to say the least. 10/10 would eat and drink again!“

“Phenomenal food, that’s arguably the best in the north shore.“

“We are in Chicago to see a Bulls game and came across this place via Google. It did not disappoint! The service, atmosphere and above all the food was AMAZING! We each tried something different. NO one left disappointed- and make sure you get the Banana Pudding, no matter how full you are after your meal!!“

“Amazing food. Great atmosphere. What more can be said?“

“This place is great--a family fave of ours for special occasions. The food is always a hit, the vibe super cozy--especially when it's otherwise freaking cold 9 months out of the year in these parts--and the staff is seasoned and excellent. Also good for takeout and delivery when you don't feel like cooking.“

“It was my 1st time eating Korean BBQ. The food was delicious and it's fun to have the BBQ cooked at your table. I loved all the side dishes and all 3 types of meat we had were very tasty and tender. I didn't find the staff to be very friendly, that would have made the atmosphere so much better. I felt the price was unexpectedly high but it was definitely something I would do again.“

“First time here, definitely will be back to to try the food“

“excellent food and service“

“Ya Hala truly lives up to its name — a warm welcome from start to finish. The moment you walk in, the aroma of freshly grilled meats and spices wraps around you like a hug from home. The staff is attentive without hovering, and every dish feels prepared with real care. The hummus is creamy and rich, the shawarma tender and bursting with flavor, and the falafel has that perfect crispy shell with a soft, savory center.

What makes Ya Hala stand out, though, is its atmosphere — relaxed yet vibrant, perfect for both family dinners and casual nights out. Portions are generous, prices fair, and you leave both full and genuinely satisfied. Ya Hala isn’t just another Mediterranean restaurant; it’s a true gem that makes you want to come back again and again.“

“We ordered from the catering menu for our backyard birthday party and it was an absolute hit! We had Vegetable Fried Spring Rolls, Hawaiian Fried Rice, Huli Huli Chicken, Beef Lo Mein, and Vegetable Fried Rice. Everything was so delicious that there wasn’t a single bite left, and our guests couldn’t stop raving about it. Ordering was simple, and delivery was quick and convenient. Thank you for making our party a success!“

“Every item on the menu is incredible. They are a staple of... not just Evanston... but of all Chicagoland!“

“This is our favorite brewery of all time. Truly a destination worth driving to - even from Washington, DC. The staff is kind, knowledgeable, and generous. The food is delicious and comes out faster than seems possible. They have the best sour beers ever, and really all of the beers are delicious. The atmosphere is perfect for friends, families, or lovers. I just wish we lived closer.“

“OMG the coffee here is absolutely amazing, but the spinach pastry thing they have is to die for! I got one and we walked around the area for a bit, before leaving I had to run back inside to grab all the remaining spinach pastries! They only had one left and ofcourse i grabbed it immediately! I still think about that spinach pastry literally everyday it was so freaking good!!! Mindy's is now a must have for me everytime i am in chicago!“

“If you are looking for a really special food experience with a cozy casual atmosphere, this is an awesome place to visit. The chef, Ms Dani Kaplan, is the daughter of one of my closest bff. OMG! Each bite is a tastebud delight! And the bar - so special! If you want a true, high-quality, Chicago, eating experience don’t miss this place!!!!“

“Great bar service, awesome food. Definitely worth checking out“

“We had an awsome time at the restaurant! Our server Akasha was wonderful! She made sure our order was correct and that it arrives to our table in a timely manner! She also kept on top of our drinks and brought an ice cream Sunday for dessert! Very polite and courteous! One of the best servers you all have!“

“Amazing local bbq and an ever changing weekend menu, highly recommend trying!“

“This is my mom's favorite BBQ place in Chicago and she took me today! I was blown away by the brisket salad I had, along their honey mustard, Chipotle ranch, and ESPECIALLY the homemade Chipotle peach BBQ sauce. The staff is also very friendly and helpful, overall we had a great time with amazing food!!“

“We had a fabulous dinner last night at Chicago Kalbi with Cummins Peru, Komat'su, and the VPs from Antimina copper mine.

Such a great place, where you cook the wagyu & kobe beef at your table. The food was delicious ?

Isao Tozuka, the chef and his wife Chiyo-san, are fabulous hosts, very friendly, and really happy to help and show you how things are do e.

I would definitely recommend coming here. It's a unique place. Make sure you book though ad it can be busy.“

“Lately, I’ve been moving away from the ayce kbbq and trying the ones that are a la carte. This one uses oak wood charcoal vs gas-powered/electric grill that most of the Illinois Korean restaurants use. The verdict is that the meat comes out really tasty. When you come in, you might have to reserve a table especially on the weekend. We didn’t reserve, but we were lucky to get a table for 3 on a Saturday night at 7 pm. The restaurant is small so seating can be limited. Parking is sufficient since it’s a shared lot.

The service was very attentive and friendly. This is a family owned and run establishment. We ordered the combination platter (bulgogi, kalbi fingers, and pork belly), mo dum jun (combination platter for appetizers, ggo ri gom tang (oxtail soup). This was more than enough food for 3 people. Banchan is refillable. I would say this is one of the best kbbq restaurants in the Chicagoland area and I wouldn’t mind coming back.

-combination platter 5 - this is good for 2-3 people as long as you have other dishes. Meat cooked fast.
-mo dum jun 5 - fried squash, shrimp, oysters, and stuffed peppers. The stuffed peppers were my personal favorite. Make sure you dip them in the sauce provided.
-oxtail soup 5 - light broth not too robust. Oxtail meat was tender, not chewy. It’s big and shareable.“

“this place is really good. BBQ with great smokiness and flavor. we come here often and love the brisket Chile, ribs, smoked turkey and of course those amazing burgers. last time I was there it was $5 Burger night and it's amazing that they can serve a great smoky burger on fresh roll with fries for this price. full bar with a good selection of beers“

“I've been to many Korean BBQ's within the states and I have to say this was the best customer service we received. This place is pricey for the small portions you get. I'd definitely come back for the service tho.“

“KFIRE spicy BBQ sauce is delicious. I use it on everything from chicken to steak. I highly recommend it.“

“Everything is absolutely delicious, tender and full of flavor. This place legit has the best Cornbread Muffins with Cinnamon Butter that I have ever had from a restaurant. It was super moist and not overly sweet. Definitely my family's new go to for BBQ when we don't feel like making it ourselves.“

“I had a brisket burrito and Mac & cheese . Very Delicious ! I will be back.“

“Was looking forward to a great steak after a long day of traveling only to be turned away because we didn't have proof of vaccine cards with us!! What a joke! Will never return to this establishment!“

“I had the burger at LongHorn Steakhouse, and it was okay. The patty was cooked well, but the overall flavor was pretty average and didn't really stand out. The fries were decent, and the service was friendly, but I was expecting a little more considering LongHorn's reputation. It wasn't a bad meal, but it also wasn't anything I'd go out of my way to order again.“

“Super friendly service and very tasty chicken. A great addition to Humboldt Park on North Avenue!“

“Chicken is excellent and tasty 😋 We always order here for so many years. Highly recommended to all my family members and friends. ☺️😋😍“

“Thank you so much to everyone at Firewater for doing the best job at honoring Michael Altman and his family. The love and support was felt by the hundreds and hundreds of people who attended. Inside and outside were packed. Thank you to the people selling the T- shirts outside so I was finally able to get mine. It was truly a heartwarming day. Please keep The Altman family in your thoughts and prayer's and continue to reach out and love them. ♥️🙏“

“I gave five stars because I absolutely love they turkey tips I stumbled upon this location last month and I have been recommending my customers to go there but today was a very bad experience for me and I probably won’t be returning because the lady at the counter today was very very very rude to me and I truly don’t appreciate that. This is my first time seeing her there it’s usually a nice gentleman man that works there I asked her may I have a bag please for my food she turned around and looked at me with disgust and said “I’m going to put it in a bag “then took the bag and threw it on the counter at me I’m so glad that I’m more in to my church now because she almost took me there but the devil is a lie. So sad because I actually love their turkey tips. I don’t understand why people work at an establishment that they don’t like or don’t like being there because to me customer service is everything especially when I spending my hard earned money.“

“Very good for quick quality service. The portions are extremely abundant, you definitely won’t be hungry. I like how they specify on their menu which type of oil that is used. The gyros meat tends to be a bit too salty, but this is probably how it just is.“

“the best place in this area; especially the cheeseburger, hot dog, and grilled tuna sandwich“

“This is our second time dining at Hwang Soh Grill, and everything is just as amazing as we remembered. The food is absolutely phenomenal—fresh, flavorful, and consistently delicious. The service is outstanding as well. The staff is attentive, friendly, and always makes us feel welcome. It’s rare to find a place that maintains such high quality every visit. We’ll definitely be coming back every time we are in Chicago!“

“Great place to eat and excellent service .“

“Not a bad item on their entire menu! By far one of the best places in the Sauganash/Edgebrook neighborhood.“

“Came in almost before closing time! The location was easily findable and had a very nice atmosphere! Super good vibe and feel! Once we got to the counter a nice gentleman named Jose was the one that helped us! That guy is the MVP! You can tell he enjoys his job and does it pretty well! He recommended us some good sauces and the salsa macha! Definitely will come back just because of the good service we had! The food was insanely good! Brisket was beyond fire! The tacos were the best in my opinion! Totally unexpected it! 100/10“

“It's so nice to be out at a restaurant! This location is poppen so be prepared to wait a lil bit. We always sit at the bar and Angela was busy! She was friendly and never stopped moving! Our shrimp was salty to me but my husband at it all.“

“MY EXPERIENCE IS ALWAYS VERY NICE! I LIVE OUTSIDE OF CHICAGO'S WESTSIDE AREA, I TRAVEL BECAUSE OF MR. WILEYS BARBECUE IS FRESH!
SLICED! TENDER! AND JUICER! THEN MOST OTHERS I'VE TASTED! IM A (MOO! AND OINK! SUPER STAR!)
AND THEY HAD THE BEST MEATS IN CHICAGO! MR. WILEY REMINDS ME OF THERE MEAT! / THERE HOSPITALITY IS PROFESSIONAL!
EXCELLENT! CUSTOMER SERVICE!
WARM! WELCOME ATITUDES!
NICE! AND CLEAN! RESTAURANT!
RESPECTFUL SECURITY AND ORDERLY!

THANK YOU!
MR. WILEYS
AND STAFF!
CHERYL“

“Every meal at Great Chicago is a great meal!“

“delicious food ample portions, terrific homemade sauces...“

“Wow1 This meat and grill business has the best kabobs! They also are generous to charities and very community spirited. Stop in. You will be happy you did!“

“Excellent brisket that was perfectly cooked, tender enough to cut with a fork and a mild smoked flavor. Loaded waffle fries that are light, crispy and a heaping canvas for BBQ sauce slathered smoked brisket with a sprinkling of jalapeno peppers. Burnt ends with unending flavor. Baked beans that included chunks of sausage and brisket. Delicious food, generous portions, old school vibe with the blues playing in the background and a staff that aims to please -we have a winner here, folks.“

“Had their bbq duck, bbq pork and roast pork.
Their roast duck and roast pork was good. Their bbq pork leans more salty then sweet. It's more of a preference thing, I prefer more sweeter bbq pork. Their prices are pretty good as well.“

“Jerk chicken, was very tasty, macaroni was okay in my opinion, many people may give ot a 10, cabbages I give it a 10, sweet potatoes were good to me they, were not sweet, but more on the healthy side, waiting time was minimum, the service was good. One major negative was a boot was on my car, I did not like that experience period, the guy took it off in less then 10 minutes, I never had a boot on my car.“

“My fiancé and I have been a gyro war. I’m a Skokie Dengeos girl and he’s a diehard Squabs fan. While it’s hard to compete with childhood memories after trying Squabs I totally get it. The gyro was perfectly cooked, the tzatziki was beautiful, the fries were delicious. The absolute standout was the customer service. I was having such a bad day. I confused the gyro plate with the gyro dinner and they took such good care of me. I had cried the whole ride over and left with the biggest smile and a plate of leftovers. 10/10 I will be coming back every chance I get.“

“I thought this place was dirty, when it wasn't and I thought the food wasn't good either, but was pleasantly surprised that the chicken wings and rib tips with bbq sauce actually hit..This place is a criminally underrated rib and chicken joint(Chop Steaks too)just off the food alone and I bet that not one rib shack in the city can beat their prices ..“