I've been looking for a truly great barbecue restaurant in the suburbs for a long time now (since Smoking' T's in Long Grove closed). Hoffman Estates isn't in ourimmediate area but we had an errand to run that meant we needed to wait about an hour. Rather than hang around a service shop, we decided to try I Smell Bacon. I truly wasn't expecting much of a small place in a mall, but that's why we always hear that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I finally found my great barbecue in the burbs!! Ribs were great even with just the rub. But all the sauces were great. On the 17th of every month they have a special Irish menu and the corned beef was also delicious. My husband had the brisket sandwich and it was also a home run. I have to say that the entire friendly staff did a great job explaining menu items, keeping us up-to-date on progress, and checking on how we were doing. Very strong customer service orientation. I can't wait to go back and get some of the items that I didn't get a chance to try - are you listening, Poppers? read more

I will definitely come back to this place! Our senior group recently ate lunch here and the staff was able to handle our group of 20 plus with ease. I couldn't believe how quickly our food was served. Staff was very pleasant and super efficient. Very interesting menu. Food was awesome! read more

Went back to try again and I'm so glad I did. We ate in this time and it was a much better experience. The rib tips here are absolutely on point! The brisket was much better this time around and it's a very generous serving. The service was super pleasant and the ambience is welcoming and friendly. The owner was in today as well and is a super cool guy. I'm glad we gave it another chance but i can already tell you I'm going to be retuning for those rib tips as soon as possible. read more

Brisket good, pork good, pulled chicken OK Their sauces come in Little cups that they hand you upon request. Normally you go to bbq place and there are a couple of sauces in squeeze bottles to use as you want. I was given one sauce in a little plastic cup that tasted like plastic which tells me its not house made. Staff behind the bar was very friendly. There were several kitchen employees standing around chatting or on their phones and two employee sitting at the bar eating bbq which was strange. As i was leaving one employee sitting at a table outside smoking a cigarette with feet on the table which didnt look good. Bottom line food was good / sauces were ok / poor representation of staff with the exception of the bartender so this gets 3 stars. Next time i will try carryout and avoid dinging in read more

Very tasty meats tried almost everything from the menu. I liked side dishes also. Big plus you're getting 4 sauces to choose from ( really liked the white one ) definitely worth trying out read more

I've ordered the tacos and they were delicious! Absolutely packed with meat. My only suggestion would be to have guacamole available to order. The brisket tacos are the bomb! read more

If you're ever in the area and craving authentic barbecue, this spot should be at the top of your list. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, making it a perfect place to enjoy a hearty meal with friends or family. Every dish I tried was packed with flavor and showcased the care put into the recipes. I had the Trio Sampler, which was pulled pork, smoked brisket and pulled chicken. It came with creamy coleslaw, cornbread, and fried potato salad. The fried potato salad is deep fried rosemary potatoes, tossed with a spicy cream sauce with onions and bacon. First of all, that fried potato salad was amazing. I never had a potato salad in my life so delicious! That cream sauce, onions, bacon and fried potatoes, what a combination--a little spicy but I loved it! The pulled chicken was tender and very tasty. The pulled pork was perfect in every way. The smoked brisket had those nice smoke rings with a wonderful flavor. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates classic barbecue done right! read more

I Smell Bacon - Smokehouse Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Excellent Barbecue prepared by great people Who exude a real passion for Making you feel good and make and serve Delicious and quality food. Tried 3 their different meats & each one was Very tasty but what really impressed me Were there baked beans! Maybe that's not what they want to hear..but what a blast from the past They were like old-fashioned baked beans we would make an oven and bake for hours. Not these runny beans in a tomato based sweet sauce. I have not had beans like that in many many years and I'd go back and just buy a big batch of them. Pork, brisket and sausages that we had were wonderful as well. Next time I will try the ribs. The owner was On premises and Made you feel very welcome besides being very helpful to me as handicapped person. Thank you for making my outing special. read more

we came here for the first time yesterday after hearing a lot of good reviews and we loved it! my boyfriend and I split the duet platter and it was plenty of food for 2 (we even had some leftovers!). we had the brisket and pulled pork, both of which were very yummy and tender. we tried all the sauces and thought they were all good, my favorite sauces were the tangy yellow one and the sweet bbq. the platter comes with two sides. we ordered the bbq gumbo and the fried potato salad, but they accidentally brought us mac and cheese instead. they quickly brought the correct side when we informed our waitress and we got to keep the mac and cheese so it was a happy accident!! the bbq gumbo was soooo good, such a unique flavor that I haven't had before! fried potato salad was excellent, my boyfriend won't stop raving about it! the mac and cheese was creamy and delicious!! I also got an espresso martini which was very good!! all in all this was a 10/10 meal and we will definitely be back! there are lots of yummy looking appetizers I hope to try next time! read more

I Smell Bacon - duet platter with brisket, pulled pork, BBQ gumbo and mac and cheese - Smokehouse Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Not sure how this place gets a good rating for barbecue. The atmosphere maybe along with plenty of drinks available is good, but I was not a fan of their supposed barbecue' at all. The ribs were over-cooked and dried out. The brisket was cooked okay but I didn't have any smoke ring. They definitely do not have a good brisket sauce. It's all for pork and chicken. The signs said that the pit master learned from one of the best in the country. Not quite sure what country he was talking about. Maybe Canada. I do not recommend unless all you want is drinks. read more

I gave this place five stars even though I only ordered a brisket taco and chicken tortilla soup, also got an Arnold Palmer. This place is really clean and well lit, the bar looked really inviting, I'll have to try that in the future. I got my food to go, the lady at the counter said she started eating there with her teenage daughter and decided it would be a nice place to work, she was very friendly and complementary on her employment and the facility. That all makes it a five star for me. Plenty of parking, clean bathroom. EDIT, today I got a brisket sandwich and a side of green beans with bacon. OMG, this place is awesome. EDIT, I came back and got a brisket sandwich with a side of green beans with the bacon, OMG delicious - this place is awesome! read more

This has been on my radar for a few months and finally got there Sunday. It wasn't real busy, but it was early. Dry rub ribs is my favorite and they did NOtT disappoint. Wonderful flavor just perfect. Corn bread was very good Definitely go back and recommend this restaurant read more

The food was absolutely delicious! Had the fried bologna sandwich and the fried potato salad - it was amazingly good! Service and ambience were excellent - made to feel welcome by all staff members! First time there - definitely will be back! read more

Stop there for lunch, great find. Everything we had was delicious. Service was great friendly staff. Would love to go back but just passing through. Just a little hole in the wall. Highly recommend this place. read more

EXCELLENT!! Tried you for the first time at the Schaumburg Septemberfest. The pulled pork sandwich was incredible. Can't wait to try out the full menu at your location in Hoffman. Thanks guys! read more

Great barbecue, reasonable prices, friendly staff. Highly recommend; casual but comfortable atmosphere. My husband is picky and said it's one of the best pulled pork meals he's had in a long time. read more

We are regulars at I Smell Bacon for good reason. The food is amazing, the service is always great, and they make you feel like family. In regard to the food, we recently dined in southern illinois at a multiple award winning bbq place. They didn't hold a candle to I Smell Bacon. Not even close! This is the place to beat! read more

Finally made it to I Smell Bacon with my brother and sister in law, and it did not disappoint! We got there around 5pm on Friday and it was quiet. We started off with nachos and the eggs rolls which were both delicious. The egg rolls had 3 different ranch options that paired perfectly with them. We ordered our entrees - I got the pulled pork sandwich and my husband got the ribs. We also had side orders of the corn bread, mac and cheese, and creamy coleslaw. Everything was perfectly delicious and probably some of the best bbq we've had in a while. It was tender, well seasoned, sauces were great. The service was great throughout the entire meal even as it picked up a bit between 6:00-7:00pm. Drinks were flowing and food came out quickly! We will definitely be back in the near future. read more

First time ordering online. Went home with my order, no barbecue sauce included. Called they said you're supposed to pick out your own sauce. Since it's my first time ordering online, I didn't know. Terrible service. read more

We were taking the alternative route home and saw the van that screamed "I Smell Bacon" no questions asked we pulled in and the rest is oh such a delicious memory. Our server was great answered questions and was okay with giving us a chance to cruise the menu. The menu is really great. Lots of original combinations. Many traditional ones as well. We went a bit lighter, the Gumbo, yum, cornbread, chicken taco, (love smoked bird),collard greens. The variety is awesome. Really a nice place. Nicely set up. Good spot, easy to access. When you walk in the aroma is delicious. Your passion is in the air and on the plate. Definitely on the "gotta go there again soon" list. read more

I must preface by saying we really wanted to like this place. Unfortunately, it was another eatery in the burbs that does not have what it takes. Just being honest. Hubby ordered the barbecue brisket = wet, watery, SOGGY and food temp was not warm at all. Chewy, and when I say chewy, you could chew for a week and keep chewing. No flavor at all. Potato salad was nothing to write home about. About two or three pickles came with something. I ordered ribs, underwhelming in taste to say the least, Again food temp was not that warm. Also ordered what is noted on menu as creamy coleslaw. When the waitress brought it to our table I looked at it, and asked is this the creamy coleslaw? She responded yes. It was so dry I kept moving it around looking for the creamy side. Pickled onions were an odd taste. Corn bread so so not great. You must not only have stand out meats but sides should be something special. Everything was underwhelming, tasteless and food temp was not even warm. My hubby is from San Antonio Texas and this place is not how barbecue should taste. We cook a lot and and are more than decent cooks. We also eat out a lot. Most people that give good reviews on sub par eateries just don't know how food should taste or be prepared. Place was not that busy, waitress did not come back to refill drinks. Owner said that is why we have self serve so you can refill your own drinks at the machines. Gee no-one mentioned that initially. I am tipping to be served. If I wanted self service, I would go to White Castles. I hope the owner looks at his lower rating reviews and improves so he can be successful in his business. We still tipped 20 percent. read more

I've been to I smell bacon twice. The food at this restaurant is good, honestly my favorite item there was the cornbread. The service was decent , the servers are nice. My only complaint would be that the restaurant is a bit smaller, so when I have visited, I could hear the tiffs/disagreements between what I assume to be managers and staff, during my meal. read more

Was our first time there today. Food and service were outstanding. Enjoyed the rib tips and all the fixens. Wife had the pulled chicken which she stated was excellent. Will definitely go back, not over priced At all. read more

Brisket eggrolls! The general sandwich! Best bbq outside of Oklahoma. Absolutely amazing. 5 stars aren't enough read more

Just stopped in to try this place. We ordered a little bit of everything. We shared the Texas sampler and the bacon. My husband got the General, he liked it. We also got the mac & cheese, the brisket sliders, and the fried potato salad. Everything was delicious!! We will definitely be back!! read more

The brisket is too peppery. The servers were in such a rush to get rid of us because they were closing in an hour. Really? One hour and they want to boot you out the door like you're worthless! They make you feel like you are unwelcome and not wanted. They didn't even offer us a drink. Just what do you want to eat and go. read more

When you're thinking of Smoked / BBQ this is undoubtedly the place to go!! New place in Hoffman Estates and you won't find a friendlier staff or owner!! Stopped in for lunch a week or so ago and was not disappointed at all!! The brisket was perfect, the pulled pork was amazing, the beans are a must try and then the Making Bacon, WOW!!! I liked it so much, I hosted a two day conference at my business with people attending from around the country and had to have "I Smell Bacon BBQ" cater in an amazing lunch for everyone. Besides people going back for seconds (and even thirds) everyone wanted to know where it was catered from and people from the area will be making to trip for more amazing food!! Don't miss your opportunity to stop in enjoy some great food, great atmosphere and a friendly staff!! read more

Love me some bbq so I decided to try out this new joint while I was in the area. Servers/bartenders were great, very personable and helpful. Brisket - I'll give the benefit of the doubt, I got the pieces of the flat and was a tad chewy for my liking. The flavor wasn't too bad though. Wings could've used an extra 10 minutes in the smoker before frying. Wasn't as tender as I would like it. Flavor was decent, no complaints other than the chewiness. Pulled pork/chicken were perfectly cooked and was not dry at all. Sauces seemed pretty standard, I liked the hot bbq, wasn't too big on the Carolina. Beans were tasty, just wasn't a fan on how dry they looked initially. Overall, not a bad place to try out. Portion sizes to price could improve compared to competitors, but they're new and upcoming. I will try again in 6 months. read more

Great food, and our server was able to do split checks with a group of 9. I realize splitting checks is a hassle, and we appreciated it. The fried potato salad was tasty, and the candied bacon was delicious. read more

I Smell Bacon - Sausage platter - Smokehouse Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

I was running errands and saw that this restaurant was open so I stopped in. ordered a brisket platter and 1/2 slab of ribs meal. Both were so good. Brisket was so tender and delicious and ribs also were tender and delicious. I used their bbq sauce, looks like there were maybe four or five different ones. Loved the cornbread. the Mac and cheese was cold and dry. Hopefully they fix it. Will definitely order again and try deep fried potato salad that was mentioned in another review. read more

We did a Door Dash with this place because we're in town for a funeral service and could not dine in. I really was hoping they would be good, but it was just ok at best. The first red flag was that the BBQ sauce costed $1.25 and is not included with DD. Plus the container was very small and I was barely able to get the sauce on all three containers of meat. The pork and brisket were ok but not great. Both were dry (which is why I was hoping for BBQ sauce to come with it). The baked beans were terrible. Absolutely no flavor to it what so ever. I would rather have a can of bbq bake beans than this. The saving grace was the corn bread. The corn bread was very good and moist. It was moister than the meat that I received. I'm always up for trying new BBQ places but this was a swing and a miss. Maybe dining in is a better experience but unfortunately we weren't able to do so. read more

Small criticism up front.. for some reason you can't order ribs to go on the online platform. That said, we called and an incredibly helpful, sweet woman took down our 8-person order with varying sides and specifications perfectly. Food was delicious including ribs, of course, brisket, Mac and cheese, cornbread. Definitely will be back to try more!! read more

Not only do I smell bacon, but I also smell delicious brisket and scrumptious Mac and Cheese, straight from mom's kitchen. If you need to fill a fix for baked beans, look no further. I Smell Bacon brings their A-game. Possibly the best baked beans I've ever shoveled into my piehole. The owner takes great pride in his craft. That being said, give ISB a try. You will NOT be disappointed! read more

We read about this restaurant in the daily Herald and decided to give it a try. The place was jamming I think due to the article, but the atmosphere was friendly. We actually sat with another couple at a larger table and had some conversation before we were able to order our drinks. For the menu items my husband got the half slab of barbecue ribs and I got the three meat sampler. Both were outstanding. The meat was tender, and my husband surprisingly finished his ribs. I had quite a bit left and was able to bring it home for another meal. The meat was juicy and tender. The only thing I didn't like was the fried potato salad only because it was a little spicy for me, but the flavors were good. I would definitely recommend this place. The prices are great and the food is too! Our waitress Gigi was wonderful. read more

Amazing food & great service! Will definitely be back. Owner came out and spoke to me. Brisket and sausages were delicious .

Best food ever. Good food for a great price Staff is very friendly and always there to help read more

Good pricing - great choice of sides- ordered the three smoked meats - smoked/cooked perfectly! Will recommend and looking forward to trying other menu items. read more

Food is outstanding! You really can't go wrong with ordering anything off the menu, but I do have Favs. They make some of the best smoked Brisket I've ever had. The Cowboy fries are to die for. The cornbread is our of this world. And the bacon appetizer is phenomenal! It has a great cross between sweet and smokey. read more

Excellent food and service. Great casual dining experience. Wait staff is attentive and respectful. I will be back soon. read more

Bad service, overpriced, pulled pork is like they bought carnitas from the fresh market and took the seasoning off. Cashier asked if we wanted BBQ sauce, wife said yes, she gave us 2 tiny containers that added $24 to the order without saying it was extra. The owner offered more food instead of taking the BBQ sauce off. I'll gladly take the extra 5 minutes to make it to Blackwood BBQ in Schaumburg which is 10x better. read more

I Smell Bacon - $24 worth of BBQ sauce they added to the order for a small amount of food. - Smokehouse Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois