We flew into Chicago and looked for a good place to stop and grab a bite and we're craving BBQ…read more We saw Smoque was rated very high but also had a lot of reviews so we stopped in and are we glad we did! Mrs.GiGi at the front took our order and Juanita let us know we'd be waiting for a table as we waited for the food - it went pretty quick even though being busy with every table filled and people waiting. It's a smaller restaurant but the staff and team were so welcoming and took such great care of us (the whole team was amazing - some of the best service we've ever received and we stopped in on December 27th later at night)! This is a must try if you haven't - we will defiantly be back!!!

Well the brisket and other BBQ was bland and cold .. the BBQ sauce was vingery i tried all the…read moreflavors so I didnt want to use that on top. The cornbread was just decent. Chili was meh fries were great oh over all was a dissatisfied customer but the service was very good. The lady at the front was very nice and accommodating when I mentioned the food was cold she got me warm food. Surprisingly the water was really good. Its more a cafeteria style seating was ok.

I've been craving some MEAT for a while, and after reading Sam C.'s review, I was sold - I grabbed…read moremy keys and made my way over! When I find myself thinking of a return trip while still there, you know for sure Offset BBQ delivers! I ordered the All Beef Platter, and got the Brisket Chili (upgrade) as my side. The sausage was fantastic! It had a snap which made all the Chicago Hot Dogs within a 20 mile radius jealous. Inside was a maximally savory, salty but not over-salted filling. The kind of meat that needs no sauce. Then comes the brisket! A lovely piece of meat that was so tender, looking at it and licking my lips caused the meat to start falling apart. I also loved that it was a good balance of meaty and fatty bits. However, there is a small 'but' here. For my taste, the brisket needed a very light sprinkle of salt. No matter, with the help of the sauces the brisket leveled up enough to take on any boss battle thrown at it. Speaking of sauces: The KC Style and Hawaiian were both good. Both were sweet, and had some tang, though, it seemed the KC had a slight edge in the bold department between the two. A sauce I loved though was the Chicago White, a fantastic Horseradish and Mustard sauce that was unique, interesting, savory, fresh, and a little spicy. The kind of sauce I want to buy a container of and take home! For my side, I upgraded to the bowl of brisket chili. I loved this so much, I may just order this as a main on a return visit. The chili did not at all skimp on the meat, which was tender and flavorful. The use of beans, corn, and veggies were there to help accent everything else, and were themselves cooked perfectly. Kudos also for the inclusion of a couple pickled jalapeno slices. My heat tolerance may be too high to feel a burn, but the crispness of acid did wonders! The included coleslaw was one thing I did not love. I appreciated that they were not heavy handed on the mayo, and the dressing overall was light in quantity and consistency. However, the cabbage was sliced as if by a sleep deprived stagiaire who has yet to master knife skills. The slicing was terribly inconsistent, with some pieces being way too large. For dessert, I ordered the Blueberry Handpie. This was so much better than expected! The crust was flaky and wonderful, and the filling had plentiful sweet blueberries. This dish also excelled in its execution. The cast iron pan kept the pie warm, and the ice cream was such that didn't melt right away. I also loved that the blueberries weren't screaming hot and exploding with lava. When it comes to the service, the bar-server was fantastic. She was kind, friendly, and attentive. Food came out pretty fast, too, considering how fresh everything was. Finally, while I did not make laps around the entire establishment, the vibe has just the right intersection between BBQ and Rock & Roll, with the music playing at the perfect volume to be appreciated while being not at all intrusive. Final verdict: There are many who sing the praises of Smoque BBQ, which is a great spot. However, between the two, I prefer Offset. Other than a sloppy-chopped Coleslaw, the experience was fantastic not only in the food, but in the execution and the thought put into the experience.

Alright, I don't usually do this. I'm not a Yelp or Google Review warrior, I'm not out here typing…read moreessays about every decent meal... but gotdamn, this place earned it. I've been meaning to get here for years, and we finally rolled in for lunch - and let me tell you, the hype in my head still wasn't enough. For context, I'm not just some random dude who likes ribs. I run a small side street BBQ pop-up on the South Side and I'm borderline obsessive about properly smoked meat - especially the kind that's gently smoked, where you taste the craft and not just a blast of soot and sauce. That balance is HARD. Most places (even the quote unquote "institutions" we all know) lean heavy on sauce to cover up over-smoked, tired meat. This spot? Absolutely not that. Offset BBQ in Humboldt Park is operating on a whole different level. This is thoughtful, patient, technique-driven barbecue - the kind pitmasters respect and regular people fall in love with without even knowing why it's better. I had the chance to meet Carlo Carani and Doug Pompa, and that alone made the visit special. Doug is the real-deal pitmaster - not flashy, not ego-driven, just a humble craftsman who clearly lives and breathes smoke. Both of them were welcoming, down-to-earth, and generous with their time. Doug even walked me through their smokers and process, which, as someone still climbing the BBQ learning curve, was like getting a backstage pass to a masterclass. No gatekeeping, no attitude - just passion and pride in doing things the right way. And the food backs it all up. The brisket? Tender, beautifully rendered, rich without being heavy. Pulled pork? Juicy, seasoned exactly right, smoke present but never overpowering. The pickled sides? Absolute game-changer - that bright acidity cutting through the richness like a perfect reset button between bites. They're not just doing traditional barbecue either - there's creativity on the menu that actually makes sense, not gimmicks. Add in a serious whiskey and bourbon lineup plus beer that pairs the way it should, and you're looking at a full experience, not just a tray of meat. This isn't just another BBQ joint. This is a Chicago barbecue institution in the making - if it isn't already. Do yourself a favor: run, don't walk. Whether you're a die-hard smoke nerd or just someone who loves good food, this place is the real deal. Maria's service is outstanding and you'd be remissed not to include her hospitality as a bright star to this BBQ institution's success. God bless this joint!

A lot of the menu items were unavailable during our visit. Out of all the dessert options, only one…read morewas available, and only two soups were being served. Some of the rice bowl options were also unavailable, which further limited the selection. Our favorite item is the Wagyu short rib plate, but we noticed that toward the end of service, it seemed to be mixed with regular beef. The texture was noticeably tougher, and we could definitely tell the difference. It was a bit disappointing since the Wagyu is usually one of the highlights of our visit. That said, our server, Zaid, was great. He was attentive, friendly, and provided excellent service throughout our meal.

Food and service was amazing!…read more Zaid and Sydney were amazing with the service and on top of everything. Even cooked for us!

Lemon pepper chicken dinner is out of control good…read more Fried rice is just ok to me. Feel like going with the jasmine rice for the healthier option is the better move - even though the reviews on yelp say differently.

Being my first time in Chicago, I definitely had to try 3LP as it was highly recommended by all my…read morefriends. And boy, my mouth is still watering from the thought of the salt and pepper fried chicken sandwich! Juicy, crispy and huge-- I devoured it so quickly after taking that first bite that I didn't even have time to let the camera eat first. Best fried chicken sandwich handsdown! The bbq pork was also another standout with its sweet and tender goodness! And can we talk about how cute the takeout bag is?

I am extremely happy to find another Hawaiian restaurant near me and it's not a wannabe like H*B*…read more We came on a weekend during dinner and there was a mild rush in and out of pick up orders and people dining in. We grabbed a menu as we had some time to review their offerings before the last person in our group arrived. When it was time to order, we went for variety and got Kaleb, garlic chicken / lemongrass pork and the Hawaiian breakfast. We ordered enough to receive 2 spam musubis. Everyone was happy with their food and compared it to another well known Hawaiian place in the city - but here with better prices! We had plenty leftover for our party of 3 and pretty much could fill up 1 container! We will definitely be back and look forward to trying other items!

I discovered Aloha Hawaiian BBQ via a photo that was shared on my yelp feed. Once I looked at the…read moremenu and saw a picture of their fish katsu, it became a place that I just had to order from. I was pleased to find that it is located along a route that I frequently drive in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, which may lead to future visits onsite while in the area. And its 4.9 star rating out of 500+ on Uber Eats was the assurance I needed that I would have a quality ordering experience. I did further research on the menu before ordering and I took interest in the garlic butter shrimp, garlic butter fish fillet, vegetable lo mein, vegetable fried rice, crab rangoon, and of course the fish katsu! Out of those items that caught my eye, I ended up ordering the fish katsu with rice & macaroni salad as my sides. Whether it be Grubhub or Uber Eats, I love ordering online because it is convenient. Much praise to the Uber Eats delivery driver, Jesus, for arriving with my order in a reasonable time, as well as meeting me in front of my residence as requested. And Jesus also confirmed that it was me grabbing the order, which I cannot thank him so much for. As for my order, I could not help but smell the fish katsu prior to opening the bag it was placed in. Along with the white rice and macaroni salad it appeared so delicious once I got my first glimpse of it after opening the container. I was pleased with the acceptable portions given, which made my mouth salivate as I took pictures of it to share not only on yelp, but with friends. As expected, the fish katsu tasted very delicious and the katsu sauce complimented it so well. I just could not resist smiling in between bites of it, which left my mouth salivating. As for the macaroni salad, it was the best I have ever had, I kid you not! I finished eating it quickly in between bites of the fish Katsu. Here is your warning! If you are looking for a satisfying meal that could very well turn into leftovers after you have recovered from your kanak attack, then look no further than the fish katsu! In closing, I had an overall great ordering experience as I have indicated in this review of Aloha Hawaiian BBQ. I would consider ordering from again whether it be online or even visiting for takeout when in the area. And with that, I share my endorsement of it as well with you all on yelp. Service: 5 | Ambiance: N/A | Food: 5| Overall Experience: 5 ~ Veni, Vidi, Vici ~ Thomas G

My meal here was surprisingly tasty for a chain BBQ place…read more The lunch special was great. $12.99 for a pulled pork sandwich, side, and drink. That is essentially unbeatable downtown. The pork was juicy and the KC style bbq sauce was good (other options were Chicago, Memphis, Carolina(?)). The mac and cheese was really tasty, I found myself scraping the bowl for more. It had a really nice crust on top. The service was quick and friendly.

I've had the full spectrum of BBQ from mind-blowingly incredible to places I send people I don't…read morelike. I am pleased to report that Blackwood BBQ is somewhere between "good" and "very good". It won't knock your socks off, but it is nowhere close to "bad." It's perfect for what it is, that being: a spot for a bite during the lunch hour. On both visits, I ordered the two meat platter, with brisket and sausage. Both were flavorful and savory, with the brisket being balanced in terms of meaty vs fatty (as requested). Now, that said, the prices at Blackwood are on the high side. On the one hand, I know the price of a pound of ground beef is greater than the minimum wage (as of this writing). However, I also can't help but feel the punch to the wallet when two meats and one side, where one of those is brisket, and a soda comes to somewhere between $20-25 (I think it's close to $25, but don't want to misspeak). Half a pound of meat is not a lot, making the wallet punch even worse. Then there comes the service. Most of the folks working here are professional and welcome. There is this one person, though, whose level of gruffness seems a bit high. It wasn't so much a lack of pleasantries for the sake of efficiency as it was annoyance that customers exist? Final verdict: If you're working in the loop, and craving BBQ, Blackwood is a rock-solid spot, but the high prices mean it likely isn't practical for a regular spot. If it's a weekend, there are better options out there.

I was in the neighborhood and saw the reviews, I was kinda lost looking for this place where I…read morewalked in to a private lot and was able to see a small sign outside. Walked to the other side of the building and saw the store front. There was no one inside sitting so my original thought was it was closed but someone popped out inside the kiosk. I had a taste for ribs, but he only had rib tips. I ordered 1 pound of that, 3 sides which was garlic mash, chicken gumbo and slaw - total was $40. The ribs are moist and great, gumbo was very salty and mash was tasty. I have to come back when they have more items to buy.

Service was great and so was the food. Parking was a bit tight but we found a spot in the lot…read more I will definitely come back and highly recommended it. I had a Brisket sandwich with shrimp and grits as a side. Shrimp and grits was a bit spicy but not too bad. Brisket was excellent. My wife had the pulled pork sliders with Mac and Cheese as a side. Both were excellent.

Great service…read more Relaxing atmosphere. Hefty portions. Got the Q-burger and mashed potatoes. Portions are large - you'll probably end up taking some home. Chill atmosphere that is great for a date or hanging with friends . Good music- but not loud like a club. Food was cooked perfect and everyone made us feel right at home. Check this spot out!

New year, new goals, new perspective, new creations, and a brand-new start! We touched down in…read moreChi-Town to freezing cold weather and were so thankful and grateful to find a spot close to our hotel, and it surely did not disappoint! Thank you for the homey welcome and superb service during the holidays. Everything came out hot and delicious, and we truly appreciate the time you took to be attentive to our needs. Thank you for working the extra hours during the holidays, and a special thank-you to the kitchen for preparing the food quickly and beautifully. The BBQ ribs, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes were all done very well- filling and absolutely delicious. Everything was on point and more!! Thank you so very much!