This place was not on our radar; we saw the big sign as we entered the street to get fuel. It was time to eat a little bit so we decided on Uncle Joe's bbq. This place is welcoming and the menu is bright, easy to read and right there! We saw the specials on an easel hidden on the right hand side. The Big Joe--Fried bbq Bologna and pulled pork sandwich and the macaroni and cheese bowl. Grabbed a table and gathered our utensils and sampled all of their house made bbq sauce. The sauces are wonderful! I favor their sweet sauce. Our order came out promptly, and it was beyond our expectation. The Bologna and pulled pork sandwich was superb, thick slices of Bologna served with slaw and pulled pork on a bun with perfect substance, No soggy buns here. This is a sandwich you literally swoon over-- we did!! The Mac n cheese bowl was perfection. Perfectly cheesy and not too thick of a sauce. Creamy and al dente over a bed of pulled pork. What shape pasta are you using? I've never seen this shape before! It's perfect I loved the sweet bbq sauce with every bite!! This was our favorite lunch. When I dream of food I will dream of Uncle Joe's bbq. The decor of this establishment is great! Comfortable, welcoming and has a vibe where people can enjoy their food. There's merchandise you can peruse and the staff is really cool. You gotta look at my pics of the bathroom! So adorable and brightly decorated. It was a great surprise to walk into something decorated so different from 90% of restaurant bathrooms. Loved the color orange and the metal!! Until I return, best of luck Uncle Joe's!!! read more

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We were traveling through Illinois and ready for dinner. None of us wanted fast food so we began searching Yelp for some suggestions in the area. We saw Uncle Joe's and decided to give it a try. It is literally right off the highway which makes for a very convenient stop. I tried the brisket sandwich with sloppy Joe cheese fries. I had to try the fries because I've never had sloppy Joe's on fries. Sounded awesome! It was awesome! Really good brisket as well, along with their tasty original BBQ sauce and the Sweet Smoke sauce. We were all pleasantly surprised at how good all the food was in our party of 5, especially having never eaten here or even heard of it before. Now I have a "regular" go-to spot anytime I'm traveling in Southern Illinois. read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

Good: Brisket flavor Wing flavor Pork flavor Okra Onion rings Bad: Dirty tables No masks Wings cold inside No forks ( ended up eating with my sanitized hands because no one replaced the forks after we asked. Rootbeer weak...also didn't replace when asked. read more

I'm a Flatbed Truck driver from New York and I stop here at Joe's every chance I get running I-57. I love finding BBQ spots around the US and this joint is A1 BBQ. I even purchased some of their online own Uncle Joe's BBQ sauce for the truck. I have their signature Habanero Jelly as well, and when I say "Yesssssss" I mean "Yessssss". I usually get the 3 Pick sampler with 2 sides. Smoked Chicken Wings, And double down on the brisket. Potato salad is on point, and I'm very hard to please when it comes to potato salad. I've tried their Mac and cheese (great), chili cheese fries, homemade BBQ chips, and tonight I will be giving their chili a taste. Place is absolutely clean, hand sanitizer at the front, their sweet tea, and their lemonade are great as well. The service is excellent, always a smile, kind, polite, never bothered and quick. I love that I can I'll my 70ft. rig in with no issues and park right in front, and sometimes spend the night. Very truck friendly and it helps they are across the street from a truck stop with showers. Last BUT NOT LEAST, I have a 4- legged passenger. She's a small pitbull named "Milkshake" and she loves when I come to Joe's as well because they sell real bones in a bag ($3) for the dogs. Bones they take and bag after smoking the meat. Milkshake loves them. Excellent place and I will continue to stop here as much as I Can whenever I'm in the area. Lunch or dinner, doesn't matter. Not over priced and portions are . I wish them all the best their and they will see me again. read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - My dinner and a bag-a-bones for "Milkshake" - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

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The good, the bad, and whatnot . . . The first thing I recommend is that the young curly-haired man running the register work on his people skills. He is one of the least friendly people I've come across working in a restaurant, and he's the first face the customers see here. He wasn't rude--just not friendly at all. None of the 3 people working here smiled the entire 45 minutes we were here. :) There's a smile for them. Maybe they can wear that while while they clean the tables, because every 4 seater table was visibly dirty and felt sticky. On to the food. My daughter ordered nachos. The cheese seemed like it was the same cheese they would've used in their mac and cheese (which they were sold out of). There were hardly any toppings. The bbq sauce didn't pair well with the cheese and sour cream. You can see in one picture that there was nothing to put on most of the chips, and she'd hardly eaten anything off it. My husband and I split a 3 item sampler with bologna, brisket, and pulled pork. He enjoyed the bologna which appears to have been deep fried. The pulled pork was dry but tasted decent with enough sauce on it. Perhaps the brisket was a bad or cheaper cut of meat because it lacked flavor and was bland. There was no smoked flavor to the brisket or pulled pork. The cole slaw was mediocre, but tasted a little better with a lot of salt and pepper. The two things that were enjoyed most were the pulled pork sandwich, which my daughter said was really good after she put on lots of the sweet BBQ sauce (except the bun was too buttery) and the baked beans. I recommend they drain the baked beans when serving, because as you can see in the picture, of the container was liquid. For a pit stop on a trip, this was ok. The prices were ok and the interior is cute, and the food is ok. Perhaps we were here on an off day. I hope your experience is wonderful. read more

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The food is amazing! Great bbq! Fresh and delicious. Lots of options as well. The cheese fries were so yummy! But super filling so be careful ordering them with anything else. Potato salad was also really great. We were a road trip stop, like most of the reviewers but going to save this place to come back in the future! Just wish they had umbrellas or something shaded outside! There's a nice breeze so it's beautiful to sit outside but the sun beats down on you. read more

Always good, we stop every time we're coming back from Louisiana. I start to crave the fried Bologna as soon as we hit the Illinoisan border. Got the same thing I always do, Bologna and mustard sandwich and baked beans. They changed it from being on cheap while bread (which to be clear I LOVED) with a soft bun. Still tasty but missed the stick to the roof of my mouth mouthfeel :) My husband branched out and got the brisket sandwich this time, and his trusty fried okra - also a standard we always love. So glad they've gotten more established every year. Making the trip again in August, maybe I'll not get the fried Bologna sandwich. I doubt it though, LOL read more

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BBQ place across from the Loves in Ina IL. Bring your appetite! Everything was delicious! Ribs were seasoned and smoked to perfection! Only reason I didn't give a five was because they don't have beer! Didn't try Any of the BBQ sauce ( if the meat is cooked right ya shouldn't need sauce) but I'm sure they would be delicious as well! read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - Rack of ribs, pepper jack cheese bites and season fries - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

Uncle Joes is the real deal BBQ. We had the smoked wings which Were amazing and super tasty with the spicy BBQ sauce. We also had a half rack of St. Louis ribs, although not a big portion, they were perfectly smoked Highly recommend! read more

Food was ok, I felt the price point was too high for the quality of the food. Sauces weren't great, kinda had to settle for the taste. The sides(coleslaw & potato salad) were store bought & not good. I had the ribs, brisket, & smoked wings. U kno the establishment is not good if their best item is wings. The brisket was sliced the wrong way(with grain) and had lots of fat. Ribs were ok but not tender. Smoked wings were the best I thought because they were crunchy on the outside & tender on the inside. Couldn't find a good sauce to pair with any of the meats. Stop here only if desperate, otherwise continue on ur trip! read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - Pick 3 Sampler: chose smoked wings, ribs, & brisket with two sides(slaw, potato salad) $15.79 - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

AVOID this place!!! pulled in because i noticed their ad sign a few miles south on i-57. with the insane construction at the exit as well as the new truck stop, it was hell getting to this place. they use a rustic decor as a theme and well as having a pig/hog collection as a LURE to get you in the door and pay an inflated price for garbage that you can get from the dumpster for free. i ordered the uncle joe sloppy joe that was at least one day old (more likely two) w mac and cheese and mushrooms. the shrooms were super hot when i received them and let cool a couple minutes, which is when i realized the reason for them being hot...not right out of the fryer, rather out of the microwave. the mac and cheese was tasteless and the sandwich was just just eaten w a fork w/ the bun to hold me over until i arrive in kansas city and eat real bar b q. in my opinion THEY OWE ME $19 and some change...never again!!!!! read more

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Nice and crispy chicken wings. The baked beans were on point. All that was missing is salt cooked into the the potato salad. No reason I can't add my own when the potatoes are completely cooked through. This food + $ was fair for this establishment. read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - 8pc 2sides potato salad baked beans - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

Wasn't planning on eating at this exit...was just going to get gas and go. That was before finding this awesome hole-in-the-wall bbq shack. Friendly staff, decent prices (compared to home), and the food was good. We only tried the pulled pork...wish we tried the brisket. We'll check that box next time! read more

Wow!! Delicious food at this place. Uncle Joe's was a new stop for us while traveling on Interstate 57 going from visiting relatives in Illinois back home to Chattanooga. We loved the Brisket... really good smokey flavor and a nice portion. The Crock Pot Beans were yummy too. We were hoping for Banana Pudding, but no such luck. We dined outside because we had our dogs, and it was perfect on a sunny day. We ordered the dogs a Fried Bologna Sandwich to share and they were kind to offer water. We opened up that Bologna Sandwich.... and OMG we had to taste it! It was pure Heaven! I mean seriously, if you had bologna sandwiches as a kid, you MUST have this one. I hated to let the dogs eat it haha! We will be stopping here again. When you go, say Hi to the Diva who greets you at the front! read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - Fried Bologna Sandwich to 'share!' - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

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Just happened to see the restaurant while stopped for gas, right across the street. I saw a sign for fried bologna and I instantly knew I had to eat there. I ordered my fried bologna on white bread with lots of mustard. While it wasn't the same as from my childhood, the Oscar Meyer sliced bologna it was still just as delicious. The bologna slice had to be 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. It was delicious!! Next time we drive from New Orleans to Chicago I plan on stopping here again!! read more

Always try to stop while driving between Louisiana and Wisconsin. Best ribs and beans.

Food is top shelf. Great road trip stop if your on 57 Friendly staff great food Priced right read more

Have a look at my reviews, I don't like to give a bad review. Every once in a while a place deserves a bad review with a legitimate warning. The BBQ at Uncle Joe's isn't bad, it's decent. The trouble is, my order came out with an extra side I didn't order. It could have been an honest mistake. I politely asked about it and was abruptly answered, "You can have them, I can take them away if you don't want 'em." The tone of the response made me suspicious so I kept them, and had a look at the receipt. I was charged for two pots of beans. I had purchased a meat plate that included one-side for $12.79 and an extra pot of beans was added for $2.60 in a separate charge entitled "Crockpot beans". I asked about the charge and was told "That's just how the cash register counts the side for the plate." Not convinced, I did the math and I was clearly charged for an extra side. I wish it stopped there, but it turns out we were charged other unrequested add-ons. For three entrees, we had a total of $5.40 of unexpected charges. It's buyer beware at Uncle Joe's BBQ. Steer clear or pay close attention to your receipts folks. Apparently, (after studying the menu) nine of their eighteen sides are "upgraded" sides that cost $1.40 - $3 additional per side. A $2.60 side becomes a $4 or $5.60 side! Which is fine, IF the server says something like, "mac-n-cheese is an additional $1.40, is that ok?" OR "that's an upgraded side, it's $3 more for that side" Otherwise, only locals will know and the up-charges go to unsuspecting travelers and new customers. (They're located right off the highway) "Tourist Tax" I know $1.40 or $3 isn't much, but it adds up as a cash-grab strategy by adding thousands of extra revenues per month. Again, great as long as the charges aren't snuck in like additional fees at closing-time on a used car. What's more suspect is the only entree that was NOT dinged with an "upgraded" side in our order was mine. The standard meat and one-side plate of beans. Com'on, I didn't unsuspectingly order an "upgraded" side, so I was given (AND charged) for a double helping of beans. Obviously this place is scamming people. When buying large scale, high dollar items people notice these sort of unethical deals. It's the one dollar here and three dollars there that typically go unnoticed. No thanks, Uncle Joe's BBQ... I won't be returning. I prefer my BBQ with a side of honesty. read more

If you are close, it's worth the stop! The quality is consistently top notch. Best part are the finishing touches of the bbq sauce. Make sure to pick up a bottle (or two!) read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - Low carb turkey bowl with fried okra and Mac-and-cheese - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

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Delicious! Definitely have to stop if we are in the area again!! Had sausage, ribs, fried bologna, smoked pork sandwich, chili, mushrooms, and okra! Only exception were the ribs. They were a little dry and some sauces were overly sweet! read more

We pass through here several times a month lately and have seen Uncle Joe's BBQ products on shelves. Today when passing through IL we stopped in and are so happy we did. First, the restaurant is lovely, the very young lady at the register was friendly and welcoming. My husband loves sausage sandwiches so he ordered the Black Oak sausage sandwich. I loved the presentation. I tasted a piece and loved the flavor. The fried pickles were perfection!!! Perfectly seasoned and not soggy, they actually had a little crunch. We also got a fried bologna sandwich. It was cooked perfectly, but wasn't as flavorful as the sausage. My husband let me pick what to put on the bologna sandwich, I'm someone who doesn't like a lot of "stuff" on my sandwiches, so if came out on white bread with a slice of cheese. I dipped it in some of the Uncle Joe's sauces and it was pretty good, but nothing beats plain old mustard on fried bologna for me. My husband got me some. The side with that were the crockpot beans. Yum!! I love beans and these were perfectly cooked and seasoned. I see myself coming back just ordering the fried pickles and crockpot beans (I'm trying to lose weight). Oh, my favorite Uncle Joe's BBQ sauce is the sweet mustard...I'd put that sauce on everything!! read more

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My family LOVES Uncle Joe's (even the picky kids). I got Uncle Joe's catering for a party last weekend and it was perfect. Every thing was delicious! We got the turkey, sausage, pulled pork and the brisket. It was big hit and they were so easy to work with. Highly suggest for your next party and I also suggest the XXX hot sauce. read more

As you walk in the joint it looks promising. As they have a trophy and plaque on the wall from the American Royal which leads you to believe they know how to bbq. However the food I was served was so nasty and un edible I just through the whole plate away after just a couple bites. Ordered the half smoked chicken that tasted and felt like it was smoked a week ago and kept in the fridge warmed up and served still slightly cold on the inside. Chicken was so chewy it was unbearable. And then there's the "fixins" macaroni and cheese was absolutely un bearable and not even sure what was going on with the beans. Next time I'm driving by the area it'll be a hard pass for me. read more

Just finished my second visit here today. I was here a couple weeks ago and my experience was a little bittersweet. Obviously I came back though so that should tell you it was mostly positive. My first experience they had run out of ribs so I settled for a brisket sandwich, a small order of their smoked wings and a side of their crockpot beans. Today I ordered ribs! I was massively disappointed by the brisket sandwich. Not sure if it's their standard procedure or if whoever made my sandwich just got a little crazy, but the bun was drenched with margarine. From the very first bite all I got was a gush of greasy margarine in my mouth and I couldn't even taste the brisket. The second bite was just as bad so I pulled some of the brisket from between the bread and tried it's on it's own. It was sliced ultra thin and had a different texture than I'm used to but it had a good flavor, and wasn't dried out from being over cooked. This sandwich has a potential but ditch the margarine on the buns. I think if the margarine is used to toast the buns they should switch to mayo. It roasts buns way better and won't detract from the flavor of the meat. The beans.....wow.... I am indifferent to beans. I neither love them or hate them. These crockpot beans are delicious. Kind of sweet, kind of smoky, a little bit of spicy and little meat morsels casually mixed in. Not sure if it's because they cook them I in a crockpot or what but the beans aren't mushy. They have a nice firmness to them. The ribs were awesome. They were super tender and pulled easily off the bone when bitten into. So flavorful! I love the rub they use! You really don't need any barbecue sauce to enjoy these. However, they do have a nice selection of sauces to fit almost every style. I saved the best for last. The chicken wings. These are the real star in my book. Perhaps, because smoked chicken wings are kind of new to me? B-Dubs, Wingstop, etc don't have shit on these wings! These are way meatier, unlike the pigeon wings you get from the afore mentioned. Again, the rub really makes these wings pop. I inhaled my whole order and never even thought about putting any sauce on them. Not saying I wouldn't though. Customer service is great, the people there are warm and friendly. The atmosphere is very casual and welcoming. Prices are very reasonable and the quality of the meats they prepare are good. No skimping on quality to increase profit there. Also they sell their sauces and rubs quite cheap. Many bbq places I've been to sometimes charge an arm and leg (perhaps they think we are going to reverse engineer their recipe?) for their seasonings and sauces. Never thought I'd find good barbecue in a podunk town in Illinois. read more

On our way to Dexter, Missouri we saw a sign for this place and decided to check it out. We were not disappointed. Fun decor, friendly staff, and ordering at the register made it a quick/tasty stop! They have a large menu to pick from and everything sounded great. My husband did the pick 3 with 1 side so he could try a bit of everything (fried bologna, ribs, brisket, and creamy slaw). I got the brisket sandwich with slaw & fried okra. Our little one for the mini corn dogs. We also ordered some fried jalapeño slices. They have a ton of sauce choices that you can sample and get little cups of to bring back to your table (my only complaint was that the sauce cups were too small). The Sweet mustard and original were our favorites; the tangy was a little too tangy for our tastes. All of the meat was on point and the slaw was some of the best I've ever had. The fried okra was delicious but the jalapeño bites were overly fried and had WAY too much breading. They sell their sauces and other merchandise. Super cute! Check it out! read more

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This place Uncle Joe's BBQ, is hands down the best BBQ I have ever had in my whole life. I get the beef brisket sandwich. Sorry I get 2 beef briskets sandwiches and smother them with their sweet and smoky bbq sauce one and the original bbq on the other. OmG I love this place. Thank you.... read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - Uncle Joe's BBQ my fav - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

I went in there today to get some super Joe's nachos and when I got home 30 minutes later the nachos that were supposed to be for my wife had no meat only cheese and veggies no barbecue sauce and no barbecued meat smoked meat whatever it is they use but there was no meat in it don't get me wrong I called them and they're going to make it right but I live 45 minutes away so it's not like I can just turn around and go back for more so now my wife has to eat something else or find something else to eat for dinner after a long day at work we're gonna keep going back though it's not like them to do that but they also skimped on mine as well but I didn't complain about that I had to stuff on mine it just wasn't like it normally is it's usually jampacked full of stuff this time it was not I wasn't happy but I ate it. We love uncle Joe's food so will keep continuing to go back and hopefully not have this mistake again but I will make sure I check the bag before I leave from now on read more

Despite its humble surroundings Uncle Joes BBQ makes up for it with kick ass food. We tried smoked pork, smoked half chicken, the fried okra and fried mushrooms. Each and everything we tasted was top notch. Literally finger licking good and I do not use that term lightly. The xxx hot sauce paired incredible well with the smoked chicken and the okra paired wonderfully with the sweet and tangy bbq! An incredible find on our road trip cross country. read more

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If this place up on my weekend break it's pretty good I recommend you stop and try it brisket was a little dry though. That was pretty neat that they put their entire menu on the wall and didn't print anything out so everybody could see it and not waste any paper. read more

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Finally rolled the dice and ventured into Uncle Joe's BBQ, and we're really glad we did. We tried a little bit of brisket, ribs, and bologna with sides of slaw and beans. Plus I had to try their fried pickles, tasty! Everything was good and our favorite BBQ sauce was the sweet one, but the original was delicious, too. The two men working were friendly and helpful. By the time we left, the place was packed. read more

Uncle Joe's Restaurant - It scared me! The mannequin-not the specials. - Delis Near Me - Ina, Illinois

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I've only had the burgers here and they were pretty good! Something to get when you're sick of eating McDonald's, that's for true. Although, the second time I went here, I was definitely rubbed the wrong way when the elderly woman at the counter was a tad racist. I overheard her mocking a guest for his name. When asked, he said "Rafael" to which she replied "How about Ralph?" I thought that was incredibly rude. Even if she was just making a joke, that is the man's name. Not a stranger to decide what to call him because she is too ignorant to try to spell it. Three stars for the burgers. read more

I was driving back home. This place has extraordinary BBQ. The staff very friendly. My favorite thing to get are the ribs. You'll never regret getting those read more

While I agree that the service is not of a five star level (more 1-2 stars there), this little gem doesn't even begin to act like it would be. You order at the counter, and get your own drinks, and sauces. If you pay attention as you walk in this will be fairly clear. What this place does exceedingly well, is great smoked meats, and some pretty darn good sauces. I had the ribs, which still had just the right amount of texture left, as to not fall apart, but were very tender. The smoke flavor was perfectly done, with plenty of bark, without being bitter at all. I tried most of the sauces, and found them to have unique flavor, but not unappealing. Overall I would have to say this was one of the best BBQ places I have visited in terms of the food quality. I had the slaw (clearly fresh made), and crock pot beans, which compliment the meat perfectly. The garlic bread, was ridiculously simple, yet still wonderful. Overall service poor, but that is not the claim to fame here, the food is the standout star, and deserves the five star rating! read more

Choices off Interstate 57 are very limited. This place is a very clean and good spot. I wish my BBQ pork sandwich was more inspired and delicious. It lacks something and really didn't impress me all that much. Seemed bland and middle of the road. The sauces were awesome both the Sweet (tangy) and the "XXX hot" were great! I mixed the two together since the XXX Hot hits your throat more than your tongue. The best thing about my lunch was definitely the baked beans. I really liked the baked beans but wished there was more love and care on the smoked pork sandwich. I'm just used to The amazing pork shoulder roast that my wife does at home. Uncle Joe's is a great spot and I do recommend it but definitely don't get your hopes up as this being an amazing top notch barbecue joint. It's average. Sure I will go here again if I have a chance driving from Missouri up to Chicago on a work trip, but will try something else on the menu besides the pork sandwich. Stop in and judge for yourself. It's uncle Joe's is definitely way better than McDonald's or subway. This place just isn't in my top 10 for best barbecue joints. Buy the sauce in a bottle on the way out. They sell some delicious sauces!!! read more

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The best pulled pork I've ever had! It's so good and they have bottled sauces you can buy! They also have great sides and other items that are so yummy. Highly recommend if you're coming through So. IL read more

Only giving one star because the food was pretty damn good. Service makes a meal for me and I had to get up from my food and go back to the counter and tell the young girls and gentleman working in the back to stop yelling and cursing. It was to the point that I couldn't even enjoy my meal. It was over the music. It was so bad. I asked for a manager but the young lady said there wasn't one there. So if i had a complaint who would use it to benefit the business and be better. But the food was yummy so I would come back. Maybe. To the manager, we came on 10/25/2018 at 5:30 pm so if you feel like shaking some things up with your staff and letting them know that's the type of attitude that makes a person not want to come back you probably should. read more

Great place for BBQ. We had a pulled pork with slaw sandwich and a brisket sandwich. We like the Original sauce best....So good! It's the exact experience we were hoping for as we're traveling across the country. I don't agree with the other reviews about service. They were just fine. Could they smile a little? Sure...but they are busting their butts to make kick ass BBQ along a very busy interstate. Stop here...you won't be sorry! read more

Great sauces!!! Smoked dry rubbed ribs were really good. Must try cole slaw and baked both seasoned so well. Friendly fast service and great value for your money. A good place for dinner after fishing at Rend Lake read more

Killer food, quick service, great selection and cool vibe inside the dining space. Great gem right of the interstate and worth a stop when you're hungry! read more

We just happen to find this place on our way from Nashville to St. Louis. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. This should be everyone's stop if you're near! We loved it! read more