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    Naperville Ribfest

    2.9 (149 reviews)

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    Simon G.

    Fun 4th of July hangout at Ribfest Naperville. A good selection of BBQ to choose from. Since all of them are award winners, I guess u cant really go wrong with any ribbers. We chose Howling Coyote, tasting their ribs and brisket sandwich. Both were gooey succulent meats. Their apple based BBQ sauce was delicious. Besides the ribs, our kids enjoyed the children area with bouncy castles and the best is a petting zoo, with lots if goats, cows, donkeys, chicken and sheep. There's also a decent sized carnival area with various rides.

    Uncle Bub's ribs
    Linda N.

    One of the best Chicago-area, family-friendly festivals I've been to. We found free parking at a nearby lot, and waited to enter right when the festival opened. Luckily, we went on a not-so-crowded day (aka not the 4th of July), and the weather wasn't as scorching hot as previous days. We came prepared with folding chairs, sun umbrellas, blankets, sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses. It was really fun visiting all of the vendors' booths and spinning wheels for free stuff (sometimes only when you provide your info), taking photos at photobooths, etc. The food was so good; we had Uncle Bub's ribs which won 1st place, and they were so tasty. The carnival area had plenty of rides, and we really enjoyed the petting zoo. There were so many different animals, ranging from chickens to lambs. The music could have been better, but we also didn't go on the headlining day. All in all, a great, fun day. Hopefully we can go next year when it is hosted by Romeoville.

    Best ribs-Texas Outlaws Best sauce-Pigfoot's killer sauce
    Lily F.

    I was really shocked at how much fun this place would be. Although not perfect, it was way better than I thought and was pretty well organized all the way around. Parking varies from $10 and up and apparently there was some magical shuttle roaming around for free but we really couldn't find it. Prices: $20 online for general admission, ribs and food were cash/credit and alcohol were based on the dumb tickets system. Dumb ticket system: You have to purchase drink tickets in increments of 5 ($1 per ticket). So if you want a beer worth 6 tickets, you'll have 4 tickets leftover. And let me just say that the Ribfest Ale (6 tickets) is way better than Miller Lite (5 tickets). For us, the best ribs were from Texas Outlaws and the best sauce was easily Pigfoot. Their hot sauce was addicting and I almost bought a bucket of it. Stuff: Yes, there are porta potties but there was never a line and were nicely surrounded by Purell stations. We also never really had an issue with not having enough napkins because most places would have enough for you to take. But I would say if you're a good boy/girl scout bringing some baby wipes wouldn't be a bad idea. What I really appreciate were the volunteers walking around cleaning up after sloppy people. But because of them, the entire park was pretty clean. Not bad when sticky ribs are involved. Tip for vendors: Most of the rib vendors sold full, half, third slabs of ribs and dinner combos that usually came with beans and slaw for a few bucks more. I REALLY wished that they would have a smaller sampler option. Even the quarter and third slabs ran about $8-10. If each vendor would sell two bones each for $5, a rib lover like myself would be able to try more ribs. I needed to eat more ribs to really determine which one was really superior. Stupid small stomach.

    Karlo A.

    Congratulations to Uncle Mark, family and the Bub Love team for1st Place Ribs,1st Place BBQ Sauce &1st Place Kid's Choice Awards @ Naperville's Ribfest 2019! Ribfest is a great family venue and foodies alike- just bring sun block, folding chairs and maybe a sun umbrella if you want to go all out. #NapervilleRibfest #Naperville #BBQ #ChicagosBest #ChicagoFoodie #ChicagoSuburbs #Ribs #StLouisStyleRibs #1stPlaceRibs #1stPlaceSauce #AmazingTeam #AmazingPeople #CustomerFocused

    Blooming onion $10
    Tricia D.

    Like your mood when it's that time of the month or life in general, things change. While I recommend Ribfest for an outing if you're a rib or festival lover, there are a few tips you should be aware of. - Ticket prices are now $20 at the door (not sure if discounted tickets are still available at local grocery stores) - Walking distance Boy Scout lot parking is a $15 donation (since that lot was full, we parked a couple blocks down at a makeshift neighborhood parking lawn for $10) - Carnival games are $3-5 each - Half a slab of ribs will run you about $15; a 3-rib sampler is about $8 - New alert: drink tickets (even for non-alcoholic ones) are sold in increments of 5 or 10, but a bottle of pop is 3 tickets. And yes, we see that large tip bucket on the counter. We see what you did there... - Crowds everywhere! Be prepared! So overall, even if math is not your forte, you can tell that this outing will impact your pocketbook. I enjoyed it this year though! For future reference, I want to try what Texas Outlaws has to offer, and K wants to check out Uncle Bub's. This year, we stuck to Howling Coyote (~30 min wait in line), though the ribs weren't as tender as I remember from that one year.

    Texas Outlaws' rib stand
    Howard L.

    Picking up ribs from ribfest has become somewhat of a July 4 tradition for us. Sometimes we stay for fireworks, sometimes we don't, but we always go get some ribs. This year we tried Texas Outlaws and Johnson's (Northfolk, VA). Both were meaty and excellent, with the edge (tasty sauce) to Texas Outlaws, this year's first place winner. The sauces were a little milder than I remember from some other years. We usually try a half slab from 2-3 places, at roughly $15 - $18 per half slab or half slab combo. Other perennial favorites from past years have been Desperado's, Armadillos, and Sgt Oink. Ribfest is a nice opportunity to try tasty ribs from around the country. We also try to go during free admission time, unless there is a compelling music act, because if it's only ribs you're after, the $10 admission really makes the ribs sampling an overly-expensive outing.

    The east entrance gate
    Mayra R.

    All around this is a fun event, especially when you go with friends and/or family. i go to ribfest every year, its part of my 4th of july tradition. If you hate walking or being in crowds dont come here, but if you dont mind you'll have fun. Parking: it isnt bad at all, theres lots of free parking near by, you just have to know where to look for it (hint: look near dt) and walk (: Price: You have to pay to get in, tix are $25 and then pay for food and drinks. The food is good i tried some bbq, mac and cheese, chicken nachos, drinks. Most vendors only except cash, so bring cash. They serve food pretty late I think it was 9:40pm when they stopped selling food. Theres alot of fun vendors jeep and ram had a really cool roller coaster type ride. Youd get inside a ram truck and get driven around in it at the end you got a free ram hat. Lots of food vendors giving out free food and drinks. Meijer was there giving out free popsicles. Mentos was giving away free mints. Topo chico was giving away mineral water, blue diamond was giving away almonds, Snyder's was giving away bags of free snacks, luxury bath was giving away free $25 gift cards, there was also free ice cream cups, and free iced tea. Tmobile had a fun booth with music and games. The field museum had raptors that would walk around. They looked very life-like and got everyones attention when they walked by. The music was good i enjoyed sitting on the grass relaxing while listening to the live music. There are also lots of carnival rides and games ,but i didnt do any of those i hate rides and dont care for games. If you have kids there is a family petting zoo with lots of cute friendly animals. The people were friendly and it wasnt too hard getting around. I look forward to coming back next year!

    Jessica P.

    The Naperville Ribfest is good for people that enjoy eating....you can choose to eat ribs from a variety of rib vendors...sometimes the hard part is deciding which rib vendor to eat from because eating samplers gets filling and adds up (costly vs. buying a full slab at one vendor). Everyone has their own preferences on their favorite vendors so it's hard to tell from reviews which vendor is really the best.. I personally enjoyed Armadillos ribs..it was my 2nd time at the ribfest ..so i've tried other vendors as well and from both of my experiences.. Armadillos concluded to be the best out of all the vendors that I tried. Admission Costs -- there is a cost.. but can't recall how much it was...the money goes towards a cause..so that's a good thing! It is cheaper to buy ahead online so I would highly recommend you do so instead of buying it at the entrance... The costs for food/ribs (at most vendors): $7 for sampler ---consists of 3-4 ribs (portions may be smaller/larger/meatier/less meatier depending on vendor) $15 for half slab $25 for full slab Onion Blossom --close to $10.. maybe a little less.. but the portion is huge..can be shared amonst 4+ people... Good to know -usually toward the end of the event.. maybe on the last day?.. if you get there late...they start discounting the full slab ribs because it's the last day and they need to sell it.. so it's the best time to buy!! -highly recommended that you go with a group of friends so you get the most out of your money and can try out more vendors & share the unhealthy fried food!! **Note: if you don't like sitting on the grass there are tables and chairs in select areas.. but it might be easier just to sit on the grass since it's close to all the vendors.. I would go again if I'm craving Armadillo ribs or wanted to try other vendors that are not located in the Chicagoland area...easier to just drive to Naperville than driving out of state for ribs..

    Victoria R.

    So....Ribfest is a fundraiser to support work in the prevention of domestic violence and child abuse and to strengthen families. That's uno number one. The primary reason for implementation and participation. Second, this fundraiser comes with a cost. $25 per person plus food, drinks and entertainment. (If you buy the tickets online, in advance it's $20) The music and games were free but the rides you pay for. There are lots of food and drink options...and it's not just local venues. Overall, It has a small town feel due to all the space for stretching out. I never felt overcrowded. Everyone there seemed to be having fun. The do not list on the website rules out the majority of the crazies. AND, There were lots of police for security, as a added bonus. Overall, it was a nice day out in the park, and if I were a local I'd probably had stayed for the fire works. p.s. the shuttle service still needs a little work but seemed to flow smoothly once it was up and going. Thanks to Naperville Police for their support in maneuvering through the transit exchanges.

    Loaded onion blossom $10
    Samantha B.

    I absolutely love Ribfest. If you don't mind large crowds, sitting on the grass to eat, carnie rides, and loud (but good) music, then you will have a blast. You have to pay to get into Ribfest. Tickets are $15 at the gate, or $16.50 online. I always buy my tickets online because sometimes they will stop selling tickets at the gate because it gets too crowded and they want to limit capacity. If you've already got a ticket, they'll let you in. I'm sure many of you driving through Naperville this weekend have noticed all the signs for parking. $10 here, $15 there, the parking lot over by Edwards Hospital was charging $20. Don't bother with that. Drive to the North Central College stadium. There are TONS of spots, parking is free, and they will shuttle you over to the fest and back for free. They have tons of booths giving away samples of stuff as you make your way further into the park. They usually have really great bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Steve Miller Band (my favorite), Collective Soul, The Psychedelic Furs, etc. I love the rides and they have tons!! The food is AMAZING, and I think decently priced. Last night we ordered a full rack of ribs from Mojo's with two sides (coleslaw and potato salad) and a dinner roll for $28 bucks. They have different sauces off to the side that you can put on yourself. I covered my ribs with their awesome hickory smoke bbq sauce. Mmmm....We also ordered the pulled pork sandwich ($8), corn on the cob ($5), cotton candy ($5), funnel cake ($10), and loaded bloomin' onion ($10). All of it was sooo good!! There are very few picnic tables scattered about. Usually large families claim them at the start of the day and don't leave til closing (10PM), so if you plan on eating there and watching the bands, I highly recommend bringing a blanket or lawn chairs. If you arrive anytime before 6pm, you shoudnt have a problem finding a place to sit. Now let's talk about the important stuff: Booze!! You cannot bring alcohol into the park with you. When you get there, find a ticket booth, get a 21 and over bracelet (you have to have one otherwise vendors wont serve you), and purchase your drink tickets. Each ticket is a dollar. They only serve miller lite a.k.a. piss water, leinenkugal's summer shandy, and margarita and daquari pouches. The piss water is 5 tickets, so $5, summer shandy was 6 tickets, and im not sure about the margaritas. Not much of a selection, but decently priced I think. This is really a great fest overall. My only complaint is that you have to pay to get in, and that really doesn't include anything except being able to watch the bands, because you have to pay for food, drinks, and to ride the rides.

    I really wanted to enjoy this event. I'm somewhat Local to the Naperville area and was looking for something fun to do and decided to give this a try. I was aware there was an admission fee - online it was $5, at the gate it was $10 per person. Was a little surprised by this but went for it anyway. I was really disappointed to walk in and feel like i had just paid to go to a carnival. There was live music that wasn't the headliner which was fine, but the atmosphere was a little weird and felt rather empty for what i thought it was going to be. I did try the ribs they had to offer and some of the food and i don't have much to complain about there - my ribs from pigs feet?? I think, were delicious! I think maybe if you go for the big concert and skip general admission it might be more fun/worth it but if you're looking to go just for "Ribfest", it really wasn't worth it unfortunately.

    Rib and pulled pork combo platter plus mac and cheese... it's from whichever stand won best ribs 2016 in Canada.
    Annie K.

    The RIbfest wasn't bad, but also not amazing. The entrance is pretty expensive and I'd suggest bringing cash to avoid the extra fees. I do think the entrance fee is way too much for what you get just by entering, which is why I didn't give more stars. Some of the rib stands were better than others. Try to check out what others are getting before you get your own food. The entertainment ranged throughout the day. There was an Elvis and Johnny Cash impersonators that weren't so bad, just awkward because there was no crowd. On the other hand, a band that played in the evening was AMAZING, so it ranges. Overall not a bad experience if you have some cash to spare.

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    Ask the Community - Naperville Ribfest

    Review Highlights - Naperville Ribfest

    My friends got there a bit earlier than me and decided to sample some corn and ribs from Texas Outlaws.

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    Naperville Ribfest - festivals - Updated May 2026

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