Best BBQ in Chicago, IL: 3 Smokehouses, Ranked

Chicago runs on Texas-style brisket and rib tips. Smoque BBQ at 3800 N Pulaski Rd has smoked over oak and hickory on an offset stick burner since 2008. Chicago q at 1160 N Dearborn St does Carolina and Texas style on the same kind of pit. Honky Tonk BBQ at 1800 S Racine Ave uses an aquarium smoker for Chicago-style rib tips and brisket. Rankings follow how many independent local roundups list each joint - tie-broken by verified fact count - and every listing is checked against the joint's own published information.

The ranking

1. 01

   Smoque Bbq

   Smoque BBQ is at 3800 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60641. It has smoked over oak and hickory on an offset stick burner and is open Mon-Sat 11am-9pm and Sun 11am-8pm. The signature items are brisket and pulled pork in the Texas-style BBQ tradition with classic BBQ sauce and mustard-based sauce. A brisket plate is $22 and a pulled pork plate is $16. Sides include mac and cheese, cornbread, slaw, and baked beans.

2. 02

   Chicago Q

   Chicago q is at 1160 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610. It has smoked over oak and hickory on an offset stick burner and is open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, and Sun 11am-9pm. The signature items are baby back ribs and pulled pork in the Carolina-style and Texas-style BBQ tradition with three sauces (vinegar, mustard, and sweet). A full slab ribs is $28 and a brisket plate is $24. Sides include mac and cheese, baked beans, slaw, and cornbread.

3. 03

   Honky Tonk Bbq

   Honky Tonk BBQ is at 1800 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60608. It has smoked over oak on an aquarium smoker and is open Tue-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, and Sun 11am-8pm, closed Monday. The signature items are rib tips and brisket in the Chicago-style BBQ tradition. A rib tips plate is $18 and a brisket plate is $20. Sides include baked beans, slaw, mac and cheese, and cornbread.

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