National Brisket Day May 28th

Tom - The restaurant's full name is "Chicago q" not just "q".

Nice place, good food, very high prices. I've eaten there once and was very happy that I was a guest.

dls. How is Smoque in Chicago? Getting back there in May and may try it.

The brisket at Smoque is pretty good. Had the brisket sandwich there when I was picking up the sauces for the last sauce exchange. Place is always crowded.

Funny, years and years ago that building was an auto parts store I used to frequent on a regular basis.

$4.50 for a side of coleslaw..... maybe they use Kobe Cabbage?? jeezus!

Pags, what area of the city/suburbs will you be staying in? There are also a few other places around that are pretty good.

Maybe someone needs to send them a link to our forum topic about KOBE/WAGYU and let them know it's illegal to import KOBE and find out what they are really selling for that price.

And looking at the menu, I wonder what the difference is that they charge so much for their "competition" ribs that make them better than their regular ribs? A tablespoon of apple juice, some brown sugar, butter and some foil?

quote:

Originally posted by Pags:
dls. How is Smoque in Chicago? Getting back there in May and may try it.

Pags - I've eaten at Smoque 3 times and would rate it as OK. The quality of the meat is evident, and, for the most part, it's well cooked. Also, the prices are fair. I've had the "Texas Style" brisket, "Texas Style" smoked sausage, and "Carolina style" pulled pork on different occasions. Note: No "Chicago style" anything on the menu. All were tasty with a nice smoke profile, but, to me, all seemed a bit dry. Surprisingly, all of the side dishes I've had (cole slaw, beans, mac & cheese) were very good. It seems like sides at most BBQ places are an after thought. At Smoque, they really put a real effort in them.

On the flip side, there's something about the atmosphere/attitude/vibe/general demeanor of the place that's kind of off-putting and uncomfortable to me. They attempt to preach authenticity, but to me, it seems to come off as pre-fab. Maybe it starts off with the pretentious spelling of their name, their quirky "BBQ Manifesto" on their website, or telling diners what sauces/sides they should or shouldn't be eating with meat selection. Also, every time I've been there, most of the patrons appear to be Gen Xers all with their IPads, laptops, or smart phones out and in use while they're eating. A buddy of mine says Smoque seems like a Starbucks that serves BBQ instead of coffee.


If you do decide to go to Smoque there are few things you should be aware of. It's BYOB so if you want an adult beverage with your meal you need to bring it along or stop at a nearby liquor store. Parking is on-street only and a real PITA. Most of the nearby streets are permit parking only for residents and heavily patrolled by police and tow trucks. They don't take reservations so expect a line to get inside and to be seated. They try to do their best to move things along, but it can still be a lengthy wait. Don't go with more than a foursome. It will just increase your wait time exponentially. I'd like to say go on an off hour but, in my experience, I don't think they have one. Finally, it's small, tight, and crowded. As I recall, the tables are all two tops pushed closely together. Pray that the folks sitting next to you are good people because you're going to get to know them intimately.

Disclaimer: I haven't been to Smoque in well over a year so some of my comments may no longer be valid.

If you decide to go, enjoy.

Thanks much dls. Good feedback. May pass on it cause of the parking and BYOB...and the tight quarters. We'll probably be at least 8 diners.

We have a lot of people to visit so if we're sitting around looking for something to do, we may still go.

Again, good feedback. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by dls:

Disclaimer: I haven't been to Smoque in well over a year so some of my comments may no longer be valid.

Was there a few months ago, and your observations are still spot on. Although I thought their brisket was excellent when I was there, very moist and tender. Maybe I hit them on a good day?

Now that you mention it, they did try to push certain sides when I ordered the sandwich, to which I replied "That's nice, but I'll have the beans & slaw". I was there just after the lunch rush, it was a mixed crowd, but still quite a few hipsters. And the two tops are indeed quite close to each other.

And as dls said, parking is probably the worst thing about the place. They don't have a lot of their own and you might have to park a few blocks away and hike it back.

quote:

Originally posted by Pags:
Thanks much dls. Good feedback. May pass on it cause of the parking and BYOB...and the tight quarters. We'll probably be at least 8 diners.

We have a lot of people to visit so if we're sitting around looking for something to do, we may still go.

Again, good feedback. Thanks.

I definitely wouldn't consider Smoque with 8+ people.

One newer BBQ place you may want to look into that might better suit your group is Lillie's Q. It's located in Bucktown, and primarily Carolina style. I've only eaten there once and had the pulled pork sandwich, which was pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by dls:
If you do decide to go to Smoque there are few things you should be aware of. It's BYOB so if you want an adult beverage with your meal you need to bring it along or stop at a nearby liquor store. Parking is on-street only and a real PITA. Most of the nearby streets are permit parking only for residents and heavily patrolled by police and tow trucks. They don't take reservations so expect a line to get inside and to be seated. They try to do their best to move things along, but it can still be a lengthy wait. Don't go with more than a foursome. It will just increase your wait time exponentially. I'd like to say go on an off hour but, in my experience, I don't think they have one. Finally, it's small, tight, and crowded. As I recall, the tables are all two tops pushed closely together. Pray that the folks sitting next to you are good people because you're going to get to know them intimately.

Sorry for butting into the conversation, but this has caught my curiosity...a person can bring their own bottle of booze? This seems a little strange to what I'm accustomed to...

Normally it's usually limited to beer & wine. Unless you and your buddies plan on polishing off an entire bottle of booze, It's illegal to carry open alcohol in the car. But yes, if a place doesn't have a liquor license, you can usually bring your own. They'll just charge you a nominal "uncorking" fee.

Another place you might want to try is Gemato's Wood Pit in Naperville. It's BBQ with a Greek twist. Haven't been there in a few years, but as I recall the ribs were great and the Greek potatoes were to die for. Friend had the brisket and said it had a good smoke flavor to it. It used to have a horrible, horrible pink interior, but they remodeled a few years back and now has a western theme.

At best, securing a new liquor license in Chicago is a timely and costly process. At worst, it may be impossible because of zoning restrictions, location moratoriums, and neighborhood disapproval. Here's an overview of the process.

As far as BYOB is concerned, there are no municipal laws or restrictions against allowing individuals to bring their own booze if the restaurant allows it. And their are no licenses or permits needed. A few places I'm familiar with charge a minor corkage fee, but most don't.

For new and smaller places that don't want to go through the hassle or expense, at least until they get up and running, or for those places that don't have much emphasis on liquor sales as a part of their business plan, it's a win-win situation for them and their customers.

I remember the BYOB restaurants from over 30 years ago when I lived back in Chicago. We often bring our own wine to restaurants out here and pay a corkage fee.

You know Andy. Naperville is a lot more convenient for me...family in Lombard and Addison. A little Greek flare would be a natural for me...Jimmy the Greek (Pags).

I'll have to see how our schedule goes. Plenty of people to see.

Here's a piece that ran on a local station recently. They hit Chicago Q, Brand BBQ & Real Urban BBQ.

190 North BBQ Spot

Those Wagyu Beef Ribs sound delicious at Chicago Q. And those burnt end sandwiches look great.

The second place on the video(Real Urban) hands down did the best job cooking their meat, IMHO!

You been to these places Cal?

Nah, just looking at the finished products in the video. I know, meat can be deceiving,but as Smokin' has pointed out, after a while you can tell when something is done properly by looking at it.

The 1st place even stated they use the whole brisket for burnt ends, that is just wrong period.

Whippen's a pretty decent cook. I'd still like to try the Wagyu Beef Ribs, Wagyu argument aside.

That is Ribdogs neck o' the woods and he knows some of the "designated pitmasters".

He may check in with some insight.

Real Urban BBQ is about 10 minutes away from work. I head up there for lunch every now and then. What do I get almost every time? The Burnt Ends. Good stuff, although it could use some additional smoke flavor. Jeff said he purposely doesn't put a lot of smoke on because the people in the area prefer it that way.