We had Hecky's for lunch on a student film I worked on last quarter and it blew us away! The pulled chicken was obviously a staple, and I'm a sucker for baked beans so that was my fav, but I think everyone agreed that the corn muffins were what really stood out-- nobody could get enough! Not to mention that the coleslaw was the perfect way to balance everything out. As a native Texan myself I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find quality bbq up in Evanston, and let me say it certainly scratched the itch! I'll be coming back to Hecky's for sure! Thank you Hecky's from the whole Mixed Signals team!! read more

Besides the fact that every tip was fat and gristle but they don't put fries with it and the price went up sorry Heckys I won't be recommending nor returning. P.s. nothing special. read more

Hecky's Barbecue - Small rib tip - Barbeque Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Can't say enough good things about Hecky's BBQ and Cheryl! Both the food and service are fantastic. I worked with Cheryl on two separate catering orders for our staff. She was so wonderful to work with, offering her thoughts to help place the order and was extremely flexible and kind with date changes and increasing the order size. Aside from this our staff raves about the food, specifically the Mac and cheese and pulled pork! read more

A few years ago, Hecky's Barbecue was brought to my awareness by a colleague of mine who gave me his endorsement of the restaurant. At the time, I bookmarked it with hopes to visit, but never got the chance until now. Recently Hecky Powell passed away due to Covid-19 complications and the community he served shared how much he meant and the difference he made which opened my eyes. It spoke volume about the character of Hecky as a man and it is heartwarming to know that a black owned business can make such an impact in a community like Evanston. As for my order, I ordered the Chicago style tips w/ a Juneteenth soda which was on my radar after seeing pictures on Yelp. As a lover of soul food, Hecky's has a lot of items that have my interest. Ordering again if I were not to order Chicago style tips again I would probably order either a pulled pork sandwich, a catfish dinner, or a sliced bbq brisket sandwich. I told my co-worker that I will be ordering from restaurants in Evanston again because Grubhub arrived with my order swiftly in comparison to ordering from restaurants in Skokie. With that, I guess there are more people that order in Evanston versus Skokie, so Grubhub drivers are prompt with pick-up and delivery. I really enjoyed the Chicago style tips! Those tender tips smothered in barbecue sauce tasted like heaven. I told my co-worker that I will definitely be ordering them again in the future as I moaned how good they were, hehe. "I see you Hecky's, I see you!". I recommend having the fries put on the side because it is hard to enjoy them. They were mixed in with the tips w/ barbecue sauce drenched on them which made it hard to enjoy the seasoned taste. And the Juneteenth strawberry soda tasted very good; it was not like your average strawberry soda with that sugary taste. To conclude, I had a pleasant overall experience ordering at Hecky's Barbecue. Grubhub delivery was swift, and the food itself was amazing which makes me very open to ordering again. ~Blessings~ Thomas G read more

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Got a smoked duck for Thanksgiving. It was delicious. Will try the BBQ very soon. Heard good things about it.

I was pleasantly surprised that I really liked this place a lot. The smoked chicken wings are really good. The rib tips are , they are tender, great smokey flavor, and great potion size. I was also pleasantly surprised that I really liked their barbecue sauce. My mom (rip) has the best barbecue sauce I've ever had. So, for me to say their barbecue sauce is good, that is a huge compliment. The service is always good. No complaints at all about this establishment. Keep up the good work! I always want to support black owned business! read more

Just tried the smoked turkey leg for the first time. It was smoked perfectly with flavor down to the bone. The collard greens had great flavor without being too salty. Can't wait to try the other options! read more

The wait is worth it. I don't get to this area often but when I do this is my place to eat. Get the platter to try a little of it all

Dear Cheryl, The St. Louis Style and Babyback Pork RIbs were absolutely amazing! The jar of Hecky's BBQ Sauce was an added treat to my order, thank you! Eating the ribs was a wonderfully tasty and delicious experience. The BBQ sauce was truly an exceptional combination of flavorful ingredients. Hecky's Barbecue is one of the best family restaurants in Evanston, IL. Thank you for a truly memorable dinner. Sincerely, Sam read more

This was my first visit to Hecky's. In all of my visits to Evanston or just being in the area, I had never been to Hecky's before. This time around, I was in the neighborhood so I decided to check them out and get BBQ food to go. I had looked up the menu in advance so I knew what I wanted but when I got to the restaurant, I decided to check out their menu board anyway to see if anything else caught my eye. I was greeted as soon as I approached the counter. It wasn't busy or crowded since it was after 8 PM at night. I ordered a half slab of Hecky's Choice Ribs (and not the Baby Back) and a pork hot link. I didn't ask how the Choice Ribs were different from the Baby Back Ribs. I was asked if I wanted BBQ sauce on my ribs as opposed to just on side and I said yes to it. I went with their sweet sauce. I do like saucy ribs too. I opted not to get any sauce on the hot link. My order came with a slice of bread and an order of fries with each of the entree. After having the food, I must say it was tasty but not anything to rave about. It was okay-good. And IT IS all about the sauce (like it says on their website). I know a good to great BBQ place does not rely on their sauce(s) to make the food taste good. Here, the BBQ sauce enhances the taste of the food. And for me, it was their sweet BBQ sauce that was good. So they offer two types of BBQ sauces. One is sweet and the other one is spicy. Although, the spicy sauce does not really have any heat or a kick to it. It's a mild, slightly tangy sauce. The rib pieces were meaty (I guess this is where it differs from the Baby Back ribs which tend to be lean and not that meaty?). The flavor of the meat was nice but nothing special or extra ordinary. The pork hot link was tasty too. It's a big piece of meat. The fries were crinkle cut and seasoned. They were pretty decent in taste. Overall, I liked this place but it's not somewhere I would go frequently. However, I will go again to try some of their other menu items but not anytime soon. Prices are reasonable and the menu offers a good variety. The service was okay-fine. The restaurant is small with a limited window side bar stool like seating. I would say go check them out at least once if you haven't before because they are a popular local institution and offer no frills, gimmick free BBQ food. I am glad I checked it out. I would give them three and a half stars but since you can't actually give half stars, I rounded it up to four instead of down to three (for good menu variety, prices and being a local institution). read more

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Am sorry that the owner isn't with us anymore - it's been a few years, and he always made you feel at home - the team carries on, but the quality and consistency isn't as good Ribs and burnt ends are still the best options read more

Last Saturday my family joyfully gathered to celebrate my uncle's 95th birthday. When we announced that the food was from Hecky's my uncle smiled from ear to ear. Once people began to eat all you could hear were excited exclamations about how moist and smoky the chicken was from first bite to last. The rib tips were tender and meaty with just the right amount of sauce. Of course this wasn't the first time we've celebrated with Hecky's, but some of the guests were in from other parts of the country. They were impressed with the quality of the food, from meats to greens and corn muffins. My Uncle made us promise to order Hecky's again for his 96th birthday celebration! read more

Delicious food that fed our NU film crew! Love the restaurant as well. Thank you Hecky's!

Thank you Hecky's Barbeque! The food was so delicious. The pulled chicken sliders really hit the spot. Definitely try this place out!!!

thank you so much for making us the mini burgers they were so cute and tasty! Could not have gone through set without them!

Everybody knows how great the barbecue is, but I just wanted to verify that. Ordered carry out and everybody was completely satisfied and the price was reasonable for the terrific meals we got. read more

I've been there twice and still nothing about the food that gave me a lasting impression, just ok. Because of the long history I have nothing negative to say read more

We ordered 2 slabs of baby back ribs with a couple of sides. It cost over $60. The ribs were tough as shoe leather and tasted like dried ham. There was half a bottle of corn syrupy BBQ sauce dumped on the ribs to apparently disguise the fact that these ribs needed another 2 hours in the smoker- if that's what they use. We each chewed through a portion of each slab and called it quits. The next day, I wrapped the ribs in parchment paper and foil and threw them in the over for two hours at 300 degrees. They turned out fall-off-the-bone, tender and delicious. It's tragic when a business doesn't know how to do BBQ. I know their motto is, "It's the sauce," but good BBQ isn't really about the sauce. It's about the rub, the smoking and the tenderness of the meat. SMOQUE on Pulaski, cooks their briquet and ribs all night. Take a lesson, owners. Do it for the beloved Hecky. read more

On this occasion, Hecky's rib tips were delicious! However, some of the tips did not have any sauce on them. That was disappointing. The sauce does make a difference. I ordered a small tip but if prices were more reasonable, I would have ordered a large. Portion size has gotten much smaller and prices have gotten much higher. I don't mind the price increase so much, but for the price, the portion size should be larger. I have always said that Hecky's is hit or miss. This trip was definitely a hit! Keep it up but do make sure you cover all the tips with sauce! read more

I'm finally writing a review after coming here over a decade. Unfortunately for me, I've been transferred to the south side of Chicago (where I'm currently cultivating new haunts) and Hecky's will be greatly missed. But I can tell you this: Heck's rarely disappoints! The sauce is king (mild or hot)! The smoke flavor runs deep! And the portions are aplenty! I typically get the Chicago combo and can split it between 2-3 people, depending on their hunger level and if we get an additional hot link. Speaking of.... The hot links are the best I've ever tasted. They can stand on their own, but shine best with the mild sauce. And they're good sized, too. The tips are usually meaty. Typically, a better meat to fat ratio, although I've encountered the opposite on occasion. But, as stated earlier, the smoke flavor runs deep. This long-time establishment is strictly carry out. When ordering on the phone, you're given the option for sauce on or on the side (mild is default -it still has a nice kick, though). Also, with or without bread (sauce mop). This place is an Evanston institution! If you're visiting friends or family in the area, they should already know about Heck's. If not, insist on putting in an order and get out the bibs! Enjoy! read more

found thin but hard, sharp metal wire deep in my food. I have no idea where it came from, but I could've been very hurt. I have gotten chicago style tips with links - i personally didnt like the texture of the links, it was pretty dry and rough. the taste was mostly fine besides the texture - lots of spices. I love their sauce, which makes me think i could make better ones myself with the sauce. Also, the meat was pretty dry, and they do not put enough sauce on them- probably because they want us to pay for sauce :( read more

Hecky's Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Been eating BBQ from Heckys since 2005, always good always fresh, In recent years the owner Forest Powell succumb to COVID and the business has gone on without him. Beginning 2024 the price for BBQ has increased like most businesses except that beginning 2024 the Chicago Combo which are Rib tips, hotlink, & French fries. The Portions for this meal have been severely reduced compared to the portions given in previous years. I mentioned my disappointment to an associate. No response, then called the catering phone number leaving a message concerning my disappointment that the price increases were acceptable but the portion of Rib Tips and French fries have been severely reduced and that due to this my future BUSINESS will cease. Also contacted Heckys email contact us address and expressed my disappointment and no reply. Maybe the person or persons in charge of making the change to reducing the portions lacks the people and communication skills required to move forward or maybe they just do not care that my opinions may be likewise in line with other customers. In either case the rib tips portions have been severely reduced and my future BUSINESS has been stopped from buying any food from Heckys. If your okay with skimpy portions and don't mind paying more than that your choice. read more

I called to ask staff if they could sell me ribs with no sauce. For a BBQ restaurant that's known for their sauce, this could have been offensive. The staff responded with "absolutely." The ribs, no sauce, were fabulous. When any meat can be great without hiding behind its sauce...um um good. Kudos, Hecky's. read more

It was not clear to me this place is ONLY for take out or delivery. Given is so famous I could not imagine not being a larger place. A few chairs outside but not really suited for eating in the location. Portion sizes are large perhaps because it is take out. Parking on the street with a few pick up orders spots. Place is really busy for which is a wait for ordering and getting the order. Best sweet potato fries ever. Food is really good. Reviews of the food speak for themselves. Other products are available for take home such as bottles of their BBQ sauce. read more

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Great customer service and my order was ready. When my coworker had food from Hecky's this is what they have me to bring every time. So I do blessing to his family in keeping Monica read more

Heckys will ALWAYS be my place for BBQ. I recently had my favorite combo; tips and links. Heckys still has the best around. When friends and family come to town HECKYS is always requested. Matter of fact, I'm having HECKYS tonight! Curt read more

It's the sauce!!! The food is delicious. Hecky left a long lasting impression on what good bbq should taste like. He was a great man, and the food is continually delicious. I would recommend Hecky's 100%. read more

Since I moved from Skokie years ago I hadn't eaten at Hecky's for a long time. It was great BBQ at the time. This weekend I had the opportunity to try them again and was very disappointed. Our order ( carry out ) consisted of a full slab of baby back ribs that were salty and as tough as shoe leather. I actually couldn't finish them and threw them away. To be fair, we also tried the beef ribs and rib tips and they were both pretty good. In addition, we ordered a couple of hot links sandwiches to eat right away and while they were delicious, the meat wasn't temperature hot. read more

If your in Evanston and want ambiance with your BBQ go to Merle's in downtown Evanston. If you want the best in Evanston and anywhere else go to Heckys. I've been here dozens of times over the years and each time I go I wonder why I waited so long. This joint is strictly take out. In the summer you could get your Q and head down to the lake and grab a picnic table or tuff it out in your car. Warning: you'll need lots of wet-naps or napkins. On to the food. My favorites are rip tips and hot links smothered in Heckys BBQ sauce. The tips are tender almost fall of the bone and the hot links are spicy good, almost hot. The turkey leg is fantastic too. I would have to give the best baby back rips to Smoque because they just taste so good with no sauce at all, but Heckys are right up there. I love the way they package the orders with a bag of good fries and a slice of white bread to sop up the sauce. Maybe a little pricy but worth it! Long lines during the lunch and dinner rush so call ahead. NO parking find a spot on the street and start walking, area can be a little dicey. Yeah, it's the sauce! Get a jar for home. I'm starting to see the sauce in some stores now. read more

Great local BBQ. Ribs are the best I've found since I traveled to Austin, TX. Suggest you get the sauce on the side as the ribs come well smoked and just a small amount of sauce was, I found, just right. Haven't tried the chicken. The ribs are just too good. read more

Stopped off when we were in the area to get some takeout from Hecky's. I had been craving barbecue since we have been well kn our way to summer days, but unable to barbecue with friends and family due to quarantine. We decided to share some rib tips and hot links and also topped off the order with their mini sweet potato pie. I am not a fan of hot links in general so I only took a bite of that, but the rib tips were very good! You definitely get a lot of meat in the order AND it came with fries and bread. We definitely had some leftover for the next couple of days after. The BBQ sauce was great - I really liked it because it's more of a tangy sauce than a sweet one. I will say that the sweet potato pie was not as good as my late grandma's, but it was good. I just thought the crust was a bit too thick and hearty for my preference. Oh! And make sure to try the Juneteenth strawberry soda. So tasty! So yeah definitely a gem in Evanston and definitely worth the visit if you are in the mood for some delicious barbecue. read more

First time at Hecky's and it was really good. I had the pulled pork.sandwich. My friend got baby back ribs, but once I opened my take out container, half that pulled pork sandwhich was gone. The portion size was huge, lots of meat. Also had greens. Was a but hesitant since I have always had greens with ham, bacon or smoked turkey, but I have to say those were darn good greens. I wish I had gotten more, but I will be headed back in a day or two for more. Mouth watering delicious barb b que. Clean and great service. Thank you for a great lunch! read more

Let me preface this review first, by admitting that Hecky Powell was a very dear friend of mine. My family moved to Evanston in the mid- 80's, lived there until 2004, and thoroughly enjoyed the town. Hecky's barbecue was a pretty big part of that. The flavor, the quality, the sauce, all great! And the man was a joy to know. Nobody didn't like Hecky. I highly recommend the chicken and the duck, as well as the ribs. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! read more

Finally tried Hecky's after all these years. I got the turkey leg. I love bbq turkey legs and they are hard to find. Very good. SO much meat, I couldn't finish half of it. Will have more tomorrow. The hubby had chicken tenders. They were good, but not great. Lots of fries came with the order. Good slaw and good greens. Will order again. Delivery was prompt and well packaged. read more

Hecky's has done it again. I was looking for something for the me and the guys at work. Someone mentioned Hecky's randomly. That thought was on my mind making me hungrier and hungrier, done deal-we ordered baby back ribs and were not disappointed. The meat was tender and juicy, perfectly smoked and they gave us enough sauce to go around. They even gave me a cake that seemed to defy the laws of physics with how much sweetness and caramel were inside. Cheryl,Hecky Jr, and staff, you have raised the bar again and we are all greatful. read more

Outstanding BBQ! Well prepared meat (tips are fav), delicious sides and as always the sauce is the magic.

I hadn't been here in awhile and decided to try it again. I got my usual rib tips and greens. The rib tips were cooked perfect, meaty and very flavorful. Loved the greens as well, just added a little hot sauce. Will be back more often. read more

Used to come here all the time , haven't been here in over two years things have changed the food. It's not quite the same disservice not the same sad to say. read more

Don't miss out on this wonderful experience for both your palate and your pocket! Can I just say "Wow"?!! I celebrated my 70th B-Day over the weekend with 50 friends and family members and the food was so tasty and done right. The smoked rib tips and hot links were fireas someone described them. Thank you Ms. Cheryl read more

I can easily give Hecky's 5 stars if they'd just get rid of their dessert menu. Each one I've tried was tossed in the garbage. Tried the peach cobbler today that tasted like uncooked dough dipped in cod liver oil. read more