Finally had the opportunity to give Bobo's a try after being urged to do so by friends. I sampled both the pulled pork and the brisket. The meat was remarkably moist and tender with a great flavor without any sauce. Favorite sauce was cherry cayenne. Given the choice between Bobo's and Black Dog, I choose Bobo's! I love locally owned spots like this-it gives CU character. read more

I tried it for the first time a few weeks ago, and am just now writing this review because I happened to eat at a bbq joint that was beyond subpar. The brisket was GREAT, soft and tender. The choices of bbq sauce were great, and I went with the two sauces that, I believe he was the owner, recommended. Great sauce! Also, if that was the owner, he is a very down to earth guy, which I loved. Great service, and I'll be back, more than once!!! Thank you Bobo's! Also, I came here on a solid recommendation. So glad I did, and the sides were fantastic as well! read more

crap with a capital crap... fries ...cold greasy... rib tips slimey....nasty... my dog wouldn't eat it and she eats her own poo.... g r o s s.... great dirtball hang out though... read more

I love me some bobos, I started going to bobos when COVID hit for carry out and I've been attached ever since I really would recommend the pulled pork sandwich and turkey. Great service and very welcoming at the drive through and inside. this is the place to go if you want some speedy and tasty barbecue, best place in town. PUT SOME SOUTH IN YO MOUTH. read more

GOING ON!!!!! All the tips were soft juicy AND edible!! unlike 60% of my experience at lil porgys Half of it gets thrown out as it is OVERCOOKED!! I quit going it was getting so bad! Had the tips and the chipotle mac and cheese, it ROCKED!!! read more

Went in on the recommendation of a friend. When we pulled in, the parking lot was empty. It was around two in the afternoon, so the lack of cars were quite a surprise!! Upon the walk in, I was anticipating the smokey smell of really good BBQ!! We ordered two Saturday specials; which consited of 1lb of rib tips, a side and a drink for 9.00. Costing less than 25.00 for both orders. We were given several sample cups to try the various BBQ sauces that they make in house!! Amazing blends of flavors!! The Pineapple horseradish and the Grilled Peach Chipolte were my favorite. The mashed potatoes were awesome and the coleslaw was left almost in a natural crunchy state with just the right amount of sweet. The mac and cheese was some of the BEST I have ever had!!! The meat was AMAZING!! You can tell by the taste of the rub alone that each piece of meat that they smoke is done with love and care. The meat was melt in your mouth fantastic!! I am so excited to find out that they have 6.00 meal deals Monday thru Friday for students who present a school ID!! I officially LOVE this place!! The service was beyond amazing too!! Very courteous and patient with my questions about their menu and what they offer. Overall a great experience and I can not WAIT to go back!!!! read more

BoBo's BBQ - Smoked Turkey open faced ;) Tummy was upset and they made me this dish!!! Love they go above and beyond for their customer's!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Food is fine, but just overheard the owner tell a customer, and I quote "I hate the way you fucking order." When the customer, who had ordered their food in a normal manner, asked how the owner could say that to him the owner continued to be belligerent. He said the customer "ordered like an idiot". I've never seen anything like it and I'll never go back there again. Incredibly rude. read more

This is my go-to barbecue place in Champaign-Urbana. After we had been to both restaurants, my son from out of town proclaimed that the Wood N' Hog's rib tips were much better. But that's not what I order--I go for the brisket sandwich, and WNH does not serve beef at all! BoBo's brisket is extremely tasty and tender, much like what I ate while growing up in Texas (such fine memories of Fred's Barbecue in Dallas, with brisket sandwiches for 35 cents!). And it's less expensive than most local barbecue places. On a side table are a variety of sauces that you are welcome to sample to your stomach's content, after which you can serve yourself. To me that is a big plus, since several other restaurants require you to guess which sauce you would like, and a wrong guess makes your dinner considerably less enjoyable. My favorite is the one labeled Hot. I'm NOT very much into French fries--but BoBo's fries are among the best I've had--much less greasy than those at two much-higher-end places. Their side offerings include collard greens that are possibly the best I've ever eaten (be aware that they're rather hot and spicy). Be sure to ask them to drain the greens, however; otherwise you may end up with mostly liquid and only a small serving of greens (this is something they should officially change, I believe). Michael, the gentleman behind the counter who has been there every time I've gone, is extremely friendly; after I had been there only a single time, on my next visit he called me by my name and asked about my wife's health! I've heard from several sources that the owner is somewhat inhospitable--but he has never been there when I was there, and Michael's graciousness makes for a pleasant experience. read more

I have avoided giving BoBo's a good review because I have been eating lunch here twice a week for a couple of years and I am afraid if everyone catches on I won't be able to get in here to eat because seating is limited. The lunch specials are the best deal in town, and are just under 10 bucks including your drink. You get your choice of 2 sides so you get plenty of food for you money. The BBQ is fantastic, and there are about 8 different sauces that are quite unique like strawberry jalapeño, pineapple horseradish, Dr Pepper, and my favorite grilled peach chipotle. You can also buy meat by the pound to take home for dinner, and we have had a couple of our work meetings catered with excellent results. When people ask where the brisket came from, and you say "BoBo's", they usually reply that they have never heard of it. I suppose it is about time to change that. read more

I only go for the Greens and Potato Salad. Burnt Ends Sandwich is pretty good. Oh and they have Lemon Shakeups. Only have seen those at fairs. read more

The burnt ends are the only reason I go here. The sides are pretty mediocre, along with anything else on the menu. They have several sauce options which people like. I don't care for them. Pretty expensive, get one of the lunch specials if you go. read more

Tried it for the first time tonight. Went to drive-thru, unfortunately they were out of burnt ends. Worker told me that if I wanted them, call ahead and they would save an order for me. Nowhere else does that! Went with the pulled pork plate with slaw and mac & cheese. The pork was delicious, soft and well smoked, and the portion was HUGE! The hot Carolina vinegar sauce could have used a bit more vinegar, but the spice was spot on. I'm very picky about cole slaw, and their vinegar slaw was extremely good. The mac & cheese had a homemade flavor, not "out of the box" appearing like other places in town. Man at the drive-thru was EXTREMELY friendly and got my order to me quickly. The only reason that I took off one star was that the sauce was not nearly "vinegary" enough. Will definitely return to this restaurant!! read more

Love the food. Just TRIPLE check your order (especially if you're getting to go) we have experienced on three different occasions that when we get home and sit down to eat, something is missing. It's been buns, a side, and once it was an entire sandwich! read more

The best bbq in town. Yes, I said it. Obviously that is a subjective statement, but I love their sauce (especially the peach chipotle), ribs, and rib tips better any I've had in this area. I also suggest the queso fries. read more

We've been driving by this place for months as we head home from Champaign. Today we were heading home and decided to pick up some to take home. While we waited for the order we noticed that the place is clean and the staff very friendly. My wife and I both ordered burnt ends, a special, for about eight dollars each, and it came with two sides, a drink, and three sauces. We took it home-- about nine miles-- and it was still hot when we got home even though it is packaged just in styrofoam containers. The burnt ends were perfect. Each of us got four nice sized pieces-- about 1 inch by 2 inches. They were sitting inside a toasted hamburger bun. They were perfectly done. Nice char and very tender, with great flavor. The barbeque sauces were fine. I am not a fan of bbq sauces, especially the sweet tomato based ones, so I was glad they put them on the side. My wife said they were tasty; the hot was too hot for her taste and the cherry-chipotle too sweet for her taste, but she thought the flavor was good, though BoBo's will never compete with Black Dog in Urbana. The sides, however, were a little problematic. My wife ordered broccoli casserole and chipotle macaroni and cheese. I ordered cole slaw and greens for my sides. When we got home, however, we found four tubs of macaroni and cheese. While I have little doubt that, had we driven back, they would have corrected the order, we weren't going to make the 18 mile round trip to do that. It is noteworthy that they have a nice selection of sides to go along with the meals. Unfortunately I cannot say anything about them. My wife liked the mac and cheese well enough. She says "it's mac and cheese, with a little chipotle flavor added." If you can't make acceptable mac and cheese in Kraft's hometown, you shouldn't be in business. And this was acceptable. Too much of it for us, especially since I won't eat Mac and Cheese, but it was good enough. She was sad that she didn't get her broccoli casserole, and I was sorry I didn't get to try the greens and cole slaw slides. Maybe some other day. Not sure if we'll go back or not. It is probably unfair not to try again. The meat was good, and while screwing up the order the first time left a "bad taste in my mouth" it probably shouldn't put them on my avoid-list. read more

Went in today with a client, we decided to try it because the sign said "put some south in your mouth" . Well my family is from Tennessee, and they have that nasty red clay there, I think it is better than the brisket. The brisket wasn't even warm, had no smoke ring to speak of, and was very, very, very fatty. We all know when you eat something greasy you get that oil slick feeling on the roof of your mouth, I couldn't get it off for an hour. The cole slaw was really good, red beans and rice were like soup. They have 8 different sauces and give you 2 small cups to hold it in. I don't hold out much hope for this place until they learn how to cook a brisket, there are at least a couple of very good bbq places in Champaign, you guys need to really step up your game. read more

The pulled pork sandwich meat was tender and juicy, but had no sort of special appeal at all and was quite bland. What about the spices? The plain white bread was soggy. I actually liked the home fries a lot. They were fresh and tasty. The mac and cheese was soggy and stale and tasted like the stuff I can easily make at home out of the box. The worst criticism you can give a barbecue joint is that the food is bland. The food here is super bland. I predict they won't be open long. Sad. read more

I love Bobos, I work construction in town and Bobos is always a favorite for the crews. The food is always great and the daily specials keep the bill low. Excellent barbecue and friendly service! Would recommend to anyone!! read more

I have enjoyed BoBo's BBQ for the last three years and have never been more disappointed than tonight. I was shocked when I pulled my "pound" of sausage out of the bag and it was noticeable light. I pulled out my scales, yes scales! I weighed my sausage 12 ounces! on both scales. The turkey was 4 ounces not the 1/2 pound I paid for....I suggest you take your scale with you so you can check it before you leave. When I called to complain, the manager told me it was a pound on his scale...maybe with his hand on the scale. I will not be back!!! There are other great BBQ places in town. read more

I'm a sucker for pulled chicken and wanted to love this place. While I prefer white meat pulled chicken, I've come around to the fact that most places use dark meat. BoBo's is no exception. But the dark meat was tasty. Moist, cooked well. Unfortunately there was a bone in my sandwich and some gummy joint meat. I know bones happen occasionally, but the place was dead when I got there, so there was no excuse. And if a place is going to have pulled chicken, they should use chewable pieces and make sure not to include any of the nasty joint stuff that doesn't chew. Yuck. The fries were good, well salted, fresh cut, the right amount. And the sauces were enjoyable. I had the hot, mild, and chipotle peach. All were delicious in different ways. I won't write this place off just yet, but I will NOT be getting the chicken again. I'll stick to beef (no pork as I don't eat pig products). The service was great, though. Very friendly, and the cashier alerted me to a great deal they have. read more

I always try to stop by Bobo's whenever I'm in Champaign. They have great lunch specials, lots of interesting sauce choices, and fantastic fresh cut fries. My favorites are the Cuban Sandwich and the Carolina Pork Sandwich. (I happen to enjoy the mac & cheese, despite what other reviews are saying.) I also love the girl behind the counter, she is very efficient and always so sweet! read more

Saw this place due to the Hillary joke and thought this is the kind of place I need to go eat.. the hogzilla is freaking awesome, the sausage is really incredible and makes the sandwich great. read more

I went here on a Tuesday and got the beef brisket plate. I got the collard greens and cheesy broccoli casserole as sides. I couldn't be happier with the results. The brisket was juicy, tender, and smoky. All in all very delicious. I'll definitely be going here again. read more

The food is absolutely fantastic. Especially the Smoked Turkey. Don't be so cheap with the BBQ cups. Come on you offer 8 different sauces. Let the customer try then all. It makes you look like a cheap skate. read more

Tried this place for 1st time last week. Pulled pork was excellent corn bread best ever. Will go back soon

I absolutely love the brisket here! It is wonderful! The grilled chipotle peach sauce is amazing as well!

We regularly get the pulled pork here and it is excellent every time. Moist and tender, and actually PULLED, not chopped like some places do! Just the right level of smoky flavor, good enough to eat just as is, but they also have a very good selection of sauces for you to try. I stick with the peach chipotle, but there are many others, hot, mild, dr pepper, and more! Rib tips are first rate as well! Super flavor, and tender fall off the bone texture. The sides we have tried are obviously made fresh, and pretty decent, but that's not what keeps us coming back. With a bbq place, it's all about the MEAT and the SAUCE! And BoBo's has that down, and it's a great value, much less expensive than other bbq we've found in town, and just as tasty. Daily specials every day, the bucket of smoked chicken was a good deal and I liked that one too! Delicious!! Check them out, if you like smoky meat you won't be disappointed! read more

Tried this place today as it was close to the auto repair shop. I was pleasantly surprised. I had the carolina pork sandwich, which was pretty good. The bun was nicely toasted, the meat was decent, and the portion was fine. They have quite a few sauces to try-I liked the peach chipotle. The potato salad was what you'd get from the grocery store. (I love Hickory River's) The fries were VERY good. Ours were nice and crisp, unlike what others have said in reviews. For $7 and change (no drink) I thought it was a decent deal. I may have to try the burgers, which are under $3. I'll go back. read more

Really great BBQ. The sauces were incredible (mango habenaro and pineapple horseradish were the best!!!). I'd definitely go back!!!

Before BoBos there was only Lil Porgys and Blackdog BBQ, maybe Hickory River. BoBos blows them all out of the water. Hands down. No contest. The meat is more flavorful and tender than Porgys and does not taste one dimensional of smoke like Blackdog. I have been there at least five times. Each time I ordered a pound of rib tips. The meat could be eaten with out sauce. Tender. Moist. They have a number of different sauces, however. My favorite so far is the Dr. Pepper. But, they also have Orange Pop, Carolina styles, Cherry Cayenne, and traditional sweet sauces mild-hot. I have also ordered their greens. They are also spot on! They have a bit of a kick to them, flavored with onions and bacon. The fries are freshly made, very much like fair fries. Let me get back to the rib tips: they are so tender that i have actually been able to eat the usually tough cartilage-like parts. I have yet to try anything else on the menu. But I truly believe BoBo's is no doubt the best BBQ in town, if only people don't gling to what they already are familiar with. Seriously, check BoBo's out! read more

Cuban special Wednesday - not sure if they have ever had a cuban sandwich before but this was as about as far away from a cuban as you can get. Their idea of a cuban sandwich - brisket, turkey, pork, pickles on a toasted hamburger bun - FAIL. Where is the sweet bread that is pressed? Where is the cheese? I get the idea of the different meats to be different but come on this was a bad interpretation of the original. Mac n Cheese - tasty and good (mushy cheesy goodness) Fries - Good, not sure if they are housecut or not but better than most fast food places except Five Guys. Service - OK, used drive through. Guy handing the food over was not that friendly or too busy to care - not sure. Would I go back, perhaps if I just wanted a pulled pork sandwich, mac n cheese, and fries. read more

Pretty good..thought the sides were real good. As for the political stuff...quit being the nation of crybabies over political humor. Amazing how thin skinned this community is...come for the food, enjoy the food and roll on...whew.. read more

I had never been here before and, after having an excellent BBQ meal at Black Dog recently, decided to see how it compares. I pulled up to the drive thu order screen and sat there for about a minute. Wondering if the intercom was broken or if they were even open I pulled forward to the window. When it opened I was greeted with a lecture about how they heard me but there were only two employees and that I essentially needed to be more patient. Listen pal, all you had to do was tell me that when I pulled up. I wasn't even upset about it, I just wanted to know if this was a place that was open to serve me food or not. The food wasn't bad, but a stressed out cook giving me crap on my first visit is not something I need in my dining experience. Congratulations, you just lost a repeat customer read more

Bobo's Barbeque will never get my business again! The owner yelled "f* off" at me after I drove away because of his bad attitude and the poor service he provided. That is not how you run a business! read more

I eat bbq all over Illinois and this place is better than the current rating. Brisket was fall apart tender and the grilled peach Chipolte sauce was an excellent addition. Solid beans and potato salad but the two standouts were the moist cornbread loaf and the mac and cheese. Friendly owner who insisted I try a sample of the mac n cheese. Clean but uncomplicated sitting area. You won't go home hungry either. read more

I hit this place up at least once a week for lunch. The Brisket is AMAZING and their vinegar based sweet and sour coleslaw is the perfect accompaniment as a low carb option. The owner always comes out and asks how the food was and talks to all the customers. Best part about it is its FAST without tasting or feeling fast... We had them cater a sports party in the fall and the food was delivered on time, hot and delicious. Our football boys said it was one of the best meals of the season! This place looks small, but the food and service are huge! read more

So much better than Hickory River and (believe it or not) Black Dog.. They make their own BBQ sauce and it is amazinggggg. Would recommend the Chipotle Peach and you HAVE to get the Chipotle mac and cheese. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN CHAMPAIGN 100% read more

My family and I eat here almost every Sunday. We love their pulled pork family pack special. It feeds 3 hungry people with leftovers. Bobo's has great food, reasonable prices, and a variety of fun BBQ Sauce (latest favorite - Strawberry Jalapeño). The food and the friendly, fast service keep us going back. read more

We had Bobo's cater an employee lunch at Serv-U. The food was delicious - smoked turkey, pulled pork and brisket, and a variety of sides. Fantastic vinegar coleslaw and baked beans. Most importantly, we received everything on time and it was presented in a way that made setting up for service very easy. Insulated containers helped keep the food warm through our 3 lunch shifts. From ordering to delivery, an overall great experience. read more

Never sure what to expect when I'm in a new town and hear about barbecue. Having lived in Texas, we have our own ideas. This place was recommended by a local as Texas-style barbecue and so I went and had a taste. I thought some ribs and brisket might give me a good idea about what's on offer. I never bother with sides. I was served in about 23 minutes. Not sure if this was normal or not but it seemed like a long time. The meat looked dry and to appearance was not relaxed, moist or glistening. It was all particularly lacking in aroma. This concerned me. My brisket wasn't even cut right - sort of into the grain - and it was sloppy and harder to eat. Definitely not the kind of barbecue you pull apart with a plastic fork. No visible smoke ring but a lot of bark. Too high a temperature? The meat tasted a bit like I then expected -- dry, tough, soft tissue was in tact, and notably only lightly seasoned. It was so disappointing I packed it up and threw it away. Most of my friends will cook far better barbecue in their backyard. Maybe it was an off night? But this was so far off base that it's hard to imagine this being right. read more