I am a certified professional eater (Da Garbage Disposal) and when I say I know food ..... I do this for a full time job. I been to Big Ed's when he had the smaller place and every time I pass by Waukegan my vehicle has a lock on Big Ed's to go eat. EVERYTHANG I tries there so far was delicious. Meaty ribs made my mouth water, the burnt ends were fire, all the sides I tried were terrific SPECIALLY that BBQ Tony Macaroni I call BBQ Ice Cream!!!!!! Only thang bad about goin' to Big Ed's BBQ ius you have to leave at some point!!!!! For all the folks that complain in his reviews either you are gettin' paid by his competition, jealous your Mom can';t cook like this when you grew up or you are from the UK and can';t handle seasonin'. read more

Delicious food! We are visiting from the Deep South and this place defied our expectations for Chicago bbq. We got: The yardbird - like t didn't need any additional sauce, flavored perfectly. Brisket - so much meat! Chicken tender and fries appetizer (as a meal) - so good and the fries were delicious (similar to 5 Guys) For sides we did Mac and Cheese (x2) , beans, and mashed potatoes. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend the French Tickler (drink) read more

I am a HUGE fan of true barbecue and am also a restaurant owner from a restaurant family well known in Chicagoland and it's suburbs for over 50 years. "Old School" customer service, Hospitality and appreciation for our customers is key and loyalty goes both ways friends. I was very interested to try the food here after trying a couple items that were served at a friend's party. I asked to say Hi to the owner as a entrepreneur myself. They said they would be out shortly at my request, being my first time and spending well over $300 to try some of their dishes I was extremely insulted to see that the owner never had the courtesy to say Hello as I waited. In my world, "old school" customer service is success because without customers you have nothing. I also believe that you should always remember where you came from. The food was very pricey for the Area and not worth the disrespect I felt. After this experience I'll stay with Hecky's in Evanston where we are recognized, greeted by name and given a positive everything when I walk in by the owners Daughter, Gigi...RIP Senior. Hecky's is located North Shore with more than fair prices, above par food and traditional style barbecue. Big Ed's is in Waukegan and we paid double plus for the food and a very poor customer service experience ‍ along with overpriced barbecue and sides. I got lots of sauce for not enough barbecue. If I could have cancelled I would have but it was the first time and the last time. I asked one last time "What happened to the owner who was supposedly was going to say Hello?" They said he left through the side door because he was busy. His picture is on a large sign outside and this man was at Aldi when I stopped for apples on the way back home to Arlington Heights. Go to Hecky's in Evanston, Smoque in Chicago, even Joe's Barbecue in Hillside. Good Luck Big Ed!!! read more

Went here on a Saturday night to grab an early dinner. We ended up going to the bar side which may have been the wrong decision, as it took quite a while to get our food. Our waitress came quick enough to get our order, it's just that the food took a while. Maybe the side with counter walk-up is quicker. I ended up getting the catfish sandwich with fries and of course tried all the bbq sauces with the fries. The catfish was fried perfectly and the seasoning on the outside was quite tasty. Made for a very good sandwich. The fries were a little soggier/more oily than I would like, but I did use them to try the sauces. None of them were overly spicy, just a good flavor. I think my favorite was the Memphis which had a nice smokiness to it. For dessert I did end up ordering the key lime pie and was very happy with it. Tangy and refreshing! I somehow managed to save some for the next day and it was just as good. Overall, the food was good and the staff was friendly, it just took a while to get the food. There was a lot of to go business, so that's maybe the best way to order. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Key lime pie - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

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Originally opening in North Chicago in 2008, and moving to Waukegan (in the old Lakehurst shopping center complex) in 2012, Big Ed's BBQ moved to its current location (used to be a banquet hall) in 2025. I got a large carryout order from them 5 years ago at their old location, and thought the food was OK. The experience this time was much better, mainly because we dined in their new large location, obviously remodeled to handle large groups looking for large amounts of BBQ. When I was growing up in this area, there were a few tried and true barbeque places where we would occasionally get decent bbq (mostly ribs and tips). Consistency was the problem: one time the rib tips would be amazing, other times it would be old and dried. It seems like Big Ed's has solved this by being consistent across all of the major meats (chicken, pork, beef), not running out, and it being decent. Seven of us came without a reservation at 11am, right when it opened. One stands in line to place and pay for your order, and once ready, it will be brought out to you. There is an area to with utensils, ice water fill up, and to-go containers. Each table has a set of 4 barbeque sauces as well to share. The food came soon after. -- Can of soda was $1.99, with bottled water being $5.38, and bottles of Modelo ($6.25). -- half pound of shredded chicken ($15.99) which was OK, -- half pound of pulled pork ($15.49) which was good. -- half pound of burnt ends ($17.99), nice moist pieces of chopped brisket -- half dozen muffins ($6.99), very good -- half pound of brisket, sliced from the flat end. decent -- 32 oz (Large) mac and cheese ($20.99) - a popular choice. -- 32 oz (Large) sweet potato ($20.99) - probably should have gotten the small, but for the people who ate it, they enjoyed it -- mini rib tip ($11.99) which came with fries. This is a good deal, though the fries already tasted old. It's a really large dining space, seating for groups of all sizes. It's is self bussing, with use of real silverware and serving dishes. The set-up here is really smart, not having that many employees since a customer can get what he/she wants once the food is delivered, and don't have to wait for anybody. I would have loved a place like this when I was going to high school here, and definitely had a touch of nostalgia when I saw a plaque from the local high school (my alma mater), thanking Big Ed's for his support of their school. read more

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Always hits the spot! We used to frequent their old restaurant across the way and now that they've opened up their new location we had to check it out. The restaurant is so much bigger and livelier and were so excited to see all of their success. Definitely come early to be able to try their brisket and Tony Mac! You wont regret anything you try but those are defnitely our favorites. Oh and the ribs, if you're looking for the incredible smokey juicy flavor look no further. Any of their bbq sauces are great and pair well, but we highly recommend giving their original a go because of the perfect balance of sweet, savory, with a bit of a kick. read more

Delicious and absolutely nice service with the servers and food quality ! Quantity and the price was amazing

The food used to be great. They moved to a larger place and is more commercial now with the food quality taking a serious hit. The ribs are dry and not fresh and juicy anymore. I visited the new location a second time thinking it may have been a fluke but got dry tasteless meat again that I sent back. Sorry to see great places change like this chasing the almighty dollar. We lost our go to place. read more

Was looking forward to grabbing some burnt ends, unfortunately like with a lot of family BBQ businesses you must plan to get early as they were out of burnt ends and chicken before 4 pm. So with that settled for the brisket dinner which comes with two sides and a corn muffin to enjoy. Service was fast and friendly. They have a handful of sodas along with some beer (had corona and modelo special today). Good was out quickly. Brisket was on the drier side, but the sides were amazingly delicious!! Good sauce selection and a bit on the thin side so be careful when dispensing your favorite BBQ sauce within your meal. Casual vibe with TVs in the back ground (no volume or CC) and music lightly playing not to overpower the conversation with friends. Dine in or take out, good option to meet your BBQ needs! read more

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Never Fails!!! The only con about this place is the location. The food is amazing. The service is great and the ambiance of course is very pleasant read more

The food was incredible & the service was too. The food came quickly, was just what we ordered & done perfectly. You can choose either table service or cafeteria style seating. We chose the cafeteria style seating & they were super attentive on that side too. We'll definitely be back! read more

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The food was great. We went around dinner time on a Saturday and they were out of a lot of meats. But we tried Big Ed's combo, we got the Ribs and the catfish. The catfish was a good size piece and 4 baby back ribs. The meal also comes with 2 sides, the mac n cheese was delicious and the wife enjoyed her sweet potatoes. The service was good. Only one man preparing the food for the orders and another working the register. The establishment is big, plenty of seating and a good size area if you have to wait for a table. Lots of tv's to watch sports or whatever is on the tv. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

We were in town for our son's graduation from the Navy bootcamp and wanted some BBQ. There are two sides of this restaurant, a huge dining area with cafeteria style service and a smaller bar area with full service. We chose the bar side. Jasmine was our server and was amazing. She was friendly and helpful and provided suggestions. We had the burnt ends dinner with mashed potatoes and Tony Mac, and the Big Ed's Combo with pulled pork and brisket, side salad, and Tony Mac. All the food was really good. The brisket was moist and tender with a nice bark. The pulled pork and burnt ends were really good too. They have a variety of bbq sauces on the table that were all good. I would like to try some other items and will be back when we're in town again. read more

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OMG! I wish I could've given this place Quad triple the amount of stars! I haven't been to Big Ed's in a while. A friend is moving out of town and wanted to go there one last time. We decided on Sunday because they serve the collard greens and sweet potatoes only on weekends. We both had burnt ends with greens and potatoes. I wish my stomach were bigger! There's no way I could've finished this meal. The portions are huge! And the food is top-notch delicious! The new space(compared to the old one) it's very big. But they still take really good care of you. There was a young man cleaning off tables and checking to see if we needed anything. That despite the fact that it's pretty much a self serve place . All the tables were cleared and cleaned after each customer left. We also treated ourselves to the homemade poundcake. Double Yum! My friend is sad that they're not going have a place like that in California. But she said this will be one of her go to places when she comes back. Lucky me Big Ed's might be a drive but at least I can come when I want to. I'm so glad that when they moved, they still kept the great food, great service, and all the friendliness of a neighborhood place. read more

I have been going to Ed's for 10 years it's the best BBQ around My favorite is the Chicken and the Ribs for sure read more

We stopped here to try it out on our way from Wisconsin to Great Lakes. Food was delicious. We got ribs, burnt ends, chicken and fries, beans, and cole slaw. So so good! Exactly what bbq should be - tender and so much flavor! Very easy to settle in quickly and our food arrived soon after we ordered. So appreciated because we came in hungry and had young kids with us! We had my two year old nephew with us who was exploring in the outer hall. The person greeting was so friendly and kind and made a point to check in with him. Very sweet! Can't wait to bring my family back! read more

Delicious food, great service and wonderful spacious dining experience. We found this place by accident. We were in the area and decided to stop in. We're so happy we did. We didn't want to eat too much so we shared a combo tray. The chicken was good, not a juicy as we wanted. The brisket was ok. The best part was all the sauces to choose from along with the macaroni and cheese. We wanted collard greens and sweet potato but those are only served during the weekend. Overall, it was a good experience. I would go back again if we ever return to Illinois. The chef happens to know a lot of famous people. When you walk in, you will see all his photos with them. If you want some delicious sauces along with tons of options for BBQ, this is the place. Try it, you might like it. read more

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This is our go to for good BBQ! Service was amazing, friendly and helpful every time. If you don't live in the area it's worth the drive. Just note that they run out of dishes if you like to dine late. New location is soo nice and good for a large crowd or birthday celebration. read more

Food is either overly salty or extremely bland. I had the pulled chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese and a corn muffin. The food is served on a metal tray with a paper liner. For the cost of the meals I feel it should be a better presentation. The chicken was just okay. Nothing special. The collard greens were overly seasoned. Very salty. Not edible. The macaroni and cheese had a horrible taste. Hard to explain but it didn't taste like cheese at all. Not edible either. The corn muffin was the only thing that was actually good. I could have saved over $20 by just ordering the muffins. The staff were very friendly. The place looked like a cafeteria. Not what I expected for the food prices. I cannot recommend this place and will never good back. Good luck Big Ed's BBQ. I truly wish you success. read more

Heard about Big Ed's when we moved to the area. And the food definitely lived up to the hype. We were a little confused by the restaurant set up. It's split into two - cafeteria style side and a full service restaurant style. We chose the full service... The wait service itself was solid. Waitress was personable and we were rarely without a drink on hand. But we had to wait 25 min for our dinner. This is the part that dropped my rating to 4 stars. We eat a lot of BBQ and it rarely requires that long of a wait. The food is smoked and grilled hours ahead of time which is why the cafeteria side is able to serve right away. Why is there such a long wait for the same food in the sit down space? Again, the food was great and the atmosphere of the restaurant was ok. But I'd hesitate to select this for dinner out unless I wasn't hungry yet and I had a lot of time. read more

We had heard about Big Ed's BBQ for years and always planned to make the trip. We finally committed -- and we were not disappointed. The venue is large with a good sized parking lot. Walking in, you expect it to be spacious, and the main restaurant area delivers that. I believe the dining area is only a portion of the building, as they appear to have event rooms and additional space as well. There was a large line to order when we arrived, which told me right away this place was worth the wait. Our family collectively ordered brisket, rib tips, fries, Mac and cheese, chicken strips, peach cobbler and key lime pie. Not a single item missed. The brisket and rib tips were well made with bold, strong flavor. The fries, chicken strips and Mac and cheese were all equally impressive. My wife loved the key lime pie and the peach cobbler was a standout for me personally. Zero complaints on the food. The one thing I will note is that next time we would likely order ahead and pick up. The line took about 25 minutes, which was absolutely worth it for a first visit -- but now that we know how good it is, we would rather skip the wait and get straight to eating. Highly recommend. Big Ed's lived up to every bit of the hype. read more

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Great BBQ. Brisket/Burnt Ends ,Ribs,Chicken )BBQ and Fried are excellent. great lunch Specials

Make the pilgrimage on a Tuesday and feast on a smashburger. Only day they're on special. Today had a taste for some of his rib tips. They're always delicious and I enjoy a little sweet and heat sauce. Always a pleasure to get a warm greeting from Eddie with a strong handshake and a hug. When you come by it's impossible not to notice the amazing mural that was recently added to the northside of the building. The Tony Mac and lawd have mercy beans are a favorite. Dinner prices include two sides and a cornbread muffin and can easily make a second meal but lately I have been gorging myself as I wasn't gonna make it home in 2 hours and certainly wouldn't want it to go to waste. Burnt ends are another favorite and typically sell out by dinner. The new bar area is so nice and cafeteria style dining room is large enough for the biggest group imaginable. Dedicated to-go order section too. read more

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I read the reviews about big Ed's and I concur with the majority of positive reviews. This is some amazing barbecue. And it's in Illinois to boot. When I arrived at the bar I was greeted promptly and provided drink and food menus. Two TVs playing sports were above the bar and there was music being pumped in on a decent sound system. The only downside was that they were out of a significant number of meats including brisket, pork, and burnt ends. That made me very sad. Not all was lost however. I ordered the rib dinner with a side of mac & cheese and the Lawd Ham Mercy beans. This was accompanied by a cornbread muffin. Before it arrived the bartender provided me with a delicious margarita that was well-made along with six bottles of amazing barbecue sauce for me to try. My tray of barbecue came out shortly after my order and I dug right in. It was simply put delicious. The ribs had a nice smoke ring and were very meaty. In fact some of the medias ribs I've ever had for pork ribs. I dabbled with the original sauce, and settled on the sweet heat as well as the Memphis. The beans were named appropriately. They were amazing as was the mac & cheese. And let's face it, cornbread muffins are either amazing or awful and mine was the former. As I walked out at the end of my dinner I was greeted by a bunch of folks near the entrance who wished me a good evening and were kind and friendly and made sure that I enjoyed my dinner. If you like barbecue, and you're in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, big Ed's is the place to be. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Rib dinner with mac & cheese, corn bread muffin, and the amazingly named "Lawd Ham Mercy" Beans! - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

My husband and I love big Ed's! Its always great food, great ambiance, and generally a great time!!

Big EDs BBQ is the best BBQ set-up, food, and service I have had since visiting Texas. Their location is huge! It's a walk up menu type establishment and the cooks taking your order make amazing suggestions. I appreciated BIg EDs BBQ prices and they offer a military discount! I would highly recommend for anyone visiting the area for a boot camp Graduation, it's close to several hotels in the area. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Hot links platter - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

We went for a late lunch and got seated right away. Service and food were excellent and came out quickly. Would definitely go again for BBQ for sure! read more

Definitely not worth going back for , its always good to try new places. Service was fast but they didnt have much options the had a whole list of things they had already ran out of which was mostly everything. Was looking to have chicken and they didnt have nun left. Ribs barely had any meat to it and most were just fatty. the fries were good freshly made a little salty. the mac and cheese was also salty and hard. The mash potatoes (redskin sour cream) were really good. The hot link was really greasy, tasted alright. The brisket was on the dryer side not what we expected. For sure over priced for these two plates my husband paid almost 80$ read more

Big Ed's BBQ - brisket ribs hot link mac and cheese mash potatoes corn bread - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

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All very good might be a 1/2 step down since they moved from their original location to this super sized restaurant The prices now also seem super sized but that is certainly not unusual in this environment Will absolutely eat here again read more

Big Ed's BBQ was ranked #97 on Yelp Top 100 BBQ restaurants in 2024. It was time to see how Big Ed's stack up. First of all, the building is pretty grand as it is huge. But when you walk in, there is a line. The line doesn't seem to go fast so be prepared. But when you reach the counter, the customer service was very friendly. I went with the combo with brisket, pulled pork, beans, cornbread, and I talked myself into the Tony's BBQ mac instead of the normal mac. The Tony's BBQ mac wasn't bad but I feel like the normal mac and cheese had to be superior. Pulled pork was solid and the brisket was good, just not as moist as I like. The beans were phenomenal with all the spices, peppers, and onions mixed in. Big Ed's knows sauce which made me happy for a sauceaholic like me. There is a picture of the descriptions but I found that the Sweet and Spicy went best with the brisket, Memphis and the Hot ish went well with the pork, and the Memphis was the best overall sauce in my opinion. The Sweet and Spicy was my next favorite and Chipotle Maple was the most unique. The best thing at Big Ed's though was the sweet tea! Being from Alabama, I'm a sweet tea snob and the Midwest at times does not understand how to fresh brew tea and add lots of sugar to make it phenomenal. The lady at the counter said they brewed it on the stove which made it even better! A 12 oz sweet tea was $2.69, which for this outstanding tea was a great deal....until refills were not included. But it seemed like there were no refills on any drink except maybe tap water. Anyway, surprisingly outstanding sweet tea I would buy again even without the no free refills. I will give Big Ed's a try again though I think I need to eat there a few more times to understand it's top 100 ranking. read more

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It was the weekend, so of course I got the collard greens! They're 12/10 as always. The ribs on the other hand were good, but not great like I remember which was unfortunate. The cornbread was great! Fries are good, could have used just a touch more salt. The barbecue sauce is out of this world! If I could put in on tap in my house, I would. I'm not sure what's in it, but it's spectacular! Service is a little different. Didn't get to see the usual guys, because I ordered takeout. It's pretty big inside, but quiet in the front. Not as close knit as it used to be, so that definitely took away from the "home" feel that you used to get. I'll be back for sure, but hoping they bring back some of old restaurant closeness! *Also personal gripe, you CANNOT contact them if you make a mistake on your order. None of the lines lead to a direct line to Big Ed's which is really frustrating. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

This is a stand alone building in a safe part of Waukegan just down the road from the casino. It's cafeteria style, you order your food up front & bring it to your table. Food: Brisket was so delicious. Rib tips good but too salty. Tony Mac & Cheese, too salty Laws beans was very good. Key lime pie was life changing. Pound cake was life changing. Corn bread was very good with a crispy exteior. Loved the 4 different sauces at the table. Service: The lady getting me my food was great. The guy at the reception was simply preoccupied looking at his phone when we left. When we arrived, his only message was announcing that they were out of burnt ends. Overall: Get the brisket, law beans & the life changing key lime pie & pound cake. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Brisket, rib tips, Tony Mac & cheese, law beans, corn bread. - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

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From amazing service to amazing food! We enjoyed every single bite of this meal. We ordered happy hour plus dinner entrees. The Mac and cheese was the best I've ever had! Nice place, nice people and great atmosphere. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Nachos were good and shareable. - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

I had a taste for BQ and this place hit the spot. I had a full slab of ribs, coleslaw and fries. The ribs were so tender and tasty. I love their original BQ sauce. My friend thought his pulled pork sandwich was excellent. He also tried the peach cobbler and loved it! Dione T did a wonderful job. We ate in the full service area and it was near the bar and stage. This is the weird configuration of the place. They also had a pick up counter cafeteria style. read more

I picked up Ed's for lunch yesterday, and I have been thinking about the burnt end sandwich ever since. I am going back today for lunch. Super tender, smoked to perfection, excellent rub, and the sauce was spot on. Very friendly service when I was picking up. Excellent bbq. read more

Big Ed's BBQ - Burnt end sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Waukegan, Illinois

Great Food, service and people! I've both dined in and called in and food was great. Only thing is I wish the peach cobbler had more crust.

Huge restaurant which is cafeteria style, you go to the counter and order your food and you find a table to eat at. I was driving through the area stopped and ordered food to go. I ordered chicken wings, and rib tips. The chicken wings were OK nothing to rave about and the rib tips were OK as well. The barbecue sauce was watery to me and it didn't really have a robust flavor. The staff was amazing, very friendly and they were helpful in explaining the menu. Overall, the restaurant was spacious and it had lots of memorabilia on the walls. I would have to be in the neighborhood again and try their food at the restaurant because taking it HOME did not do any justice to the food. read more

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Big Ed's BBQ: A Smoked Revelation in Waukegan Unexpected win: I landed a last-minute spot for training out in Chicago. Touched down early Monday afternoon, and before the suitcase hit the hotel floor, the hunt for BBQ was on. I asked nine locals where to find the best ribs in town. Only one--an older lad at Binny's--gave me a confident answer: Big Ed's BBQ. That was all I needed. After class, I jet straight to the spot. Ordered the Full Rib Rack Dinner with mashed potatoes, BBQ beans, cornbread, and a slice of Key Lime Pie. Slapped first seven ribs-No sauce needed. First bite in, and I was floored. The bark was perfect, the smoke was light and soulful, and the meat? Fell off the bone like it was trying to escape into my mouth. --no shame, just joy. Pure, finger-licking bliss. Then came the pie. I don't know what kind of crust sorcery they're working with, but every bite held together--crispy, moist, custard-smooth filling, and a topping so airy it defies description. Slap-yo-mama good!! No exaggeration. Big Ed's isn't just a BBQ joint--it's a masterclass. Cali needs to take notes. Do yourself a favor. Go. Eat. Thank me later. read more

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Another great meal from Big Ed's! What a birthday celebration! The catering team was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Easily located near the entrance for ordering and pickup. Sports lounge decor for waiting area. And team kindly carried it out to load up. It did not disappoint!!! Thank you!! read more

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The food is pretty delicious. The brisket is soft, pulled pork is delicious, ribs are delicious.tender and favor is amazing-no sauce needed. Mac n cheese are kids approved, greens are adult approved. Cornbread is also delicious. At Big Ed's you line up and order at the counter and get your food right away. The line is out the door by 1130am. Someone is always checking up on you and clearing tables right away for the next customers. This place is huge and clean. read more

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