I love Bub city especially as it's one of the few country bars in chicago. Great drinks, music, vibes, food, and service. Atmosphere is always fun here too. I only wish their happy hour went a little later (I believe it ends early at 5). This most recent visit I had a delicious spicy margarita with the giddy up fries and wedge salad. Portions are huge and great for sharing. Food is great quality and delicious bbq style bites. Though they charge cover on weekend nights, it's always worth it for the fun country bands! read more

Bub City - Giddy Up Fries and Classic Iceberg Wedge - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bub City is the best of the best for country music. The live music is consistently good and live band karaoke is a super fun time. The giddy up fries are a great starter and can feed a whole table. The blackened salmon was an unexpected hit. It was cooked perfectly and was served with a tasty dill tartar sauce and a cucumber and tomato salad. Some of the best salmon I've ever had. But you also can't go wrong with any of the barbecue. Great whiskey selection as well. Service is consistently good. This is a great place for a night out or to watch sports. read more

So glad I came here. Made me realize I need to go to actually good bar. Ahlalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalal I walked into Bub City hoping for BBQ, but what I got felt more like a punishment for crimes I don't remember committing. The moment I stepped inside, the music was so loud my soul briefly left my body in search of quieter real estate. The hostess looked at me like I personally interrupted her mid-country-music fantasy, and honestly, I think she hated me before I even sat down. Then came the food. The "brisket" (and I use that word loosely, the way someone might describe a raccoon as "a pet") was so dry I'm convinced it had been slow-roasting since the Obama administration. The mac and cheese tasted like disappointment covered in breadcrumbs. My drink arrived in a mason jar, because of course it did, but somehow still managed to taste like someone whispered the idea of whiskey over a cup of tap water. The service? Imagine waiting so long that you start questioning all your life choices. I aged a full year between ordering and eating. By dessert time, I was a wiser, older, and significantly angrier person. By the time I left, the only thing "Bub"bed was my blood pressure. Would I go back? Only if the universe collapses, society crumbles, and Bub City is the last building standing -- and even then, I'd hesitate. read more

If you're looking for a more casual dining experience in River North Bub City is a great option. Recently had their burnt ends (only served on weekends) and giddy up fries. The giddy up fries are huge and can be shared with the entire table. The back porch tea is also very good if you're looking for a mixed drink that's refreshing. They also have live music at night some day. read more

We ordered the pulled pork plate and tater tots they were delicious lots of flavor. The waitress was very prompt and welcoming. The Music was on however the sound level was perfect. read more

Bub City - Pulled Pork Tater Tots - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ambiance was so good. Made a resy for Sunday afternoon and got outside patio seating no problem and the server (Gretchen? Sorry if I messed that up) was BEYOND accommodating in the best way. Made the experience that much better The food was SO GOOD was pretty fast from order to table. See images for what I dined on and check it out if you're in the downtown Chicago area (RiverNorth area) read more

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Love this place but for the love of god the bouncers need to stop acting like it's Vietnam when you're inside the establishment. You can say excuse me when you think somebody is in your way rather than push a girl that (1) isn't in your way and (2) weighs less than half your weight. Thanks xoxoxoxo read more

Loved this place. The Brisket was to die for. The MAc N Cheese with BBQ Pork was amazing. Super cute location and easy to get to from River Walk. Highly recommend. read more

Pork ribs were fall off the bone. Sandwich was fantastic. But that coleslaw side was tiny! Literally just a dollop! Tator tots leave a lot to be desired -- do not recommend. read more

Bub City - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love bub city food and happy hour. Great chicken tenders, Mac n cheese, and old fashioned. Great vibes with live music and southern feel. read more

Bub City - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had dinner yesterday (Sunday). Service was excellent. Food and prices were OK. (Six dinners, 2 appetizers, 3 beers and 1 soda was just under $171). They then add an automatic 3.5% surcharge to the bill, which is not the tip, but just money for nothing. There are TVs everywhere. The place is loud, at least during the Bear's game. Ambiance is of the sports bar type. read more

Awful, we made a reservation 8 days ahead of time. Ended up being the same time as the Bears/Packers playoff game. When we got there they told us they couldn't honor our reservation because no one was getting up to leave. They offered us nothing in return. Ridiculous, does a reservation mean nothing? They should have had a time limit for seating oT else left a table for those who had reservations. They've lost me as a customer. read more

Mmm their chicken sandwich was really good and so was the Mac & cheese. Brisket sandwich was also awesome. Food & music is great

Used to come here whenever I visited Chicago when I lived in Michigan. The bbq was always mouthwatering. Tender, juicy, flavorful, and delicious. And the vibe is awesome. Feels like an old school country bar with a modern twist. Well, returned during my current trip to Chicago to see if I'd still like it after living in Texas the past four years and trying lots of yummy Texas barbecue. It's still just as good as I remember, and could compete with the barbecue in Texas no doubt! read more

Bub city is your friendly neighborhood sports bar. They have tons of seating so you always end up finding a table. The service is great! Servers are nice and friendly, always mention the specials to you and take your feedback into consideration. They also have live performances. One time we had a band that covered Def Leppard and we had a great time ! Loved hearing by then play my favorite Def Leppard song 'pour some sugar on me'. One time they also had a limited edition pistachio beer which I really loved. Such a chill fun bar to go to when you don't want to dress up too much and have a good time. read more

Stopped in on our way back to the hotel and grabbed a beer. It was a Wednesday so it was karaoke night and it was a fun night. No cover! Bartenders were nice. No complaints otherwise but we didn't order food. The vibes were fun! read more

Bub City - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food is excellent- Must try waffle fries & hickory smoked naked, chicken wings. Service- at the bar with Rafael- awesome!!! Thank you. Ambiance- perfect!!! Pic's included below read more

I've been here a number of times and have loved every experience prior. I dig the sports bar meets a little country like ambiance and the staff has always been kind. Prior to this experience I'd just come here to drink and grab some side dishes here and there. I gave this a 4/5 based on bar crawl vibes not dining. This was the first time id actually eaten here and I was sadly disappointed. The BBQ was dry and left me with a BBQ shaped hole in my heart. Luckily the mac and cheese was solid and we destroyed that. If you come to eat, I'd recommend sticking with the basics. To me this isn't your go to spot for mindblowing BBQ. DONT GET the tropicooler. Complete rip and didn't even get the job done if you know what I mean. And yes, we knew we were taking a risk ordering it, but went all in on trying new things. Wish I'd known the price before ordering it. Hahah 60 bucks could have gotten me a lot farther just sticking to our normal beer and tequila shot routine here. read more

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Great service, delicious (hot) food and a cute street dining set up. I ordered a side of Mac and added chicken tenders to it which was an amazing decision. You can also add pulled pork or brisket. Although a side item, the portion size was really big. My friend got fried pickles and waffle cheese fries. Everything was piping hot, cooked to perfection, had a great taste and we had plenty to share/ take home. Our waitress was great and attentive. *They add a 5% Covid surcharge to every bill but it goes towards paying for their PPE so I didn't mind the extra charge. You can ask to have it removed if you choose. read more

Bub City - Side of Mac add chicken tenders . - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This brisket was best in my life. I ordered fatty and lean meat half and half because I was not sure if it was too dry or not. I should just order lean meat because the meat was so soft, and I didn't need fatty part eventually. The portion of food was just ok for me, but it didn't make me full enough, I wanted to eat more brisket. . My server Travers was also awesome kind. I would like to go back soon. read more

Bub City - 18hr Smoked Prime Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great place to watch sporting events and to catch some live music. Bourbon collection is off the chains, if you want to try some things that fall into the hard to find or unicorn categories. read more

Came here to watch some March madness games and it was the perfect vibe. Good BBQ, plenty of TVs, and a great live band. read more

Bub City - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went to bub city for dinner and I thought the wings would be good since they are 'award winning'. These wings were the smallest wings I've ever seen. read more

Bub City - "Award Award"-Winning Chicken Wings - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you want wayyyy better wings that are a little less expensive check out house of wings by Fullerton and Clark. read more

Bub City - Award winning chicken wings - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun place for a quick bite and drinks! Karaoke on Wednesday nights.... Country music playing read more

Bub City - Half eaten nachos - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I haven't eaten at Bub City in years, so the roomies and I decided to order some dinner here for delivery on Sunday night. We all ended up getting the 3 piece chicken tenders, with different sides. The chicken tenders themselves... were SO sad. These things look more like nuggets than chicken fingers(?). For the price we paid I expected these to be pretty great. We were all so, so disappointed. We paid $16.50 for three chicken tenders. Not even including the tax, service fee, delivery fee, and the tip. SIXTEEN DOLLARS FOR CHICKEN NUGGETS. Insanity. I was willing to pay that under the assumption I wouldn't still be hungry after my meal, and that it was going to be a decent size. But nope.. As you can see from the photo, they were the TINIEST fingers I've ever gotten. And this wasn't just a 'bad batch'...... all three of our meals were this size. They came with waffle fries that weren't advertised on the menu so it was a nice surprise, but they were really soggy by the time they got here. Most likely the result of being delivered, so no fault on Bub City. For sides, we got fried pickles, brussel sprouts and coleslaw. I only had the fried pickles which were fine, no different than the ones you can get anywhere. My roommates did not like the coleslaw or brussels, but I did not try those. Honestly..... for almost 17 bucks for 3 tiny chicken fingers, it was not worth it. I don't see us ordering from Bub City again unfortunately. Our bill in total was $105 for 3, three piece chicken fingers and three sides. I'd be willing to pay that price if the size was worth it, and they 100% were not. read more

Bub City - Tiny chicken tenders- $16.50 for three of these?! - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Review based on drinks only. We sat in the bar and the bartender was super friendly, attentive and quick. We enjoyed a few beers and the cool ambience was perfect for a rest after some shipping, very laid back. Bartender said the BBQ was really good so we would try that next time! read more

Bub City - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you want great atmosphere, great service, and rockin good music with just ok food to come with your buddies this is definitely your place. If you're looking for good BBQ then go to Carson's instead. This place hits it out of the park on everything but the food. The price for what you get, flavor etc are all off. We got the brisket patty melt, pro tip get it with bacon and grilled peppers. It was a good dish, nothing memorable but it was good. We also got the brisket plate, which comes with no sides. The brisket wasn't great and for the price this is disappointing. Especially when at Carolina I can get a half chicken, half rack of ribs and 2 sides for $12 more. All in all it's a fun time here. It just really depends on what you're looking for. read more

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This really cool place was packed the night we stopped by for a drink. We requested outdoor seating and were seated immediately. They had live music vibrant feel and great service. We did not eat but drinks were cold and good. read more

Bub City - Store Front. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a Texan, there's always a special place for BBQ in my heart and Bub City was no exception entering my arteries with the best of them. The cornbread is some of the best I've had; watch out for the hint of spice it possesses. The tenders are thick and juicy and the brisket is cooked to perfection. I added pulled pork to my Mac n Cheese, but in my opinion it's better without the added sweet BBQ sauce. There is outside seating, not the comfiest but it's very dog friendly. As you can see our pup ate at the table. Inside looked like a hoot as well with Karaoke Wednesday evenings. Our server was kind, but there was noticeably less consideration for the outside guest. I would come back because the American flag on the grilled cheese makes me feel extra patriotic, the brisket inside the sandwich makes me wiggle my toes, and the entire place makes me want to karaoke some Luke Bryan. read more

I spent a few days at a conference in Chicago and popped into Bub City for a drink. It was definitely an interesting ambiance - like a honky tonk dive bar that was once really cool got passed down to the owner's pretentious son and they covered it in fairy lights and made it instagrammable. I grew up in WV - I love a good country bar so I enjoyed it! They did play good music. And they have a fantastic bourbon selection and really good bourbon cocktails. But they also have Jell-O shots??? Put on your Gucci shirt and cowboy boots and you'll fit right in! read more

Bub City - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

In all honesty, I usually don't visit 3 star restaurants unless it's a personal recommendation but we have Bub City a chance because we had LEYE birthday dollars to use and I must say I was impressed! We did take out and everything was packaged well. We ordered the chicken bites, the smoked platter, fried pickles and brussel sprouts. It was a great price for a side of Brussels and they were very tasty! 8/10. The fried pickles were meh... I wouldn't get the again. The platter - pork was good! Brisket had a great smoke flavor but a few pieces were a little dry. I didn't try the ribs but my husband said they were good and the coleslaw was good. My fav were the chicken bites! I'm usually disappointed in these kind of things but they were super tasty! Had a crispy nice coating but not too thick, each piece had a nice big chunk of white meat chicken inside. Would def get again! read more

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I came here for a late lunch on my birthday with some friends, so it was pretty much a guarantee that we were getting drinks. Actually, more like a drink. Except this wasn't just any drink -- this was a BUCKET. It's delicious and contains whiskey, so it's basically a sure fire way to get the party started. To go with the drink, we got the buffalo bites. I expected your average boneless Buffalo chicken wings, but these were pretty good. The perfect combo with a drink to watch a sporting event or just to chill with friends. It's a great environment for a dinner pregame or a fun vibe. read more

Bub City - Back Porch Tea - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came here for dinner one night for my friend's bachelorette party and had a great time! Not only was the food delicious and filling, but our server was sooo nice and the live music was a ton of fun it did get a little too crowded after dinner when most of the crowd was coming in for the band, but it was still a lot of fun! read more

Bub City - Brisket Mac n Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The live music is great and it has amazing vibes. Good hang and very lively. I saw the simple remedy there and had a lovely evening

Karaoke with a country feel! I have been here every trip to chicago. Each time is different yet the same... bad karaoke, slow service and a loud atmosphere. This place is what it is and is enjoyed for it. **good iced tea! read more

Overall impression: 2/5. Won't be coming back. Was let down by this place for a number of reasons, but I'll start with the positives. The atmosphere was fun and lively. Packed house and everyone's having a good time. Food and drink orders came our quickly and our server Emma was great! My biggest issue was that one of the managers (you can see him walking around in the background with a white shirt and black hat) there was being SO rude about changing one of the TV's that had golf playing (at 9:30pm) to the NBA Finals. Instead, he said "all the TV's have been accounted for". And clearly a whole section was empty in front of the TV that was playing GOLF... on a Friday night. And our group asked a few times, but he was rude each time. He's the main reason I won't be coming back. FOOD: The food came out quickly (15-20 min for a group of 5) and was done well. In fact, the meat fell right off the bones on the ribs. However, nothing they brought out really tasted like good southern BBQ. I kept trying different dishes hoping they'd be eventually taste better, but instead, it was all pretty bland and the meat tasted lower quality than most of the other BBQ places I've had in Chicago. DRINKS: The beers were great, but the mixed drinks were pretty bad. We ordered margaritas and mexican mules and they tasted like cleaning solution and lighter fluid. I personally wouldn't purchase mixed drinks or cocktails here, unless you prepare for disappointment. read more

Bub City - manager who didn't want to put the NBA Finals on the TV on a Friday night. Instead golf... for 2 whole empty booths and no one watching. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh my'lanta!! I had been going to bbq places for some time and this has been the first place that has achieved my own personal blessing from everything to juicy and falling off the bone ribs to the exquisite bbq sauce they had on it read more

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I will admit I was very hesitant in actually coming here. I mean I already have my favorite bbq in the city so why try a new place right? Well I'm glad I did give Bub City a chance. Don't get me wrong, their food is still overpriced, but at least it was good. My wife ordered their brisket sandwich. You get this fatty brisket that was somewhat chopped. The brisket tasted good but was somewhat dried. And since it was shredded, you couldn't really feel if it was tender, but it was a little on the dry side. Sliced is the best way to cut brisket. It is a small sandwich and I although good tasting, I don't think it's worth what they're charging. I ordered their brisket nachos. These nachos were very tasty. They come loaded with brisket, and their atomic cheese, sour cream and jalapeños. They were also served with a side guacamole and salsa. Tip..(save the guac and salsa till the very end where you get a lot of plain chips.) The atomic cheese really made this dish. It had a perfect kick to it and tasted so good with the jalapeños and some brisket. This dish is very filling and worth the money. Like other reviews have stated, this is a country music playing restaurant. The interior is spacious and can get full quickly, even on a weekday during lunch. I wouldn't mind returning and getting some beer with those nachos. read more

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OMG. I Love this bar! Great everything! Starting with Matti at check in with such kindness. Great friendly responsive service by our server Emma and manager Tobias. They suggested a good bourbon and found a great one in high west rye! So good! We love their wedge salad as a great starter but go for the incredible ribs and brisket. The bands are always great and fun. The vibe at this bar is so great and positive. We drove in from the burbs to come here and stay downtown since we really do enjoy their bourbon selection and know driving home is not an option! We can't wait to go back! read more

Bub City - Leslie and me - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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