Interesting place. Definitely worth our stop passing through here. It's a barbecue smokehouse in someone's actual house! They do a bustling business. The food is actually very good. They put together some really well crafted sandwiches that we felt to have been a reflection of the care of putting together each recipe. The fries were really good, nice, crispy, seasoned well and HOT! The Cole Slaw was excellent on the sandwiches, but as a stand alone side, not so great, just average. It's more than just casual. When we were there, and I assume this to be the usual, there were no non-disposable utensils or plates. The place is cramped, and only one table (2 two-seaters pushed together. Everything else were booths, and on the small side to accommodate the limited space no doubt. The kitchen is right at the tables, and the entire place is a bit (actually a lot) crowded. They do a bustling take out business though. That was evident. So I think that would be reflective of how good the food is. The reviewer who gave it one dollar sign to reflect price, failed us. Three of us, three sandwiches, two fries and one cole slaw, with three small fountain drinks, yet it was over $60. I cannot give my usual highly descriptive, wifey assisted review, but she's with me writing this. We've already left and I got no pictures! Just one of those days where you're in a rush. read more

Carol Lou's prove the best BBQ is found in hole in the wall joints such as this old house that is cluttered and falling apart. But man oh man, the BBQ is worth a visit! My wife and I split half rack of ribs, 1/3 poind of brisket and pork, jalepeno cornbread, peach Bourbon baked beans, and brisket mac and cheese. This is going to sound silly especially on how good the brisket and pork were - but I enjoyed the beans more than anything else. These beans were sweet and spicy with peaches, Bourbon, and red pepper in them for a truly amazing experience. The brisket and pulled pork were elite as both were tender and juicy. The ribs started off great and fell off the bone but the end was a little too tough. Jalapeño cornbread was sticky, sweet, and had the kick you would expect. Brisket mac was cheese but the brisket seemed out of place to me. There are 6 sauces: Carolina Red (mild), Georgia Mustard, Perfect 9 BBQ (vinegar tomato base), Triple S (medium), Sweet Chili, and Hot Carolina Red. All sauces were fantastic! Based on my review, Carol Lou's serves up a 5-star experience but 2 things holds them back. 1. They charge you for sauce. They charge $1 for an extra 2 oz container of sauce. You only get one choice of sauce with your sandwiches or meat and you don't get any on the side if you choose for them to dump it on the meat. Carol Lou's sauces are not made of gold and it is ridiculous to charge for extra sauce. 2. Sweet tea was rurnt and that is a Southern Word for bad and awful. It tasted old and it had gone bad. Other than those 2 things, the food is excellent but if you are a sauce-aholic and sweet tea lover like me, be prepared. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Brisket and pulled pork with vinegar sauce and Carolina Red and Georgia Mustard - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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Waited on hold for over 30 min and they never even came back on the phone. Came in waited in line for another 15 min. When we get to the front the lady takes 2 guys from the back of the line and lets them come in front of everyone. First time here and will more than likely be the last. Depends on how good the food is read more

Loved the small town feel of this place. Wish it was bigger but it would take away to the local feel. Staff was super friendly and provided suggestions on the meats. The wings were amazing! Highly recommend them. I tried the peach bourbon beans and they were good but very sweet. read more

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Best burnt ends ever. Order ahead. Tons of sauce options. Solid on gluten free. They were out of the pastrami. Brisket and turkey were solid. read more

What an unassuming little place?! A little house on the corner? Well yes, but inside a hidden gem with some of the best barbecue in town. And what a value!!! We ordered two pony shoes - one with white cheese and brisket, one with yellow cheese and burnt ends. The service was quick. The food was awesome. And bonus, enormous portions. The barbecue is just the right amount of smoke. The pull was perfect. Their sauces are complementary but honestly not necessary - but enjoy them anyway. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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The food tasted great and the service was fast and friendly. The servings are more than enough

Would have given them four stars but their hospitality was lacking. I asked to see what 1/4 pound of brisket looked like and they refused to show me. The lady at the counter kept saying it was a couple of slices. I asked her to do 1/4 pound and show me because I might want more and she didn't want to do it. The brisket lacked seasoning. But it was very tender. It was rather tasteless. The beans were very good. read more

The food is so good. The peach bourbon pit beans are a top 10 food I've ever eaten. Burnt ends are great, sauces are great, service is friendly and fast. A real gem in this shithole of decatur read more

Food was great. Tried the brisket and the pork. Not a fan of the bbq sauces, but the meat was great. The fries looked amazing!

Best BBQ in the area. So good it sells out (they are good about posting this on their Facebook page). I eat lunch here often and have even gotten it catered for an event. Lunch time is very busy for them. They have an order over the phone option which can be helpful. They have an awesome menu that makes it hard to choose from. I've never gotten anything bad here. I like to order and take my meals to go because there is not a lot of seating inside. They also have a tight parking lot. 1000% recommend anyone who comes to Decatur to try this. read more

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It was good bbq. They were sold out of burnt ends. Different sauces to choose from. The Mac and cheese was a lil dry. But overall good ribs!

A solid choice for BBQ in Decatur. No frills establishment serving up all the usuals like brisket, pulled pork, and chicken. You'll leave full and your pockets won't be turned inside out! read more

Stopped here between our drive from Urbana to Springfield and we found this restaurant on Yelp and it did not disappoint. We are from Los Angeles, so Burnt Ends are hard to come by, we all picked Burnt Ends for our meal. It was amazing. We loved the sauce and the sandwiches. It was amazing. We were so stuffed that we were almost sick because we ate too much. It was delicious. We had the Pretzel Q, the Western and the "Pits" Burgh. I forgot to take a pick of my "Pits" Burgh because I couldn't wait. This place will not disappoint and it worth the drive. We are hoping our son goes to University of Illinois, so have a reason to come back. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - The Pretzel Q - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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Unreal good! Rocket Max and Cheese was epic and meaty. Ribs were perfect texture and very smoky. Burnt Ends intense and delicious. Peach Bourbon Pit Beans balanced and complex This place is the real deal. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Brisket Mac 'n' Cheese, Ribs, Chicken, Peach Bourbon Pit Beans & Burnt Ends - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

Was rated top BBQ in Decatur and I endorse that! Possibly the best burnt ends sandwich I've ever had. Certainly, the leanest. Great helping of meat with crispy edges. Triple S sauce was excellent. Quick service at 1230 pm on a Thursday in the summer. Had the bourbon peach pit beans as a side, and, WOW!, just terrific. Had real peaches included, which was the first time I've ever experienced. Delicious! I will return! read more

I accidentally drove past trying to get here and had to turn around! I stopped in late because I was told this was THE place to eat while I was in town. I had a 1/2 rack of ribs, 1/4 lb of Turkey, Pit Beans, and Brisket Mac. The ribs were excellent, every bite tasted like I was forming a good memory. The Turkey was solid overall. Put Beans were very sweet and had several layers of flavor. The Brisket Mac was excellent. The place is very small but folks are friendly and food will absolutely fulfill any BBQ cravings you might have. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - 1/2 slab ribs, 1/4 lb Turkey, Pit Beans, and Brisket Mac and Cheese - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

GREAT food. Seriously the best burnt ends I've ever had. Hard working staff kept up with (what seemed like) a busy day. The menu is sandwich heavy, but you can get ala carte too. There are awards all over the casual dining room, and they were certainly earned. Easy-to-find location, right on the corner. We will definitely come back when we are in the area. read more

This place has some of the best Nashville Hot Dry Rub wings I have ever had in the country. I have been everywhere and they are perfect. I want them every day. read more

The Mac and cheese has way too much pepper. And the portions are small for the prices. The banana pudding tastes like it's from the freezer section read more

Great local BBQ shack with amazing sauces. Nashville hot brisket sandwich is a go to for my family. Brisket cooked to perfection topped with coleslaw cheese and pickles. The pickles are exceptional; Sweet, salty and hot. (Btw, I dont normally like pickles) The sandwich balances many textures and flavors. Wings are damn good too. Smoked then Fried. Fries are some of the best in Town read more

What a surprise. Every place we have tried was middle of the road. The place was not over preppie and the menu was mainly a-la-cart. Was worried. The parking lot smell was from a true smokehouse. The food was over the top. I had the brisket and ham, others in my party had almost everything else. Not one of us had anything bad to say about the food or staff. A wonderful experience. We was unable to try the ribs because of the delivery truck. We will be back one evening to try the ribs too. Please try this please if in the area. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Brisket, Ham and okra. Custom BBQ is great. - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

This is some of the best bbq I have ever had! The Mac and cheese is amazing. You won't be disappointed.

Carrol Lou's doesn't look like much from the outside - it is a nondescript white house which they've converted the first floor to a kitchen/dining room - but trust me it is worth a detour to grab lunch or dinner to go if you are passing through or live anywhere nearby - keep your eyes open for the large cow statue out front and you know you've found it. As soon as you get out of your car you will smell the telltale sign of a legit BBQ place - the delicious smoke aroma we all know so well. Right inside is the counter where you place your order, take a seat, and wait to be amazed. I ordered the "Pretzel Q" sandwich with brisket, on a pretzel bun with monterey jack cheese sauce (nacho also available) with fries. My friend had the ribs and fries basket. To say that the sandwich was pure perfection is no overstatement. The fries came in the sandwich and I decided to move them to the side. I have high standards when it comes to brisket and theirs is second to none. Tender, juicy, and flavorful, perfectly combined with the pretzel bun and cheese sauce. My friend's ribs looked great, with a nice coating of dry rub, and adequately sauced. They fell right off the bone and he said they were fantastic. Based on lunch I ordered a full slab to go for dinner that night. Gently reheated they were as good as I have ever had. Plenty of flavor from the rub and the smoke I didn't even bother with the sauce. Oh... the sauces. They offer 7 versions in a range of styles, sweetness, and heat... something to satisfy whatever your preference. With all the focus on the meats they could be excused serving run of the mill fries... but theirs are definitely elevated. Mine came perfectly cooked with a light spicy breading making them a great accompaniment to your meat. Don't pass up a chance to eat at Carrol Lou's! read more

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Food was good, prices were very good. The restaurant was pretty dirty. I probably would not eat there again, even though the food was very tasty. read more

Thankful to have found this restaurant via Yelp. I probably would have never located it if it wasn't for it's stellar reviews! This is definitely a "return-to" restaurant for me. Overall, service was good, food was excellent, and environment was welcoming and cozy. They have some of their BBQ event awards out on display which allows customers to be encouraged what they purchased has been recognized elsewhere. The only reason I didn't give it 5/5 stars is because we ordered a polish sausage with our meal and a hot dog was delivered. We didn't recognize until after we bit into it, so we didn't return it. However, the hot dog was still good!! I guess I'll just have to go back to try their polish sausage. *wink* read more

So found this spot on King Dr. Drove right past it. Inconspicuous on the outside. However, I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the food and service. Cant beat inspired folks doing it right. Can smell the smoke soon as you pull up. The wings were the best. Could be contest wings honestly. The ribs were good flavor, had a slight tug to em thi. Still, worth it and will be back read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Ribs....banjo sauce - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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This award winning BBQ joint serves up tasty meats, bourbon peach beans, delicious fries, fall off the bone ribs, chili, and creative sandwiches with your choice of meat and homemade sauces to accompany them. You'll probably drive by the place first time you go there because there's no big sign. Staff is friendly, counter style ordering, and they do carry out. Good music if you dine in, and check out all their trophies. Hope to find their food truck out and about this year. Recommend dining here. They are open until they sell out. read more

This is the best bbq I have had ever! We had brisket ribs wings and mango baked beans. This is a little gem here in Decatur Illinois. I have lived in Texas for years and Texas bbq can't compare. Keep up the good work. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Outdoor Sign - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

Food was amazing, service was professional, the brisket was my favorite. It's highly recommended if you like bbq.

I found this smokehouse by accident and oh what a find. The next time I was in Decatur, a Saturday late morning, we stopped in for lunch. Plenty of room at the cash register to hang back and figure out what to order. On this particular day we were the only couple there at the moment so we talked with both guys at the counter about what to order. Both men were well informed on the menu and sauces, both were attentive and kind in their service behind the counter. I ordered rib tips and fries, the hubs had the pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato tots. Beverages are by the can and bottle water is available also. I can't recall what sauce I went with but there are many to choose from and even the most selective Q fan should find something to their liking. The food was beyond good. Tender, juicy, saucy, tasty pork. YUM. The tots and fries were very good as well. French fries have a seasoning (dry shake) on them that is a nice surprise. So tasty I felt bad dipping them in catsup, so I stopped and ate them naked. YUM. Tots were cooked perfectly, and sweet. The flavor is a perfect accompaniment to go with that handful of a sandwich you're holding. Prices are fair, the restaurant is clean and pleasant, some low volume jam band music streaming throughout. It had snowed the night before and I was pleasantly surprised that the sidewalk had been shoveled that morning, and the warm atmosphere inside left me feeling like I was at friends house for lunch. This little gem of a smokehouse is doing things right. Stop in and see for yourself. You will be happy you did. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Yummy rib tips and seasoned fries. - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

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Really good BBQ. Not much seating, but worth it for the food. Our group had multiple different entrées and everyone was pleased.

We came here for a late weekend lunch. Despite it almost being 2pm, they were still quite busy. Order at the counter and they call it when it's ready. Food was ready in ~10 minutes. One of the young ladies calls out the order. I think they would GREATLY benefit from a number system on the ticket or a PA system. It's loud in there from the open kitchen then add loud music then add loud patrons. On almost every order, the young lady had to call it out twice. Also, there was some confusion between patrons as to whose order it was. I had smoked wings and fried corn nuggets. The meat was fall off the bone, had good flavor but I thought it was a bit dry. I had to drench it in the Carolina Red sauce. The corn nuggets were OK; the inside was not cooked through. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be that way or not... Bf ordered a pulled chicken sandwich and fries. I thought his meal was fantastic. The chicken was good, not dried out. It seemed like the fries were double fried. All of them were hot & crispy. I would return but not for wings (Harley's Hideout is my go to for those). read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - pulled chicken sandwich, smoked wings, corn nuggets, fries - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

This is probably the best barbecue I have eaten. We went for dinner and then came back the next day for lunch since we aren't from Decatur and that was our last day. The horseshoe with beef tips or pork are both excellent. The pastrami Reuben is fantastic. The chicken wings are very good. And the cheese curds and banana pudding are very good as well. We dined at several places during our stay, but this was the best for sure. The place isn't much to look at but the people are friendly and the food is wonderful. We will definitely go back if we are near Decatur in the future. read more

Well, it only took two years for this place to go downhill. The food is now "ok", with their redo of their menu to "tiered" meats, my favorite sandwich got changed from a delightful tasty Nashville hot sandwich to a lukewarm mushy mess. I can understand supply chain issues, but drain a little off the cold slaw before plopping it on the sandwich. The cheese and ciabatta roll are different, and they didn't bother cutting it in half, probably because of the smaller bread. They're charging more for less, but who isn't these days. All of this could be overlooked if the staff weren't sullen and angry, we waited 10 minutes at the front before someone deigned to take our order, and waited 40 minutes at a sticky table for our food while other patrons got theirs ahead of us. The one gentleman tried to explain that they deliver orders as they're completed, but we just needed our food and not talked down about by the manager. It's obviously a top down issue, so these problems of inefficiency won't be resolved overnight, unless they bring back the old manager perhaps. Stay away during rush hours and hope there's some food left after, I guess? Such a shame. read more

Carrol Lou's Smokehouse - Nashville Hot Brisket Sandwich - American Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

good food but there never open. Every time I go, there closed for catering or already sold out for the day.

What we got was good. It was a pretzel bun with pork on it. We asked for the free to not be on the sandwich but they were. :( the fries where not very good. We got brisket Mac n cheese which was very good. They were out of brisket and pastrami. Nothing to rave about. Typical bbq. read more

Food was fine. Spicy corn nuggets tasted great, and got the Nashville hot sandwich on the side. Sandwich was dry, didn't taste like there was any Nashville hot seasoning, came without sauce and there was an upcharge to get sauce...for a bbq sandwich. All around service was lacking, and not worth a return trip. read more

The Reuben Dog is everything! The corn beef, the beef hotdog with sauerkraut, and their sauce!!!!! So good

Carrol Lous was recommended to me while visiting Decatur for work. I ordered the pulled pork with fried okra and my coworker got the ribs and Mac n cheese with the smoked brisket in it. The food was perfect!! Every bite was consistently hot and delicious! The ribs were so tender that the meat fell off the bone. On top of all that, the nicest employee (I think he said his name was Tre) talked to us for a few moments and was genuinely warm and welcoming. I'm already planning my next trip, with Carrol Lous on the agenda! read more