It's not how you fail, it's how you recover. Missing food (again). No caring once so ever about the mix-up. 60 minutes and someone is missing dinner. I know...1st world problems. However the restaurant community needs to get things right for customers to support during this hard time and not make you feel bad sharing a screw-up. Own the missing food, apologize and compensate for the shortfall. BTW good food quality but nothing to talk about until they get service right read more

Finally, excellent barbecue comes to downtown Geneva! Service: Very friendly. Hospitality is clearly a big part of the restaurant's culture and I've always been greeted with a smile. Price: Not bad at all. Between $7-$14 a person, depending on how hungry you are. For around $14 you can get a combo with two sides and a drink. Certain items, such as the pulled pork, make great leftovers. Food: the barbecue is excellent, the smoker is dialed in just right. The meat all falls right off the bone. The brisket is delightfully tender and almost all the barbecue items melt in your mouth. The fries are always fresh and the fried pickles are flawless. I don't know how they can sell such perfect fried pickles for so cheap but I hope that they never go away. If you're even near Geneva and want good barbecue, look no further. read more

BBQ was okay, but, plentiful. Nice choice of sauces. Everything we tried, chicken, pork, brisket was very one note (same seasoning on everything). Smoked wings, oddly not smoked. Odd choice of sugar and cinnamon on sweet potato fries. Iced tea is a mix rather than brewed. Just not our thing and very pricey. Despite sign requiring masks inside staff not wearing any as well as few to none of the patrons. Best thing I can say was the music was on point and the young lady taking our order was friendly. read more

Ohhhhhhh yeahhhhhhhhh! Five stars after the first bite!! I read about this place thanks to a Yelp tip. I'm a big fan of brisket, and must say, brisket can be screwed up rather easily. Fire Water made an art of it. The meat was softer than traditional brisket and the taste is heaven..pure heaven. The menu has quite a few different bbq choices and sides. It's not table service, you go in and order and choose your table. They call you when your food is ready. Neat setup inside, long picnic-like tables or regular tables. Days after trying this for the first time I've got a fever to go back. I've got a fever..and the only prescription is a little more Fire Water brisket! Damn good!!!!! read more

Great service on a take out order. I got the chicken wings, which were great and didn't even need sauce, and cornbread, which was great because it had actual corn in it. My wife loved the sweet potato fries and thought the pulled pork was good, though there were quite a few fatty pieces in her serving. read more

Just got to see how his place for the first time, On St Pats Day, have had carry out a few times. The Bar ambiance is friendly and goes well with the Que. And the BBQ is why you come here, the meat is melt in your mouth and the sauces diverse and delicious. You have got to try this place! I kno I will be back! read more

It's about time! A legit BBQ joint in the Tri-Cities area. If there's been a familiar refrain in this part of the Chicago area, it's that there is no quality BBQ. Finally, there is. Met some friends there for a lunch and decided to try a number of items on the menu. The prices are reasonable and you order at a counter and pick it up when it's ready, so your dining experience will not necessarily include a tip, unless you like it so much that you send a tip back to the cook. I'm sure he'd not mind. I tried the pulled pork sandwich combo meal and a small side of rib tips. With the combo came two sides (chose fries and potato salad). I also had a chance to sample their chicken wings and fried pickles. The rib tips were absolutely sensational. The sauce is cooked onto the meat and was delicious. I'm very picky about BBQ sauce and this stuff was impressive. The meat on the tips was the way I like and expect it to be, which is a little tough in spots and nice and soft in other spots. The pulled pork was soft, flavorful, and was served on a very nice bun that had been browned up a bit on a grill. They don't put sauce on the pork. You add that yourself. Each table has approximately five bottles of sauce on it...a standard BBQ sauce, a hot BBQ sauce and a couple others, such as vinigar or mustard. I only tried to the standard and hot. Planning on trying the others next time. Fries were offered as standard, Cajun spice, or garlic. Opted for Cajun. Fries were flavorful and crispy and tasted great with the BBQ sauce on them. The potato salad was very good and very fresh. It was a mayo based salad. I prefer mustard potato salad, but this version was solid. My sampling of their chicken and fried pickles was also highly satisfactory. Worth noting is that the sauce that was cooked onto the rib tips was fantastic, but the sauce in the bottles on the table were slightly less pleasing. I suspect this might be due to the sauce being heated up on the tips and perhaps that releases the flavor a bit. Personally, I have always preferred that BBQ sauce be served warm or heated up. Perhaps they will eventually begin to offer it that way. Granted, it's nice to have the sauce on the table in a bottle so that I can have as much as I want, but it would behoove them to serve it warm if someone wants it that way. Overall, this is a truly nice addition to the town and area. I have rated it 4 stars, but I would call it a legit 4.25 star joint with a high ceiling that could put them up in the 4.5 to 5 star range. I expect them to improve how they are doing things in due time. They even note that they are still working through some bumps due to opening recently, but I'm not seeing much along those lines at all. Check this place out. read more

Very poor customer service. I was grabbing food and was yelled at by an employee. This employee needs to be retrained on customer service or even just how to talk to someone before they start yelling at them. read more

This place really knocked it out of the park during our first carry out. They aren't shy with the bbq sauce and the sauce is very tasty! Brisket is probably the best around! read more

This place never disappoints, they know what they're doing when it comes to BBQ! No matter the time of day, always consistent which is not always easy to pull off. I've been to other bbq places that don't know how to hold their meat and later part of day it is dry and overcooked, but not Firewater. Oh and the adult iced tea, holy crap, they don't go easy on the alcohol! Great job team Firewater, keep up the great work! Great job to the G read more

Fire Water BBQ - And my daughter loves the ribs! - Barbeque Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Firewater BBQ fills a much needed dining hole in the Tri City area. I made my first trip here during the soft opening and initial impression was that it would scratch the BBQ itch, but it wasn't a destination BBQ joint. I revisited it this past weekend and I was very happy to see the service and food seems to have settled in quite well. For this visit I ordered the rib tips, and thought they were exceptional. The rub Firewater uses creates a great balance between salty and sweet. Although they have great sauces the rib tips stand in their own, please try them without the sauce first. I also ordered the Hot Links and would call them very average. They are not seasoned or spiced as aggressively as the hot links you get in the top notch places. On my next visit I will certainly give the pork and brisket a try, and based on this visit not let so much time pass. read more

Fire Water BBQ - Ribs tips ... - Barbeque Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

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We moved from Alabama and have been looking for a good BBQ place we finally found it at Fire Water. The pulled pork was cooked perfectly. The ribs tips were tender and the smoked wings were crisp on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. The sides and sauces were all very good. The prices were good and portions large. There are good Happy Hour drink specials. We will return soon to try more items. read more

Welcome addition to Geneva. Great to have some good BBQ and hopefully this location finally has something that will stay. We went during the slow open and while we waited a bit, they were very nice and up front about the situation and we sat and had a beer or two. The BBQ was great. One of our kids has brisket sliders and loved them. We had the rib tips were great. I asked whether they thought the RD3 or the triple porker (was really excited to try it) was better and they said RD3 so I gave it a shot. Holy smokes was that a good sandwich. I have actually thought about it in the subsequent couple of weeks so will be back for it and try the triple porker at some point. They have a nice little bar and small selection of beer and liquor. Go check it out. read more

I had the brisket and my wife had the pulled pork. Both were delicious. Fried pickles were very good! Would highly recommend you try this place. read more

Perfectly cooked meats! Husband said it's the best barbecue he's had since he left Kansas City. The bacon and chive potato salad was delicious, as were the garlic french fries. Husband loved his beef tips and brisket, And I would have to say that the grillmaster burger is the best burger I've ever had in my life. They totally nailed it - Angus beef, topped with tender pulled pork, Gouda cheese and crispy bacon. read more

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Best bbq I've had in the Chicagoland area. No complaints whatsoever. The variety of sauces are fantastic.. couldn't ask for anything more (except that I wish it were closer to home!) read more

AMAZING! We lived in TX for 3 years and this BBQ is as good if not better. We had the pulled chicken and brisket along with Mac n Cheese, Potato salad, cornbread and cole slaw. Called in to order and picked it up (dining room closed thanks to COVID). Meat was smoky and tender. Mac has a little heat to it that makes it super tasty. Cornbread was excellent. Seriously. Want BBQ. ? Go here. Let's keep this place in Business!!!! read more

I like this place because it is unique amongst all the different restaurant choices in the Geneva/St. Charles area. It is really well done BBQ that many places can't compete with. You order at the counter and they yell your name when the food is ready. There are no servers here. My one son got a half slab of ribs and they were nice and thick. My other son got the pulled pork sandwich and really liked it. I got the beef brisket sandwich and it was very good as well. The fries seem to be home made and they are very good. They used to offer a choice of about five sauces in squeeze bottles but now they have little containers of it that they put in a bag. No big deal but it was nice to try different sauces when you dined in. They do offer beer, wine and a few mixed drinks. The bar has maybe four of five seats but it's not really a bar per se. If you're tired of the burger, pizza and sub places Fire Water is a nice choice to fill up your belly with tasty BBQ. read more

Do let me start by saying I'm a bbq snob and my go-to spots are green street meats, smoque and blackwood bbq, all in the city. So when I found myself in the burbs I was curious to try this spot, typically my fellow yelpers don't lead me astray... but... this time they did. Lets start with the good, I placed a pick up order and the girl taking the order was helpful and pleasant and the food was ready really fast. The restaurant was clean and everything very orderly. Now the not so great, the food. I always get a bit nervous when ordering brisket and they don't ask if you want fatty lean or in between so I was just hoping for the best but instead got a very lean and tough brisket sandwich, totally lacking that delicious smoke ring of fatty goodness that keeps it tender, so bummed... now on to the sides, we had a mix of corn bread, slaw, beans, potato salad, fries and mac and cheese, it pains me to say it but, they were all pretty mediocre. The mac and cheese most of all was just not good, super bland cheese sauce over noodles no flavor or texture at all, sad. The rest were just blah... I think the highlight may have been the bacon chocolate chip cookie, different and tasty.. overall pretty underwhelming. read more

I've eaten here several times, usually in the dining room, but because of Stay-at-Home, I've used DD delivery recently. I'm always happy with my choices. Recently I ordered chicken wings for delivery, and promptly received a polite phone call from the restaurant informing me that regretfully, they were out of wings, but everything else on the menu was available. I made a second choice, and the caller asked if he could add a side to compensate for my inconvenience. I asked for a side salad. To my surprise, when the order arrived, I got not only my side salad, but two more sides. These people have always gone out of their way to please, but with a free corn muffin, they have made a friend for life. read more

DELISH brisket tonight! YUMMY! During the pandemic, we ordered carry out, and it was terrific. Tender, moist, flavorful beef brisket and the BBQ sauce was just right! Ordered a side of onion rings and they were fabulous too. We'll be back! read more

All I'm going to say is.... BEST BBQ around! Hubby had the combo sandwich and I had the pork salad Trying the several varieties of sauces on the table were a foodies delight! Even for the salad! A must try if you like barbecue read more

This place smells heavenly! And the coups lives up to it. The brisket that I didn't order (thanks for the bite, sweetie) is tender and flavorful - no sauce needed. I had the pork tacos - well balanced and a hearty portion. One would have been enough, three gives me leftovers for another day. Among us we tried like eight sides. All were at least ok. The Cajun fries were very good. I probably wouldn't get the mac and cheese again because I expect better than macaroni with cheese sauce poured over it. The slaw was a little bland. Very good fried pickles. The onion rings looked good, but I was too slow and missed out. Service was fast and courteous. Our table by the window was too bright with the afternoon sun. I'd recommend a shade. There was still a little construction, but it was still very clean. I'd give 5 stars but I have to dock points for Styrofoam cups and bowl and plastic utensils. They kindly gave me a plastic cup when I asked for any alternative. And I could probably order a lovely meal with minimal trash, once I'm more familiar with the menu. I would definitely eat there again, given a chance. read more

Another great Geneva restaurant. Gives off the vibe of a southern bbq restaurant. It is pricey however worth it when you realize how much time goes into smoking meat. Save room for the bread pudding you will not regret it!! read more

This place is great. Out of all the great options we have in town, we've been missing a good BBQ place. I used to go to their original location in Crest Hill when I worked out there. Glad to see they've opened a second and third location. Lot of great options, good sides, and good sauces. People seem to think this is a fast food place. It's not. It's real BBQ. Don't expect to get your food in 5 minutes. With that said, it doesn't take any longer than sitting at a bar and ordering a burger. They are ironing out the kinks, but their other two locations are thriving. They are doing something right. Try it, it's good stuff! read more

Delicious food across the table. Dined with four guests. I got pulled pork, fries and a tap beer. It was near perfection. Others got ribs, brisket, pulled chicken and all different sides. We all shared. Even got some side items, chicken wings, sausage and bacon. Everything was good. Every table had 5 or 6 different bottles of bbq sauces. Found the one I liked and poured it on. Had a great time and will be back. read more

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Great smoked meats, the sauces are fabulous. 6 different kinds. You can see the smoker from the counter. The help is friendly and fun! Decide if homie and Unic. Looks great and smells even better! The brews are from there own micro brewery. Tasty! read more

We were really looking forward to this because there aren't many real BBQ places locally. I realize this is not the restaurant's fault but we ordered at 5:27pm and the food arrived via Door Dash a little after 7 which was about 45 minutes late. Needless to say everything was cold. The onion rings were soggy. The meat was all pretty dry. We had a 3-meat combo (brisket, pulled pork, and bacon). We added on wings (juicy but bland) and the kids had a pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwich. The sandwiches were fine-nothing special. The BBQ sauce is good. The 3-meat combo was the most disappointing because the brisket was dry and not much flavor. If we try it again it would be in-person because it might be different if it's served straight from the kitchen and we like to give the benefit of the doubt when conditions weren't optimal and we are still navigating pandemic. The presentation was nice, the serving size was good and the sauce was great so those are the pluses! read more

Fire Water BBQ - 3 meat combo-brisket, pulled pork, bacon - Barbeque Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

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This is the only BBQ restaurant that charges for their sauce. How can you order $100.00 worth of food and they want to charge you extra for something they put on the food for free? I'll never come back and I would not recommend them. read more

No social distancing, gloves or masks!!! This is my second time ordering food during the stay at home order through Firewater. I purposely ordered online to avoid as much contact as possible. First off 50% of my order was not available when I arrived so they had to cancel the online order and order at the counter, thus handing over my card. Both cashier's did not have gloves or a mask. No protective film over the screen where customers signed with their fingers. You could walk all over the restaurant and use the drink dispenser, grab from a box of straws, etc... What bothered me the most was the pickup area. Even though there were two cashiers that weren't always helping customers no one was handing orders to customers. I must have watched at least 3 customers come in walk to the counter and proceed to stick their hands in orders looking for theirs. When I finally inquired about my order 30 minutes later, I could hear one of the cooks say it takes as long as it takes. I am going out and taking a risk to support local businesses. Firewater seemed to care less about safety or their customers. We have eaten out at other local restaurants and they have been so thankful and gracious. I will not go back during stay at home. I suggest delivery over pickup! read more

Very disappointed that with a year and a half of mask wearing, some business owners still don't get it. The manager and all three employees today were not wearing masks. Not while preparing our food, not while standing around watching tv. It's a shame because the food is good. Suffice to say, we don't feel like we can return to this establishment. I wonder what the owner thinks? read more

I've tried calling this place more than 10 times over the past two weeks. Either they never answer the phone, it's disconnected, or their number on google is wrong. How am I supposed to give them my business if I can't even get ahold of them. read more

I have been here twice and the food was always good. I live in Chicago and we came here for a quick lunch before going to the forest preserve. They have a small patio area and if you come right when they open. There's no one around. The brisket and pulled pork were really yummy, however, the wings were a little dry. Next time I'll try the rib tips instead. The price is so much cheaper than in Chicago for quality bbq. read more

Man, thus is really good stuff. Have had TN bbq and have to say enjoyed this more. Had the South Sider, really enjoyed the mix of meats, roll solid enough to hold sandwich but soft and great flavors. Mac & cheese and cornbread sides also very good. Tried friends rib tips and equally impressed. Parking horrible so will probably wait until warmer out to visit next but planning on trying most of menu. read more

Fire Water BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

First and Second Visit Reviews First Visit: I normally wait until I have a couple of visits under my belt prior to writing a review...BUT...really, really good BBQ. Probably the best I have had in the area. I had burnt ends and brisket and both were excellent. Their sauces were also very good. The fresh cut fries were cooked and seasoned well. Also had a couple onion rings - very nice. Overall a really great experience and I will be back very soon! Second Visit: Totally different experience. First, they were very busy and are still working out a few kinks, which is ok. Food was average at best tonite. Brisket looked like I received a few scraps - not the think slices from last time. Fries still good. Fried Pickles were great. Mac & Cheese was very strange - it was covered with what seemed like fake nacho cheese sauce, not good. Sausage link was good. Overall, just average tonite. I'll be back and I hope it is more lime the first. read more

I had to go order in which they delivered our BBQ with no BBQ sauce. The restaurant manager couldn't care less. Told me I needed to handle it with DoorDash and it wasn't their problem. They offered no help off any sort to address the issue even after asking how they would help to make it right. I was stunned at how little they cared... read more

Have been once so far. Thrilled to have BBQ in Geneva. The meat was phenomenal. Had the three meat platter with brisket, pork, and rib tips. Bridget was tasty with a nice bit of tasty fat along the top edge. Pork was truly moist. Rib tips were a good size and had a nice bark in them. Not sure that I could pick a favorite. Portion to price ratio was fair. I love that they give a selection of sauces. So many BBQ places force one sauce on you- usually a sweet thick sauce. Here, you can pick a sauce - or try several - or, just enjoy the pure flavor of the smoked meats themselves. Fantastic! Complaints: Like mot restraints in our area, they serve Pepsi, rather than Coke products and the ice tea doesn't seem to be fresh brewed. In my opinion, both take away from what is otherwise a legitimate BBQ experience. Finally, the Mac and Cheese seems to be pasta that they put a bit of spicy, plastic, ballpark nacho sauce onto at the time of order. That was a bit disappointing, and while I don't mind the spice, my kids, who are Mac and Cheese fiends, wouldn't eat it. read more

The beer selection is very good I got the combo platter it was great I would eat here again

Best bbq around. So happy for this place to open. We have been craving good bbq since leaving KC 2 years ago

I feel like 3 stars might be a bit harsh, but I am going to definitely be back and give this place another try! I can be quite picky when it comes to bbq, having eaten at places in Texas and Kansas City. I would say the pulled pork is some of the best and the brisket was quite good as well - salty, almost reminded me of a corned beef, but I really liked it! Even though it may be lacking in actual "smoke" (I like tasting the smoke and woods in my meats) the food is actually REALLY GOOD and probably some of the best in the area and I highly recommend with some caveats. Don't come if you are hungry! Seriously, I think we waited 45 minutes for two sandwiches and the cheesy fry (did I mention how delicious the cheesy fry is with pulled pork!). Anyways, the place was soooo busy, we decided to just do take-out! However, don't do take-out - you don't get any of their sauces! We would love to go back for a dine-in experience to try the sauces. So we're planning our next time to try at 4pm on a Tuesday maybe. read more