Just steps from Thalia Hall, The Tonk is the kind of place that quietly affirms why Chicago is so often counted among the world's great cities--not just by travel magazines, but by the people who call it home. We popped in after a show for a fast bite and the live band pulled us in. The lead singer had knockout vocals, backed by a guitarist and band that felt steeped in Chicago's deep musical lineage--blues, soul, rock--all of it alive and well in one tight set. I ordered the half smoked chicken and a side of collard greens. The chicken fell clean off the bone, the dry rub flavorful without overpowering, the skin still perfectly crisp. The greens were tender and rich. My husband's hot links sandwich earned an immediate "I'd get it again"--the highest praise. Grace, our server, was warm and attentive without missing a beat. We said we have to come back to try more food, she introduced herself with a smile that matched her name. This is Chicago at its best: neighborhood vibes, no pretense, great food, live music, and the easy comfort of a true local watering hole. Check it out! read more

At an in-person workshop and Honky Tonk BBQ was catered for lunch. Each box included a sandwich (choice of pork, chicken, sausage), a side (coleslaw, macaroni salad), bbq sauce, and a chocolate chip cookie. The lunch portions are fairly large but we still had half the day of sessions so I only ate the pork (not the bread), I'm not a fan of coleslaw or macaroni salad (people seemed to enjoy the coleslaw), and saved the cookie for an afternoon sweet treat. The pork was tender but didn't have much flavor and the bbq sauce was on the sweet side. The star of the box was the cookie...soft and not overly sweet. There were a few lunches left when the workshop was over so I took the leftover cookies. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Box lunch (catering) - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The rib was a bit bland and stiff. I like the vibe there. They have bands on Wednesdays - Sundays. Check their website for their schedule. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Exterior - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My son was down the block at Thalia Hall so I had a lot of time on my hands. I was drawn to the smell of BBQ and wandered into this great spot. I sat at the bar while a DJ spun and the few remaining runners of the Chicago Marathon went by on 18th. I ordered a Guinness 0.0 and the brisket platter for one with greens and pulled pork for my side. It came out piping hot and delicious with a buttery roll. After pouring some of their excellent mustard sauce on my plate, I devoured the meal and finished off with a nice THC and CBD sparkling rose seltzer. The bartender was super friendly and great at her job. I will definitely be back! read more

See all

Very disappointed. I ordered the pulled pork and got the pulled chicken, when I finally got my pulled pork well it shouldn't be pulled pork big chunks and tasteless. I tried some of their bbq sauce not impressed in the least. The only reason they got two stars was because of their service and banana pudding. read more

I hate bashing on small local businesses but the food here was not good at all in my opinion. The brisket chili was too salty for our taste, and the Mac and cheese was grainy for some reason. The corn bread was also so so dry. If you're looking for actually good bbq, I would totally suggest eating elsewhere because it wasn't it. read more

See all

Good vibe and live music was great! The food was awful! Service was just okay, the typical "you're lucky to get service ".

Gave me and my wife diarrhea. Don't recommend. Worst brisket I ever tasted in my life.

Came here on a Thursday night and it was decorated so cute for valentines. Always have a great meal here. Got the platter and it was pretty good. My cherry drink was delicious! Our waitress was super nice as well. They had live bands playing this night so was really cool to see. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

My work team was out for dinner to celebrate hitting our monthly goal. Perfect place to gather together and eat really good food. It was 4/5 of our first time here. Everything was really good. My favorite was the dinky dunker sandwiches with the sweet bbq sauce and the corn bread. The whole vibe of the restaurant is so fun and cozy. Definitely gather here with your friends sometime soon and make sure you catch one of the live bands! Can't wait to go back. read more

See all

Great attentive service and not too long a wait for food either. The food is really tasty and great! Definitely a recommended BBQ place. The ambiance is a spacious seating room, with some live music occasionally. So it is unique comparatively to other places. Back to the food, great cook of the BBQ food. The cornbread muffins are exactly as advertised. Nice and moist, as they should be. The hot link has a nice seasoned layer while tender. The brisket sandwich has a ton of brisket inside. I love brisket, so this is welcomed. The brisket is really great! There are three bbq sauces which are fine. Would be nice to have a spicy bbq sauce option too or some other type of bbq flavor sauce. As is there is a tangy (Carolina), a sweet bbq, and then some other one that's in between sweet n tangy. So perhaps a more straight up bbq sauce too would be good. Regardless, the three sauces currently are good. Overall, very satisfied with this BBQ . Another great BBQ place to check out in Chicago. read more

See all

My previous experiences years ago were great. However, maybe due to the current circumstances there were some discrepancies that came about. The food was not the usual. I ordered the fried green tomatoes, rib tips, and the St. Louis spareribs. The tomatoes were cut too thick and the breading was soggy. The ribs tips were a bit wacky. No flavor at all, just some good ole slightly burned meat that I surely thought would be smoked????? read more

Went here on a Saturday night for their live music. Sat at the bar, bartender was attentive and friendly. Live music was great! : Tex-Mex band Daya Dorado. Food looked and smelled great- will have to come back again. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Band Daya Dorado Photo by @nolacahi. Follow on IG :) - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bacon Candy 4 stars Beef Brisket Sandwich on Garlic Breas 3 stars Hot Link 5 stars The Bacon Candy, bacon with a sweet glaze on it. Had it a couple of places. It's very good. The beef brisket sandwich was cooked well but it was bland. The garlic bread was hot, toasty, and flavorful. The house barbecue sauce is decent but this Sandwich didn't do it for me. The hot link however was on point. Really good seasoning, not that hot, but really enjoyed it. I'll go back and try a couple of other things. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Bacon Candy - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Welp, I really wanted give this place 3 stars because I had a horrible pickup experience between the lack of parking after driving an hour and 20 mins and a 20 minute order turning into a rushed 35 min order because my order was lost was too much for me lol BUT - when I tell you this is the best brisket I have had in an extremely long time- I am not lying ! The brisket slices were thick , perfectly cooked with a flavored rub !!! The menu is diverse and had my favorite - fried green tomatoes which I enjoyed because the batter didn't have a ton of cornmeal and it wasn't grainy. I can't say I'd do pickup up again but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't come back for the brisket. It was that amazing read more

See all

Order late lunch from this place. We got the platter which consists ribs, briskets, and half chicken with three sauces. We order some sides which is corn breads, mushroom, and mashed potato. The side was not bad at all, I would say the mushroom wasn't much flavor or I was having high hope however the corn bread and mash potatoes are delicious. We also order their jumbo smoked wings, I would say the smoked wings could be better. Street parking. read more

See all

Food is GREAT, but never order delivery! 2nd time in a row. Their delivery gave my Doorman a hard time! Leaves food in lobby without talking to the Doorman and 2nd time tells Doorman, "too busy", to have food delivered or let customer know order is here!! read more

A great barbecue spot! We went on Thursday for dinner and it wasn't too busy. Sat in the back room and really enjoyed the interior design and ambiance. Ordered the sampler platter ($43) that comes with basically everything and then a side of Mac and cheese. The mac and cheese side was not super needed honestly. The best parts of the platter were the ribs, the brisket sandwiches, and the corn muffins. Shared with my girlfriend and we had plenty to bring home for leftovers. Overall great food, value, and service. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Mac & Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I visited Honky Tonk for the first time a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it ended up being a great experience. We walked in and found the place semi empty. There were ample seating choices, so we opted to sit near the front of the restaurant. Our waitress, Brenda, came over immediately to greet us. We ordered drinks and food. I had the pulled pork sandwich and greens. It was delicious. My sister also had the pulled pork, but she also ordered a hot link. My brother had the rib tips and mac-n-cheese. We ordered a basket of corn bread muffins for the table. The food was delicious!! The mac-n-cheese was al dente, which was interesting. My brother loved it, but I didn't care for it. He also liked the corn muffins, but I didn't like those either. I like my corn bread on the sweet side. The muffins and mac-n-cheese weren't bad... they were just okay, in my opinion. The pulled pork and greens were fantastic. My brother loved the rib tips as well. The hot link was decent. It's not like a link you'd eat in the hood, though. It's tasted more like Eckrich smoked sausage to me. We also ordered a round of cocktails, which were really good. My brother had a sidecar, and I think my sister had a moonshine. I can't recall what I had, but it was good. They both liked their drinks, too. The ambiance was really nice, too. There was an R&B band singing and playing live instruments. They sounded great! Our waitress, Brenda, was awesome. She offered recommendations and was really chill. We thought she was cool. The bill was about $100 for the 3 of us, which is a little pricy but well worth it. I'll visit Honky Tonk again for sure. Update - I changed my initial five star rating to four stars. I visited Honky Tonk again last night and the experience was lackluster. I had the pulled pork and greens again, but it wasn't as good as my first experience. The pork had a lot of gristle which was disgusting and the greens tasted bitter. The service was still good though and there was a great band (Anna Maze) playing. I was with three friends and they also didn't think the food was very good. The drinks made up for it though. Not sure if it was an off night or if this place is hit or miss all the time. read more

See all

Woah. Stuffed! Finally got to try this place today! Another hit on 18th street. Thanks Pilsen! Work called in a giant order late in the day and I got to try a bunch of different stuff. The ribs & chicken, both were great. The brisket! So fire. The brisket and sauces are really amazing. Really good. The cornbread comes in corn stalks. Pretty cool. Mushrooms were not my favorite but everything else was so great. Tried a little too much of everything after already eating my lunch! I'm ready to take a nap and die but it was worth it. Cheers to all the meats. Thanks to my work & Honky Tonk BBQ! read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Loved the atmosphere with great honky Tonk music. Food was very good as we had pulled chicken and pork. The waffles were fantastic.

Don't let the name fool, this place is definitely not country. Id like to call it a heavy metal or rock saloon. Ive been here in the past and was very impressed with food and service. Last nights experience was not as good as last visit. The BBQ was dry & service was just, ok. They do have a pool table which kept us busy while waiting for dinner. Overall experience is just ok and nothing to brag about. read more

I was very disappointed in the meal I ordered as part of my dad's 58th birthday. He definitely wanted Mac and cheese, I also threw in an order of coleslaw and sautéed mushrooms. The mushrooms were great. The Mac and cheese, was not. It tasted sour like the ingredients used were expired. Also insanely dry. Just inedible no matter how you look at it. My ten year old son whose favorite food is Mac and cheese spit it out and told me to throw it away, and no one else objected. The coleslaw was dry and old tasting, but thankfully I only got a small container not a tray like the Mac and cheese. I did call with my issues and was hung up on and then not called back. I tried a few times. read more

Came here on a Sunday night and it was POPPIN. The live music was fantastic--it was lively, the musicians were animated and impressive, people were dressed up and dancing to the jazz by the bar. The music is very loud though, so it requires raising your voice when talking to your friends around the table. Definitely not a place for catching up conversations--you'll be using a lot of your voice! I recommend this place for a lively night out for delicious drinks and getting your hands into some saucy savory BBQ! The St. Louis ribs and rib tips...YUM. The rib tips especially were such a good deal. You get so much meat for a great price. Pair it all with the sauces on your table. They've got sweet, savory, tangy, spicy. Sooo good. I also got the black salt guava margarita and wowww that was delicious. One tip: come early!!! Ideally before the music starts. Tables fill up fast and once the musicians start, no one wants to leave (understandably). Our server was fantastic!! They were so attentive and kind, I wish I got their name! I'll definitely come back again :) read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This is some of the worst bbq I've ever had - the food was bland and the service was inattentive. The STL style bbq style ribs were dry and lacked flavor. I was unpleasantly surprised by the fatty brisket - it was tough in certain spots and also lacked flavor. As for the sides, the greens tasted watery and the cole slaw tasted like little more than shredded cabbage. The store-bought Hawaiian buns were subpar, as they were stale. Even the sweet tea was subpar - it tasted quite watered down. While the food and service left much to be desired, the ambiance was lively and there was decent music playing. Truly, I wish the food were as good as it photographs. read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Fernando, the food manager was really nice even on his off duty night ... what dedication! He made our night amazing and made us want to return. He also offered us some really fun food items like thick cut sweet bacon strips. The brisket was really good! For someone who doesn't like meat I liked this bc it was tender but still well cooked and the meat was not too fatty and had many shreds of lean meat inside the rims. The wings were huge and ribs were good from what I was told bc I didn't eat them. But the best part?!? The mustard sauce was the best I ever had with little crunchy bits and a sweet but tasty flavor of authentic mustard. The BBQ sauce was also really good and sweet too. But I was swept away by the mustard sauce we saved it in the fridge for future use w fries or other food. I enjoyed mustard w French fries ... just really high quality and tasty! Try it. Oh the Mac and cheese was okay... I personally thought it needed more gooey cheese. The mashed potato was good but lacking spunk. They also have live music and on 5/18/24 they had a burlesque show! Really nice to see something fun for a Saturday night. read more

See all

Placed a big pick-up order for a birthday dinner and that process was super easy. However, every single food item we got was so, so dry. It might be some of the worst food in Chicago but is definitely the worst BBQ in the city. read more

First of all, how did y'all make bacon melt in my mouth like that? Awesome tasty omg!! Will be back the candy bacon is everything

The mac and cheese was bland except for the heat (making it inedible for my kids) and the cheese had curdled. The corn muffins were dry and hard and stuck to the corn husks they were baked in leaving half the muffin behind. I won't be back. read more

They have some of the best sausage I've ever had in my life! If I stayed closer I would be there a few times a week. The st Louis style ribs are good as well. I brisket I got was a smidge dry, but I plan on trying everything on the menu. If you haven't eaten here, you should. read more

Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT waste your money! My partner and I ordered in and got the sampler platter and a separate brisket sandwich with sides mac & cheese and garlic mash. Holy cow what a let down... The meats were tough, cold and flavorless. My brisket was supposed to be the lean cut and what I got was 2 huge slabs of fat. The meat was inedible because of how cold and slimy it was. The mac was bland AF and the mash had no garlic seasoning.. again everything bland... We were charged $10 for 2 slices of butter pound cake and the cake disintegrated in my mouth from how dry it was. I spit it right out! How does this happen?? I rarely post and do not claim to be any kinds of food critic but OMG the fact that we spent $116 on all this nasty food has me beyond upset. I have an obligation to my foodie community members so I had to share. Now we have to find somewhere else to eat because this dinner was thrown in the garbage. Get it together Honky Tonk, management/owner anything to say for yourselves?!?! Shame..... read more

See all

Rib tips and hot links are the best in the city! I like that they don't put the sauce on the ribs and rib tips, so you can really taste the delicious meat! The bbq sauces are super tasty to dip the tips in and the seasoning is spot on!! I also love the goat cheese salad with pulled pork added, super yummy! The sides are the only items that are lackluster. But who needs sides anyway. read more

Hi friends, once again, another local spot that's not even a full block away from me. I stopped in on Saturday and I love this place for the vibes and also for the ambiance. They have live music and good food! This was around 6:00ish in the evening and I was sooo hungry (I always wait too long to eat) anywho, I digress..lol. I ordered the Mezcal margarita for my drink and the rib tips with mac&cheese and greens for my sides. My drink was made with Mezcal, blackberry basil syrup and fresh lime juice . It was DELICIOUS. Now, I'm giving this 5 stars for the experience and the service ..BUT and you guys know I don't like to do it but I have to be truthful. My food was a 3/5 for me. The portions were lovely so no bones to pick there, but for ME, the tips(which come with a slice of bread as well) were flavorful but the meat portion was a little tough as if they were overdone by a few minutes . The greens didn't taste like much but vinegar and very spicy . The mac and cheese had a lovely sauce but very under seasoned. I don't think it was terrible in any way shape or form. I just feel like things were too much or not enough if that makes sense. Other than that, a lovely experience. Saturday night was blues night and I was tempted to stay for the band but i had other things on my agenda . However, the staff here are amazing and so kind and courteous . Overall I had a great experience and will pop back in and try some more things on the menu . Thank you so much for a good time! See you soon! read more

Honky Tonk BBQ - Mezcal Margarita - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This review will be a little different as I writing from a delivery standpoint. It will solely speak on the food. I ordered the rib tips and wings with three sides, mashed potatoes, yams, and mac and cheese. The rib tips were AMAZING! They were well-seasoned and tender. The sauce that accompanied them was very tasty as well. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever. The wings could have been better season but they were also pretty tasty as well. I wasn't too thrilled with the sauce that came with the wings. In regards to the three sides that I order, the mashed potatoes were great, they were homemade and you tasted chunks of the potatoes which I enjoyed. The yams were mid. They weren't too sweet and yet also not sweet enough if that makes any sense. The mac and cheese was the worst of the three. I wasn't a fan of the texture and I didn't really taste the cheese. I also could have done without the sprinkling of crumbs to garnish the mac and cheese. Overall, I was pretty pleased with my meal and will definitely be back to check it out in person. read more

Service and ambiance were good. The food- not so much.... The food came out about 5 minutes after we ordered and was lukewarm. The meats were flavorless and drenched in sauce to overcompensate. And the Mac and cheese was mediocre. If you are looking for good food, I would stay away from here. read more

Pork ribs, 4/5, mediocre. Sauce on the side is great because you can appreciate how well made the ribs are. Cornbread is fine. I love the natural corn husk wrapper but a fan of the corn kernels embedded throughout. read more

The bar b Que that has flavor and tenderness. I can't imagine any other rib tips that taste so good without a bar b Que sauce on it!!

Finally a bbq joint that I could appreciate it. I've been having some bad luck lately with horrible brisket and was worried Honky Tonk would be the same. Luckily they they didn't disappoint. Their service was great. A nice staff that got my order out pretty quickly. We started off with their Mac & cheese. Same as their brisket, I've been striking out lately with horrible kraft tasting Mac here. Their Mac and cheese was actually tasty and wouldn't mind ordering again. The brisket sandwich came with perfectly thick sliced smoked brisket. The brisket had a nice Smokey flavor, and was very tender. It was even slice with some fat to give it that extra fatty flavor that a proper beef brisket should have. You know when the brisket is good when you can enjoy it without bbq sauce, although adding bbq sauce gives you another experience that is also worth trying. I'll definitely be returning, it just sucks that they're open so late, you can't come for lunch. Oh well. Dinner it is. read more

See all

This place was interesting. If you're looking for a truly unique bar atmosphere with eardrum pummeling live music, this is the place for you. Everyone there seemed to be having a great time at 11 pm on a Saturday. Unfortunately, I just care about food, and this place offers every quality extreme you can experience in a meal. I'll break it down: Brisket: Fantastic. Order this. Juicy, hot with an enticing smoky flavor. Rib tips: Rubbery, floppy, dry, and over-seasoned. Sauce almost saved it. Almost. Pulled Pork: God-awful. Meat was old, and I could taste the oxidation. I advised everyone at my table to stop eating it just in case it had gone bad. Sides: Forgettable and pedestrian. Server: Spot-on and perfect on refills despite it being a busy night. Looking for a fun bar in Pilsen to hang out in? Yes. Quality BBQ? Find another place. read more

Great ribs, very meaty. Corn bread in the corn husk is both visually pleasing, and tasty. Great sauce.