Just had a great dinner there with some friends. This was my first time at this restaurant and I went to school at Elmhurst College. I was super excited to eat there since I love BBQ! I'm a sucker for ribs and brisket. I ordered the ribs but wanted to sample taste the brisket. I was able to sample a little taste if that brisket and man, Chef Eric did a great job cooking that! Chef Eric is the best chef! So good! read more

If you're looking for good bbq at a decent price, Firewater is the way to go! So glad I was introduced to this place!! The Smokehouse combos are such a good deal and it lets you try a variety of meats! Our favorites include beef brisket, burnt ends, 3 bone competition ribs, and their jumbo wings. We also love their creamy slaw, brisket beans, and the beer battered onion rings. They also have house bbq sauce options and they are pair so well with the bbq! The service was great, they are very fast and provide great recommendations. The vibes and ambience are great too, the atmosphere and decor is reminiscent of famous daves (but better bbq). read more

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Tried Firewater BBQ and overall it was a great experience. The atmosphere is lively and the staff are super friendly and welcoming. Portions are huge--the pulled pork cheese fries alone could feed 5 people. The ribs were delicious and a standout. Brisket was a bit on the dry side but still tender, and the burnt ends were good (just avoid the fattier pieces). Jalapeño cheddar brat was one of my top favorites. Absolutely worth getting! My son also got the jumbo wings. He said they were OK weren't his top favorite. Sides really impressed--cornbread, coleslaw, and baked beans were all flavorful and worth it. Mac and cheese was creamy but a little bland. The employee that was taking our order was very helpful. He explained all of their different barbecue sauces that they have and went through detail explaining which one would be best with what type of meat so that was really nice and then he was super awesome and gave us all to try since we had such a wide variety of meats. Great spot for BBQ, especially if you're going with a group! read more

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The "Championship" ribs aren't that good. They smoke them then finish them on the grill with sauce and apple juice. This creates an unpleasant "candy" finish which actually dries out the outer part of the ribs and an unpleasant taste which hides the smoke taste. I'm not sure what award they won but it must have been people that didn't like meat Mac noodles weren't fully cooked. Bbq beans were bland. Brisket was very fatty Go elsewhere read more

I was craving BBQ, my friend and I decided to stop in, and I'm so glad we did! If you're sitting at the bar, you order at the front counter and pick up your food on the end when your name is called. I ordered the brisket meal with sweet potato fries and cornbread. Great choice! The brisket was incredibly tender, bit off smoothly, but I do wish it had a bit more seasoning. The cornbread on the other hand was perfect sweet moist, and buttery. I also got the blueberry lemonade with vodka, which was super light flavorful and refreshing. I definitely could've used a few more of those. To top it all off, we had the taffy apple bourbon bread pudding! OMG it was too die for! I regret not taking it home with me! I'll absolutely be coming back soon! Good food, great vibes, and a solid bbq spot for the summer! read more

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BQ was delicious and the brisket was very tender and choices of different barbecue sauces were great! Good friendly service.

We were craving for bbq ribs and search thru google and yelp and found this place. It's quite a drive from us but glad we did. The ribs are delicious and not dry and perfect smokey taste. The cornbread is delicious. The place looks really nice and clean. Service is actually quick. We've been here 3x within a month so go figure! read more

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Wow! What an absolute surprise this place turned out to be! The atmosphere, the decor, and the vibe were firing on all cylinders from the moment we walked in. We were greeted warmly by the bartender Tommy, a gruff and tuff military vet with a heart of gold. This man was the REAL draw here, and I LOVE bbq. The funny thing is... We didn't even know he existed until we showed up as it was our first time. Tommy was very quick, kind, and professional, he made us feel welcomed and was great at covering every facet of the drink and food menus, he also kept a watchful eye on us despite how busy they were and ensure we had a world class experience. Whatever this man is being paid-- I assure you it's not enough, Onto the food. Wow. Talk about rich and bold Smokey flavors and succulent meats. Everything was absolutely flawless with The brat being the show stopper, it was massive, Smokey, spicy and filled with fresh jalapeños and cheddar, the burnt ends were basically meat candy; rich, saucy, and soooo tender. Lastly we had the brisket, it was very good, but I've definitely had better, it was by no means bad, but compared to the other meats I got it was the weakest thing in the plate, I'd appreciate a stronger bark and a little more chew. But that's just me. Luckily, they have many meat options and I can sample the others at my next visit. The fries were ok, some soggy, some crispy, and I liked that they had regular, garlic parm, and Cajun options for them-- however next time I'll do either the Mac and cheese or the potato salad I think. Lastly, the corn bread took me back to my youth. It was the best I'd had in decades. Richly subtle, with a nice sweet glaze, tons of butter, and just the right kind of bite. It literally just would melt on your tongue. Yum! Onto the dessert, my goodness-- this was a literal deep fried bread pudding brick, slathered in caramel sauce, with a bourbon glaze and some condensed milk, and it was incredible, so rich, so dense, snd very large. We ate 1/3 and took the rest to go. Overall, this place is a real BBQ lovers gem, and Tommy is the heart and soul. I live 45 minutes away and would EASILY drive double that distance to come here again and be waited on by him and listening to his stories and jokes while I stuff myself with some damn fine Chicago BBQ. Run, don't walk to Fire Water BBQ in Elmhurst, you'll be glad you did read more

Firewater BBQ - 3 Meat and 1 Side - A metal tray holds smoked meats, French fries, cornbread, and barbecue ribs, served on a checkered paper liner at a restaurant. - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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Had I only tasted the baked beans and the pulled pork, this would be a five-star review. Unfortunately, I also tried the brisket and the mac-and-cheese. Both of these latter dishes landed somewhere between so-so and "I think I'll stop eating this part of the meal and leave the rest for the trash." The brisket just didn't land with either of us during a recent lunch; dry, a little tough, and somewhat free of, well, flavor. We tried five of the six sauces offered, and a couple of them just didn't land at all, although the regular and spicy sauces were a tad better than the stuff you could buy at your local grocery store. The value proposition was good; the lunchbox special includes a sandwich, one side, and a soda for $12. It's getting harder and harder to find good food at a good deal, so the box here works as long as you stick with my suggestions. And there was plenty of space, with a nice mix of two-tops, four-tops, and high-top seating, along with plenty of parking. For a worker in the suburbs near this location, there's a lot to like here. read more

I was told that Firewater is the best bbq restaurant in the western suburbs. I've tried two times and had great experiences with takeout and dining in. The pricing is super reasonable. Their menu doesn't have larger order options (except for the ribs) so if you want a large order of variety of meats or sides, the only option is to order multiple combo plates. The meats are cooked well, juicy, and flavorful. All the sides are great as well! Their bbq sauce is great with regular and hot/spicy options available. They also have jalapeños, pickled onions, and pickles next to the drink dispensers. My friends all loved Firewater. I highly recommend checking them out! read more

Firewater BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

My my...how things change. I visited this place a couple of years ago when I was in Chicago. It was absolutely delicious! Last night (1/14/26) I visited with a friend around 6:30 or so and what a HUUUUGE disappointment. First off NOTHING was hot. The mac n cheese was in a tiny container and luke warm at best. Same with the beans! What the hell happened? The brisket was still phenomenal but again not hot. The service left a lot to be desired. The last time we went one of the owners helped us. The energy in the place was great, there was live music, etc. This time there was trash behind the counter and old looking aluminum pans on the floor. The place had a whole other vibe. Kind of depressing. What a waste. I never have to visit again. I'm just disappointed because it was so gooooood before. read more

First time I had ever been here but picked up carrot on my drive back to the city and was very impressed, would definitely get again. My favorite food is smoked wings so I got a two meat platter and did wings for both: this ended up being 10 wings total. Overall the wings were great, all were large and for the most part were fall off the bone. My only complaint is they don't have any option for like a buffalo sauce in the side , only bbq. Also I got a side salad for my side and it was much better than anticipated. Very good amount of toppings and the Italian dressing tasted homemade read more

Firewater BBQ - Jumbo Smoked Wings Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Overall good BBQ. Sides are spot on. Sadly has a Potbelly's feel as they have a musician play live and is never good.

Tried Firewater BBQ last night and we enjoyed our experience. I'm always very picky on my ribs and these ribs were not at all fatty (which is huge for me). Lots of meat on them. My husband and I split the full slab and got an extra spicy BBQ sauce to add. My husband preferred the sauce that originally comes on the ribs, and actually really hated the extra spicy BBQ sauce. I - on the other hand - thought the spicy BBQ sauce was excellent and would recommend it. But - goes to show you - everyone has different opinions. We also go the fried pickles - which we enjoyed as a side. All in all - a good experience and we would go back to try different BBQ there. Very casual and friendly place. read more

Love the Brisket here! The brisket baked beans are a must buy! Cornbread is moist and delicious!!

Best BBQ in the Chicago area! Wings are a hidden gem on the menu... Live music was a blast for the family. We good at least twice a month read more

I've been to Firewater BBQ in Elmhurst before and chalked it up to a bad night. Since I'm a big fan of BBQ, I gave it another shot. Unfortunately, it turns out they seem to have a bad night every night. I ordered the three-meat combo with an upcharge for the so-called "competition ribs." Not sure what competition they've entered, but based on what I was served, they wouldn't come close to making the podium. The ribs were underwhelming, the pulled pork was served cold and was extremely dry, and the wings had a strange off-putting taste I couldn't place. To be fair, the cornbread and fries were actually very good, but those aren't meant to be the highlight of a BBQ meal. I didn't come for the sides. At this point, thinking it was just a bad night is off the table. I've honestly had better ribs from a hot dog stand..., specifically, Mickey's on Harlem Avenue. Sadly, I won't be coming back. read more

Firewater BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

I ate at Firewater BBQ last night. Cashier was not very friendly and seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. Table was sticky. The chicken and ribs were dry. The flavor was good just too dry. The Mac and cheese was alright but would not get again. The pickled onions were not very good. The pickles were good. read more

It smells so good when you walk inside and you feel like your in a cabin that is using firewood to stay warm. It is not cold at all, it is very cozy and you feel comfortable taking your coat off even when it is 30 degrees outside. There is a little fire place in the right wall when you first walk into the restaurant. There are lots of firewood bundles stacked around the restaurant and cute comfortable picnic style tables with movable chairs. This is a great place to have a party or gathering. They serve beer and have a bar area and there is a game room. There are lots of yummy menu items so it might be hard to decide on what to order. I ordered the 1/2 slab of rib and they were really meaty and fell off the bone tender however they still had some chew so it was absolutely perfect! The flavor was nicely smoked and had that sausage like flavor (which I loved) on the ends. I love the spicy sauce, it leaves a tingle on your tongue! My husband ordered The Master Burger and said it was so delicious and he would definitely have it again! The pieces of bacon and pulled pork really elevated the taste and texture! We highly recommend you give this restaurant a try! The prices were affordable for high quality barbecue. They even have a kids menu (for kids under 10) We did not order any sides but there is a long delicious list of sides available for $3.95 which is well worth it and $2.95 for a drink (they have Pepsi fountain drinks - free refills) They have desserts, so try to save some room or take one home! My husbands used the mens washroom and said it was nice and clean! We will be back again for sure and highly recommend you give this place a try, you will not be disappointed! read more

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Absolutely awful. The food was disgusting and made us sick. Every item came out cold or barely lukewarm--including the cornbread, which I've never experienced served cold anywhere in my life. The restaurant itself was freezing. Even wearing a winter coat, we were still cold, which only added to how miserable the experience was. Service was a complete joke. We sat at the bar and were flat-out ignored. The bartender wouldn't even look in our direction but somehow had time to make jokes with other customers at our expense. We were never checked on, never acknowledged, nothing. Save your money and your stomach. There are plenty of much better barbecue places in the Chicagoland area with hot food and basic respect for customers. Do not waste your time here. read more

Definitely the best bbq anywhere!!! Always get the salad w brisket, great cornbread and baked beans...my fav. Hubby always gets their pulled pork Sammie and Mac n cheese read more

Ate here tonight for a birthday party. For some reason they flood the place with bbq smoke. When we got home all our clothes smelled like we were standing over a barbecue all day. Needless to say our clothes all had to be washed. The fries were terrible, they don't peel the potatoes and I wonder if they even wash them. They were pretty dark which says the fry oil was old. The sweet potato fries were coated in large sugar crystals. 3 bone competition ribs were tasty, not super meaty, had some chew and a decent bark. Some of the rib tips were merely chunks of burnt bones without any meat. The chicken was dry. Brisket was dry. Won't be back for sure. Looking over all the previous reviews you can tell by the huge number of 5 stars that the reviews are being padded. 3 hours after eating and we're feeling sick to our stomachs. read more

Their lunch specials are the best!!! We can"t go past this around noon time without stopping in for BarBq

Excellent s0ace with energy, fun and good service! They great younwith a warming welcome. There is enough space to bring fam and friends! Nice bar area. The food is top notch bbq in the Chicago land area. Very consistent. read more

Ordered Catering for Christmas. There was some confusion at pick-up time. John the manager on duty, took care of everything happily and made sure I was completely satisfied. Have eaten there many times I wouldn't go anywhere else for BBQ. read more

The food was amazing thank you took 3 coworkers the second time around and they all loved the bbq and delicious raspberry vodka lemonade. Service was excellent too thank you the old guy at the bar was great to talk to. read more

We live in St Charles, IL and have only had the food from Geneva location, and they sides are Horrible, Mac & Cheese is dried out, Baked beans were bad. But we tried the Firewater the Food in Crest Hill, IL OMG the Mac & cheese and baked beans were Awesome, we had Pulled pork, Chicken, Brisket, Wings. what a difference in the food. Everyone was raving on how great the food was!!!! we will be driving to Crest hill, IL for BBQ 5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G smoked chicken - especially with the Alabama White Sauce! (A perfect lunch for keto or carnivore lifestyle people...).The staff is very friendly and the country music is fun! It's one of my favorite stops for lunch. CHECK IT OUT! read more

First off, the space is super welcoming, spacious, and cool ambience. I really appreciated the county music playing. They also had a live performer singing as well when I left. We ordered the south sider sandwich, 3 meats (brisket, rib tips and Cheddar jalapeño link), mac and cheese, fries, potato salad, and cornbread. Man were our taste buds in BBQ heaven! The sandwich was absolutely delicious! The bun was fresh and packed with delicious brisket and pulled pork. The meats were all smoked and cooked to perfection. The link had a nice snap and the perfect amount of heat. They definitely know how to do BBQ! This is a chain and it doesn't feel like one. It tastes like true homemade BBQ. Don't skip on sides. The mac and cheese wasn't great. It was just ok. The potato salad was really good and obviously homemade. Their fries were fresh, hand cut and tasty. Their cornbread was the perfect savory sweet taste. Yum! They also have SO many sauces as well. It was hard to choose a favorite, but if I had to pick one, it would be their original bbq. Overall, we really enjoyed our BBQ from Firewater, will return, and most definitely would reccomend! read more

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Went here today to have lunch , brought home a full slab of ribs , unbelievable , tender and tasty read more

Firewater BBQ - A rack of smoked ribs with barbecue sauce in a cardboard takeout container, lined with branded paper, on a gray table. - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Food was fantastic and service was very friendly. I should've paid attention to the note on the side for the fries that they were perfect for sharing because it is HUGE but delicious! Definitely recommend read more

Firewater BBQ - Pulled pork fries - A serving tray of pulled pork fries topped with barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, shredded pork, and corn, served with two small containers of dipping sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

The BBQ and sides are delicious but service (dine in and take out) is not without its challenges time and time again. In fact, service is "the reason" it isn't a first choice when in the mood for BBQ. Ribs 5/5 Brisket 5/6 Pulled chicken 5/5 Rib tips 3/5 Mac n cheese 3/5 Cornbread 4/5 Bacon & chive potato salad 4/5 Service 2/5 1. Ordered $60 worth of carry out. There was no sauce and one side was missing. Noticed after returning home. There was no apology but offered the option to return for it before they closed for the evening. 2. Dined in and ordered tortillas in the place of bread due to an allergy. The order was served on bread. Requested the tortillas and was told it wasn't on the order. So I returned to the counter, and informed the same cashier that was extra appreciative of the generous cash tip minutes before. He immediately acknowledged it was his error, but his colleague typed in tortillas and told me it would be $2.16 more. I told them to deduct it from the prior cash tip or remove the bread and provide it at no additional cost. 3. Ordered $150 worth of carry out. There were no utensils, napkins or wet wipes. read more

Firewater BBQ - the inside of the restaurant - Interior of a restaurant with wooden picnic tables, wood-paneled walls, and stacked firewood as a decorative partition, with a TV screen hanging from the ceiling. - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Always great service here My favorites remain to be the pulled pork with potato salad. Mac and cheese - great portion size, creamy, lacked some flavor Apple bread pudding - very large can be split amongst two people. I liked it but probably wouldn't get again or I would add ice cream at home. Fries - delicious, large portion read more

Thought we'd give this place a try. Paid over $65 for two people just to be served old cuts of meat? Brisket had rainbow tint all over and so did the burnt ends. Fries were best thing we had. So unfortunate. read more

Great food! Meat is not dry. Good choice of sauces. Prices are fair. My new favorite spot for BBQ.

Cute cabin-themed BBQ joint serving all the meats you could ask for. I was recommended the grillmaster burger from a friend and had to try it out. It was delicious! The burger had brisket, pulled pork, smoked bacon, and bbq sauce. Everything was super tender and melted in your mouth. I have no doubt that any of their other meats and dishes would be amazing. You can order fries on the side and if you do, you can get dry seasoning so I got the garlic parmesan. The fries were okay, but not worth the price. Stick with their meats and you can't go wrong. read more

Firewater BBQ - Grillmaster burger - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

1000% casual. Jean shorts and t-shirts are good. Cute place. Self-order, self-pick-up. Eat at picnic tables. Prices reasonable - 2 meats and 1 side $16.95 plus $2 up charge for some meats including burnt ends. Found the burnt ends tasty but a little fatty. Pulled pork good - not dry. Brisket tasty. BBQ sauce flavorful. 3-cheese Mac and Cheese was just ok and served luke warm. Hand cut fries with salt and pepper were good. Cornbread was the best side. Was disappointed by the "in-house" drinks we ordered. Margarita was poured out of non-alcoholic Jose Cuervo bottle with a tiny splash of inexpensive tequila. Blackberry lemonade was ALL ice - no lemonade flavor and while it wasn't bad.... Wouldn't order again. $21 for both drinks too pricey for what they were. May go again but with all the great restaurants in the area, won't be in a hurry. read more

Flavorless, mac & cheese leftover brisket from the night before mushy uninterested staff a ton of smoke no flavor read more

Firewater BBQ - Flavorless, mac & cheese, mushy brisket terrible burnt ends - Barbeque Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Always order pickup, usually get the Ribs and pulled pork sandwiches. Food is great, they give you the sauce on the side, which is nice. When picking up food, make sure to mention it to the cashier, otherwise you'll be standing there. The inside is nice and big, they have benches instead of regular chairs (at least what I saw), would order again read more

This place has a very "BBQ Restaurant" feel with a lot of wood around and a thick smoky scent in the air. The meat was a little overdone, but it still tasted pretty good. There are also several sauces to try that are all delicious! The cornbread is the star of the show, in my opinion. I also tried the fried pickles with the southwest ranch, and I would come back just for those! Note, this is not a service restaurant, so you order at the counter and pick it up at the window. Service was fairly quick considering how busy they were, and everyone was kind. I will also add that they have sweet tea available, but it is not true southern sweet tea if that is what you are expecting. Overall, I would recommend checking them out! read more