Ordered bbq nachos split up between cheese and no cheese. Wow. Tastes very good. Also ordered a frozen Hurricane Daddy drink. Yummy! It's like drinking a powered up slurpee! We also ordered the three meat bbq platter with fries and mac & cheese. Meal came out cold. Had to resend it back to reheat. Disappointed as the nachos were FABULOUS. The manager came by and was sincerely apologetic. It must have been an off night as we never had any issues in the past. Very nice. We will come back again. By the way, our waiter, Ryan, is a great and personable guy. Hire more like him! read more

Smoke Daddy - Bbq nachos - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Since coming to Chicago I have only heard about the legendary Smoke Daddy. What I expected was just another tourist dive spot and I was very very wrong! The restaurant had the Chicago landmark attitude with the best service in the world. The real reason why I am here to Yelp though is about the food. We went on a Wednesday where the special was $2 Miller High Lifes and Dollar wings. We took advantage of the beer, and opted out on the wings for this aventure and got the pulled pork sandwich, and a full rack of the St. Louis Style Ribs. When we made our order we asked our server which was the best and rather than just saying one, she told us about each of them and how they were differently cooked and what that meant for taste, flavor, and gave us a better idea of the difference. The sides we had were the cornbread, mac and cheese, and the french fries. All were amazing and perfectly complimented by the sweet and delicious taste of the barbecue. I have had many many ribs in my time, but without a doubt, this was the first time I have had sweet, tender fall off the bones ribs that were just right. The pulled pork sandwich was amazing and not one thing was sour about our experience. Justine our server was great, very personable, and gave us an amazing night to remember. The place is currently undergoing expansion, and sometime in the Spring they plan to open up an entire wing with more seating and as the wall says, "A Bigger, Better SmokeDaddy." I am very excited for the summer, when my barbecue craving comes a calling and I can head over to this place. Get to the SMOKE DADDY NOW! read more

My boss takes me out here every now and then when we land new clients. He's Jewish, so he obviously orders the pulled pork sandwich. He's asked that I don't tell his mother. The food is good. The sauces are excellent. Their sides are good. It's pretty much all I could have hoped for in a barbecue experience. I like the location, too. It's in the best part of Wicker Park, and the outdoor seating is awesome. The sweet potato fries can be a little bit overwhelming, especially if they overcook them, which they tend to do... Stick with the basics and you'll be okay at Smoke Daddy. read more

I recently stumbled upon The Smoke Daddy this past weekend during a quick getaway trip with some friends in Chicago. We were staying in the Wicker Park neighborhood so we were looking for somewhere good and local to try for dinner. I found it on Yelp, since now I rely on Yelp to guide me to food, drinks and fun when traveling. Yelp hasn't led me astray so far! I would hate to have to break up with Yelp if it did! We arrived around 9 pm and we were starving! It smelled so good when we walked inside. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, although small. There was a live band playing some swinging music and the dance floor was packed with cute, skinny-jean wearing, black-rimmed glasses sporting hipsters showing off their Arthur Murray dance moves. We were very amused to watch them. We all had a different kind of BBQ, chicken, pork and beef. All were great and smokey (I would hope so being The Smoke Daddy!) The mac and cheese was just what I needed to soak up all the red wine I had prior to coming to Daddy's. Also the jalapeno beer cheese dip was yummy! I would recommend if you are in the area to check The Smoke Daddy. It is fun and the food is good, and you can try your hand at dancing if you have enough liquid courage! read more

I lived in Kansas City for five years. Arthur Bryant's is my Mecca. I get the Jack Stack Catalog in the mail. Let's say I'm a little biased. Smoke Daddy came highly recommended by my long time Chicago friends that know my BBQ roots. Unfortunately my indoor Sunday afternoon visit was not very memorable. The BBQ was ok, the service was slow, and the ambiance could have been better. The sauce is nothing to write home about. Finally, I would say that it is a bit overpriced for a BBQ joint - but it is Wicker Park. If you are jonesin for a fix and happen to be in the area Smoke Daddy will do, but I wouldn't seek it out as a BBQ destination. read more

My significant other is the biggest food snob EVER. But it's weird because he will only eat food in meat and grease format and he is very particular about where he gets his plates of heart attack. He should be about 300 pounds but he is one of those guys who can eat half a cow and still remain slim and trim (BASTARD...still love him). Anyway, I give you this side note because anyone who is this damn picky and determines that a restaurant is in his top 5, further proves how awesome this place is. He has complained about every single restaurant we've gone too (not enough meat babe, too many veggie on the menu, too soggy, too sweet, not salty enough, etc etc) but this place...nope, not a complaint yet! I say let's get something healthy and he tries to sneak Smoke Daddy in his list...umm no. But when I'm feeling some BBQ and have done about 3 hours on the elliptical in the morning, I'll be motivated to take him up on that offer. I love their pulled pork sandwiches and baby back ribs. Their side are awesome too (I personally like the homemade BBQ chips and Mac N Cheese) The average human being that orders the Smoke Daddy Sampler (about a slab and a half of all their cuts of rib) would share this amongst 3 - 4 other people. No No...not my hunny. He can down the entire thing by himself and have the cookie dessert. So if you are going with a person like this I recommend a half a slab for yourself to enjoy and take leftovers for the next day. Very reasonably priced, LOVE their outdoor patio in the summer. The staff is great and the food comes out fast. Overall a MUST go to in Chicago. read more

Smoke Daddy is great. Recently expanded indoors, great patio - and they often have live music on weekend evenings. Lots of great yummy sauces - and sides to go along with the yummy BBQ. In particular I really like their coleslaw. Brought some to a party recently and it was all devoured. Probably my 2nd fave BBQ place in the city. read more

I have been to many, many, many BBQ joints all across the states including those in the South and The Smoke Daddy "ain't got nuthinh" on those fool on the Naperville Ribfest of who! The ambiance, the live, music, the extremely knowledgable and friendly staff - off the hook - a real gem in Wicker Park and one of my favorite joints! Oh and the food - The Mac, the Greens, the Smokey Tips, The Brisket! Tender Baby! The fact that I live two blocks away isn't too bad either. Best of all Daddy didm't try take my whole paycheck in one sitting - I guess he wanted to make sure that I came back to enjoy those might flavors again! I recommend this place to all my burbie friend when they come to visit and not dissatisfaction yet! read more

Smoke Daddy - What? - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've lived in Texas, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Granted all different kinds of BBQ going on in those places but ever since I moved to Chicago, I've been on the hunt for a good BBQ spot. I've tried several and been VERY disappointed. So when a friend suggested this place, I agreed but was already preparing myself for another disappointment. We arrived and were told there would be about a 20 minute wait. So we lucked out and two people were getting up from the bar just as we were walking up to it. The bartender was super friendly. We ordered a drink and no sooner did we get our drink then we were told our table was ready. Way faster than 20 minutes clearly. Our waitress was great. She was friendly, checked up on us regularly, and explained the menu very well. We ordered the smoke jalapeno beer cheese for an appetizer. Yum. For my entrée, I ordered the Chicken & Ribs Platter. Probably because I was still expecting to be disappointed by the Ribs. OMG - Fall off the bone, perfectly seasoned, absolutely amazing. The ribs were perfect! I should mention the chicken was also delicious, moist, and perfectly seasoned. But the ribs are definitely what's bringing me back. The mac & cheese was super creamy and had a great crispy, bread crumb topping. I also got a side salad, which was your basic dish of lettuce and dressing but I felt like I needed some kind of fresh veggie to keep myself in line. The portions were huge and I wasn't able to get through it all but I loved every minute of trying. read more

Love this place! Was here on a Saturday night...not too crowded (9pm) and got a seat right away. Loved the band and the look of the place. We had ribs/beans/fries and thought the ribs and beans were amazing. Also, "not your father's root beer" is maybe the best 10% alcoholic beverage you've ever had. It's worth the hike for us from Lakeview for sure. read more

If you love sauce (as I do) this is the best bbq in the area. I'm from Texas and Arkansas, and neither states have provided better Q than the Daddy. I've been coming here for four years or so and the quality of meat has wavered from time to time, (fatty/lean) but it's almost always great. Service is fine, it's a bar with bbq, not Blackbird, so stop freaking out about it. Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and sweet potato fries are tops. Go for the skillet cookie if you want to push it to the limit. Baby back ribs are excellent. Surprise yourself with the nachos, they will blow your mind for $7 (big portion too!) read more

This is just hard for me. I'm a Texas girl. Do you know what that MEANS?! That means I was bathed in BBQ sauce as a small child...my pillows made of homemade cornbread...my baby bottle filled with beans and was gnawing on a good piece of cow with my first tooth. I've yet to find an amazing Chicago BBQ place. Smoke Daddy's was ....A-OK. 3 stars...exactly that. BUT i haven't tried the ribs....and I'm not going to dismiss the possibility that they might be phenomenal. MY experience though....I had the pulled pork sandwich and my friend had the brisket sandwich...i had a side of hand cut fries while he had mac n cheese. The meat was good....the sauce was OK.....i thought it could have used an extra umph....the fries were nothing memorable and the mac n cheese though amazingly creamy lacked....salt? flavor, over all. I wouldn't say we were necessarily disappointed....but I would probably venture somewhere else to see if I could come across that real special BBQ taste I'm used to. Outdoor seating was nice. read more

I don't understand yelpers sometimes. This place is unique, amazing, and delicious. The chicago style ribs are dank, the st. louis spare ribs are dank, the bbq beans are dank, the corn bread is dank, the mac n' chee is dank, etc. etc. etc. This is my favorite bbq joint in Chicago, I've been here a few times and have yet to have a bad experience or find something on the menu that I didn't like. The best part about this place is that the food on the grill is being made constantly with or without your order, so when you are ready, it's out to you fresh and quickly. Drinks here are basic but they have a great selection of beers and they make a killer bloody mary. Live music is played at night on the weekends but space is limited so get there early! read more

I love coming here! Its just so comfortable, and the food is excellent. the good: ribs. ribs... oh, the ribs are just wonderful and more important: They are excellent ALL - THE - TIME. Consistency people, its all about being consistent and reliable. The cole slaw - perfect Mac and cheese - very good BBQ chicken - not a bone in type of guy, but these set the standard: excellent! Key lime pie- superb! The service is always good. friendly and informative. the bad: parking, unless its late at night it is a challenge. the music - not into it, ever boring pulled pork :-( the ugly: none You wont be disappointed. read more

Finally a Chicago restaurant that I'd call a great value! I'm from Memphis, so I'm not accustomed to leaving a restaurant hungry. However, as recent transplants to Chicago, my husband and I have been disappointed in the amount of food we get for our money here. Totally different story for Smoke Daddy. Hands down the most food we've eaten and the quality was super. For $45, we ate like kings. We both got the smoked chicken and ribs dinner, which came with two sides. We both chose rib tips to accompany the chicken. While flavorful, the meat was a little too tough and chewy for my taste. However, we both scraped every last shred of edible chicken off it's bones. Moist and delicious. The mac n cheese is very rich, but the collard greens were nice and smoky. My husband devoured his sweet potato fries instantaneously and said they were the best he's had in Chicago. I'm a Lillie's Q fan at heart, but I have to admit the value here is far superior. So go when you're hungry and be prepared to NOT spend more than you want. read more

Been to Smoke Daddy several times for dinner and have always enjoyed it, but came here last weekend for brunch with several friends (and our dog!) and was blown away. The bloody mary is top notch, served with a pulled pork and brisket skewer. I had the Big Daddy breakfast, which came with two eggs, bacon, the bloody mary and hands down the very best hashbrowns I've ever had. I must confess I put BBQ sauce on my entire breakfast, but it was the perfect touch on everything. They have a pretty big patio (I hadn't been in a few years and it looks like some major upgrades were made - very impressive), so this is a good spot for a big group. We had about 10 in our group and were there around opening at 10 AM, but the place filled up quickly. My friends had a variety of other dishes off the brunch menu, but everyone seemed impressed with their meal. ALSO, Smoke Daddy took great care of our dog. They sell pig's ears for about $2 that will keep them occupied for the whole meal, and the servers brought out bowls of water to the multiple dogs that were there. All in all, a great experience. read more

Way too expensive for mediocre bbq. I really expected more from a place packed as it stays. They just need to step up the recipes, preparations, portions, and quality of menu items. read more

Let me start by saying that I didn't actually eat at Smoke Daddy. My rating is based purely on how the manager handled the situation ... The situation: I made reservations for a group of ten people on a Monday for the following Saturday. I talked to a gentleman who informed me they wouldn't take reservations for large parties after 6 p.m. (we wanted to eat a bit later), but could make an exception and get us a table for 6:30. I took the reservation since this place is small and I didn't want our party of ten to wait for a table. Fast forward to Saturday. A portion of our party arrives at 6:15 p.m. The place is packed and I assume the large party seated near the front must be finishing up because that's clearly the only place to accommodate ten people. I check in at the hostess stand and they don't have our reservation listed. That's the worst thing you can hear when your responsible for making reservations for a large group. I had them double check the list and NO reservation. They wouldn't be able to seat us for more than an hour and the bar was packed. The manager promptly addressed our situation, gave us a free drink and expressed his apologies. When the rest of the party arrived, we decided to leave. Upon seeing that we weren't going to wait 60+ minutes for a table, he gave us a $75 gift card to come back. That said, I am really looking forward to a free meal on Smoke Daddy ... if they actually hold our reservation next time. read more

Went for brunch with some friends. We ordered some of the brunch specials, like the egg sandwich and brisket skillet. The egg sandwich was ok, nothing really special. The brisket skillet was really good, the only thing I was missing was some hot sauce lol. I also ordered a bowl of chili because another review recommend it. Well I forgot who made that review but the chili is what got the stars up to 4! The chili was really tasty and came with some chips so we used it as an appetizer. It was a good experience there and we would definitely like to go back to try some other dishes and drinks. read more

I love the sauce here! It's just smoky enough, but has the sweet tang and vinegary bite that a good sauce should, along with a subtle coffee undertone. The pulled pork and chicken here are wonderful, with that great sauce and a nice big tasty bun. The Mac & Cheese is equally as tasty, baked in a crock with semi-firm noodles bathing in a blend of creamy cheeses. The crusty topping adds another dimension or texture. However, there is one big problem here. Cilantro in the Cole Slaw. Nasty, stinky, Cilantro. All pulled BBQ must be eaten with cole slaw on top, by law. Not possible at Smoke Daddy because of the evil green weed. However, it is for that reason that I discovered the wonderful Mac & Cheese. read more

The food came out fast but it was warmish, but other than that, it was delicious! I ordered the taste of daddy and it was definitely filling! For my choice of ribs, I ordered the baby back ribs and for my two smoked meat, I chose the smoked pulled pork and brisket! It tasted good with the sweet and smokey smoke daddy bbq sauce! The corn bread and Mac n cheese definitely tastes good with the ribs! Also, if you like cheesey food, the Mac n cheese is definitely filled with that! read more

Smoke Daddy - Taste of the daddy! Baby back ribs and smoked pulled park and brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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mmmmmmmmmmmbbq. The husband wanted "American" I said, how about BBQ? Can't get much more American than that. It was our first time at The Smoke Daddy, and it will certainly not be our last. We ended up with the Ultimate Platter and shared spare ribs, rib tips and baby back ribs. Not sure what was what, but it was aaaallll good. We got both the sweet potato fries and the regular fries. We did need our vegetables after all that meat. LOL! We went on a Thursday, unaware that it was half price burger night, so seating was a bit of a wait. We snagged a couple stools at the bar and watched the Hawks while some band played the small front stage. Overall an enjoyable evening that ended up with leftovers. :) read more

We tried the pulled pork sandwich with mac n' cheese and the ribs with sweet fried potatoes and cornbread. Everything was good except the ribs, they were too smoked. The portions are generous and the our waitress was very nice. read more

Good ribs, good smoke chicken and good price. Anti-hero IPA also made the day. read more

I order from here frequently, today however I did not cook and when I ordered the meat was really hard and felt like it was old the middle of the slab was fine the outsides were really hard and crispy like hurting my teeth. Microwave? I'm only complaining because I want people to know calling and complaining doesn't always work. Maybe your workers did not have time I don't know but maybe the food was overcooked I don't know, usually you've been really consistent but today was a disappointment..... and I spent over $40 and ended up giving the rest of my ribs to my dog. Woof! read more

We went on Wednesday for the Hawks and Bulls games. It's a solid place to watch a game with their numerous televisions. The beer list is strong, and the added space was much needed. I had the BBQ ribs (mediocre) and mac n cheese (awesome). I'll come back for drinks and games, but the BBQ does not make this a destination. read more

As a born and bred Memphian, I believe barbecue's in my blood. I look for barbecue joints with smokers puffing away in the back; I prefer dry-rub ribs, maybe dipped into a tangy sauce as I eat, and chopped pork sandwiches topped with vinegar-based sauce and slaw. (My sandwich of choice might veer into the realm of Carolina Q, but I like what I like!) Although I didn't dislike my meal, the Smoke Daddy didn't satisfy my craving for Southern-style barbecue. I enjoyed my pulled pork sandwich, especially topped with tart slaw, but I'd never go out of my way for it, like I would for some of the Mid-South's hole-in-the-wall barbecue joints in no man's land. I appreciated the choice of sauces, one sweet, one mustard-based and one ketchup-y, but all three were rather one-note--no spices or flavors left lingering on my palette. I did like the Smoke Daddy's vibe, abuzz with conversation and the sounds of a live country band. read more

I love me some pulled pork, and while spending a great weekend with my boyfriend, decided to go out and get some with him. This place offers a real awesome atmosphere. They have several TV's playing the game throughout. Darkly lit, and very well decorated, it's a gem in the Wicker Park/Ukranian Village area. My boyfriend had the choice of meats platter (sausages and something else) with 2 sides. For his sides he had mac n cheese and fries. I had a pulled pork sandwich and cornbread. The pricing was great, especially because it tastes so DAMN GOOD! I don't recall the taste of his meats, which probably means that they were OK. The Mac N Cheese, however, was AH-MAY-ZING! The fries were good also, but could've been better. My sammy was to-die-for, and my corn bread made me cry - it was that good. The service was good. I will definitely go back soon! Hiiiiiiiighly recommend this place. read more

Smoke daddy is one of my favorite BBQ places in the city !!! I found this place a few years ago and this place always seems to be my go to BBQ place! The ribs are phenomenal! So tasty and flavorful! Not only are the ribs good but it's a fun atmosphere!!! If you are in the buck town area.. Check this place out! You won't be disappointed! read more

Meh. Not terrible, not fantastic. Place relies heavily on sauce which is I know is a personal distaste of mine, so nothing against them specifically. The greens were very weird--I think a very modern take on collards, just barely charing them in the pan? Either way, not traditional and not my favorite. Cornbread was pretty greasy and really lacked flavor given there appeared to be jalapeños in it. read more

Holy Eff yeah son, we are going to Smoke Daddy! From the pulled pork to all their house made BBQ sauces, you'll be rolling on the floor you'll be so happy.; but please don't! They added on some extra space to take on us eaters. The service is great, the turn around time in the kitchen is amazing, and the food is phenomenal. I recommend the pulled pork. When it gets packed, sometimes you wait, but its worth it will the live music they have their almost daily. My only compliant is the slaw! Its a vinegar based slaw, and its too sour for me. read more

I agree with the 3.5 mark other reviewers have this place. We first tried the wings and Mac n cheese. The wings were decent and the Mac was pretty good, though nothing special. We then ordered the rotisserie chicken and the taste of the daddy. The chicken was very good. It was cooked perfectly and the meat was tender and juicy. With the taste we had St. Louis ribs (tender and flavorful, good not great), the rib tips a little fatty, but very good), and the brisket (decent, better at Smoque). Both types of fries were pretty good and the smoked pit beans were the best food of the night. Live music, small beer list. Overall pretty good. read more

Super meh. Everything was mediocre and bland. My biggest mistake was forgetting to ask which sauce was being put on which meat. This was an issue because only one sauce is actually fair(at best). I didn't even finish mine. On the other hand the coleslaw was dope read more

Smoke Daddy - Pimento cheese hush puppies and nachos - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

1) it was chilly out and Carlos helped move the heater directly to our table! 2) Kristen was patient and funny and an awesome waitress! She paid attention to my food allergies and all our table needs. A++++ read more

First time we went to Smoke Daddy we arrived early for a Cubs game. Smoke Daddy was the only bar open at that time so we gave it a try. Best decision we could have made. The food, the atmosphere and the staff are amazing. Smoke Daddy is now our go to place for Cubs games read more

Heard good things about this place. Had ribs delivered tonight, and unfortunately I was not pleased. These ribs just aren't to my liking. I prefer a "tangy" sauce and this was more of a "smoked" jerky flavor....some people may prefer that I suppose...but not for me. :( Cole slaw was quite good....cornbread wasn't to my liking though either. read more

Brian is the coolest! Give him a raise. What a great place and great food not to mention the live music is awesome. Go here, you'll love it. *This review was pre-expansion. It went from a great BBQ joint with good music to a sports bar. Rating lowered. But Brian is still cool. read more

The food is pretty good. Ribs are great. Several sauces to choose from. All are tasty. The fish sandwich was also excellent, although the bun was too small. The Mac and cheese is excellent. The fries suck. They taste good but come in tiny pieces fit for a gerbil. Strange, as this is apparently intentional. Whatever. Good beer selection. Excellent environment with outdoor seating. Tv screens, live music sometimes. Overall, fries aside, the food is very good, albeit a little pricey. read more

We absolutely love this place! They have the BEST BBQ food around. Also, now with the new expansion/construction, they have a fabulous outdoor area. We have stayed and eaten there a few times, but we love to order and pick up. The food is ready in about 15 minutes and its great quality. We've had almost everything on the menu. Love the burnt ends and pulled pork sandwiches. Mac and Cheese = awesome. Here's a tip: order the coleslaw and then put it on the sandwich - YUM! Smoke Daddy will continue to be our 'go-to' local restaurant. If you haven't tried it yet, you're missing out! read more

This is not my favorite BBQ place in the city but definitely one to try. The vibe is great, outdoor seating, and indoor/outdoor seating. I prefer the main seating as they usually have lots of red neon and some live blues/country. The best thing about this place is the smoke flavor, while they do have 3 different delicious BBQ sauces, just the smoked flavor of the meat alone is wonderful. Definitely a place you should try a bite of your sandwich before you add any sauce. What I ordered: Side dish - Mac N Cheese Nice and creamy with no weird surprises like black pepper (Kumas) or jalapeno chunks (everywhere else). Just a good ol' fashion bowl of incredibly bad for you melted cheese noodles. Main Dish - Burn ends sandwich Shutup and order this and only this and if they dont have this than throw a shit fit until you get it. Smoke on smoke on smoke flavor with meat that just falls apart. Not overly seasoned or sauced which allows you to blaze your own trail. I would recommend a little dipping pool of the hot sauce BBQ sauce, and use your mac n cheese to combat the zing if your a wimp. read more