Was randomly looking for spots in my area. Decided to give this place a call. Did not disappoint. The baked beans were great and the meals were filling. read more

This is a hole in the wall you would probably skip based on the appearance. We dropped in late in the afternoon, having never tried the place because it doesn't look like anything to speak of. (Ironically it's next to an amazing divey Mexican take out restaurant.) And that said, I would not dine-in at either place, but if you are looking for take-out, it's a good choice. We had a final-4 game to get home and watch, so we didn't want to wait long enough to try the runs, but John served up some pulled pork and slaw lickety split. And we were very happily surprised. The food was very good. read more

Love this local business great food pleasant owner it's nice to support home business as opposed to chains never been disappointed

Ribs were a bit on the tough side and bbq sauce was unremarkable. Bones were large so not a lot of meat to fill you up. Baked beans were unremarkable, baked beans in a can would have more flavor. Disappointed but had to try it. read more

John's Rib House is a hidden gem! Ordered the rib tips and chicken wings and I was not disappointed! The rib tips were lean and the mild sauce hit all the right notes. The wings were hot and crispy with the mild sauce worth every bite. The sides of baked beans were a little thick for my taste with savory brown sugar seasonings, however, the fries were ok, but thank you for the gift Mr. John. The sausage link was yummy. The restaurant is also in need of a little sprucing up! My only regret is that the peach cobbler was not ready for tasting! Customer service was on point and I will definitely come back for more conversations with Mr. John and that cobbler!! read more

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We were in the area visiting friends and were looking for somewhere to stop for lunch. Saw the sign for John's Ribs and took a chance. We had the pulled pork sandwiches with fries and beans. The sandwiches were terrific and the beans were very tasty. For dessert, I tried the Peach Cobbler. It was some of the best cobbler I have ever had. We cannot wait to return to try the baby back ribs and certainly will have the cobbler again. We will also keep John in our mind for future party catering. His wife also makes whole cobblers which will be a hit at the party. read more

I like bbq and had past the place a number of times, and thought, "I'm gonna go there one day", today was that day. I ordered some rib tips and fries. 1lb for 11.99. That's a reasonable price. As he prepared my food, I'm assuming it was John, he asked did i want garlic salt on my fries, i said sure why not, made them pretty tasty. The rib tips were solid. Didn't really have a smokey flavor, but good nonetheless. The bbq sauce was good. They give you a fair amount but not to much imo. I would, and will try it again. read more

John's Rib House - Rib Tips & Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

I spent $40 for 2 Rib tips dinner it was so nasty he warm up our meat in the microwave it wasnt Fresh at all.Fries so burnt

Great food, large portions, and excellent prices. John Sr is a very nice man. I will come back. read more

To start..I ALWAYS order my bbq plain at new places to taste the actual flavor, because everything can taste great with a sauce over it. We ordered the rib tips and the hot links with sauce on the side. The guy cooking was very nice and welcoming,we did ask a question about the menu and he just said "look at the board"but other than that he was nice. Both came with fries,the fries are frozen,but they tasted ok. I tried the rib tips and my 1st thought was why are they SO greasy! Like,did someone leave them sitting in oil..it was weird. Now,I eat BBQ EVERY week,so I'm not expecting 'health food' but, those were strange. Then,I wondered if they were actually bbq'd..I tasted NO smokey flavor at all,or any seasoning on my naked ribs.. I decided to try them with the sauce. The sauce is delicious-a nice combo of sweet and vinegar..So,that made them taste a little better, but my brain already knew the flavor under the sauce,so I just couldn't eat them-especially the greasy part..like they were made in the oven sitting in oil. The hot links were very tasty with the bread and sauce...But,if you eat 'naked bbq',they are just ok. I'm not sure that this bbq is cooked at that location,I didn't see any pits or smokers,and I usually smell bbq smoke outside of the location. Boyfriend said that he would get back for the hot links, neither of us finished the rib tips. read more

John's Rib House - Rib tips - Barbeque Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

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Omg there ribs are good and tender I even sucked the bones love it and appreciate the great customer service

Ordered a Chicago Dog thinking I would get something close to an actual Chicago Style Dog. Nope. And before anyone asks, "Why would I order a hot dog from a BBQ joint?", I'll answer, "Why does a BBQ joint even have one on the menu?" It sucked. The dog comes on a non-seeded bun, drenched in mustard and extra sweet relish with chopped (not diced) onions that are fit for grilling kabob style. My co-workers got pulled pork sandwiches that they both said were horrible. read more

John's Rib House - "Chicago" dog. I guess they ran out of tomato wedges, sport peppers, pickle spear, celery salt, seeded buns and a knife to dice onions. - Barbeque Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

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John's came to my job and I ordered the Mac and cheese and green beans along with half pulled pork and half brisket with no bun. It was absolutely delicious so I had to snap a picture mid bite. I'm really not a big fan of bbq but I love Mac and cheese and I love pulled pork occasionally and I'm very happy I took a chance and tried them. The pulled pork was so tender and the brisket was extremely juicy and has amazing flavor. The Mac and cheese was good and the green beans had a great smoky flavor. The bbq sauce was good, a lot of vinegar but I don't like my sauce to sweet so it was nice balance of flavors. Definitely recommend. read more

John's Rib House - Barbeque Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

I have driven right past this place countless times and now I am so sorry I didn't stop here years ago! Excellent food and incredible service! The rib tips are delicious! Nice tangy sauce bursting with flavor and tender smoky meat. The peach cobbler is a perfect dessert. (Note: take the cobbler home and enjoy it with ice cream.) John and his family run a great business. I will not be driving past this place any longer! When in Lisle, it is a MUST!!! So glad we finally stopped in! Support local business! read more

So I've eaten at the Mexican joint next door about 200x. Tonight, my 10 year old told me he wanted ribs, so we ordered to go from John's. This place is great! If you watch House of Cards on Netflix, Frank Underwood used to eat at a hole-in-the-wall rib joint. I think this place is probably comparable in ambience and quality. Really, really freaking good ribs and the nicest proprietor you'll ever meet. We ordered a slab of baby back ribs, and I admit I had to laugh when I asked how much they are- he said "$22 to $24". I liked the guy, so I figured they were weighed after cooking or something. With a side order of fries and tip, I think I paid about $25. The ribs were pretty terrific. These are real slow-smoked baby backs. My son and I couldn't even finish the whole slab together, so the order size is pretty substantial. I would come back here again in a heartbeat. Sure, it's a little expensive and the ambience is laughable, but the food is damn good and the people are first rate. Four stars. read more

WARNING: I consider myself to be a BBQ aficionado - I've only been impressed by a handful (less than 5) establishments in the North. BBQ is simple to prepare, but easy to get wrong. For more on this, please read my past reviews. _________________________________________________________________ I stopped by John's during my lunch break on a recommendation from a colleague/coworker. Our order (RibTip lunch special: rib tips + fries)was taken by a gentleman that may have been the proprietor - friendly, old dude that seemed to have a few regulars. I'll be frank. The fries came from a box or package somewhere in an industrial freezer. Covering meats with BBQ does not make it barbeque, folks. The meats here taste like they were prepared in a residential oven. Sauce is served on the meat? No. The best BBQ in Chicagoland is Smoque, in Irving Park (see my review) - go there if you want some (Northern) Q. read more

This small BBQ place in Lisle has great food and is family owned, but I have been here three times now when I couldn't have one of their most famous dishes, "John's Delight" which is a pulled pork & turkey sandwich because they were out of turkey. They also frequently run out of other items, so if you have your heart set on a particular dish you might want to call ahead. The food is really good and you can't really go wrong with any of their menu items. Even the dessert is homemade by mom - they have excellent peach cobbler. The younger guy who works here is really friendly, quick and nice to talk to. However there is an older gentleman who is much less pleasant to talk to and is slower than molasses, so if you happen to come when he is working you are going to be waiting at least 30-40 minutes for your order. Again, it is always a good idea to call ahead at this place. You will probably want to get your food "to go" as this is a really small place with only a couple of tables not to mention that they have a huge TV that is always blaring a sports game uncomfortably loud. If you go during lunch time any day of the week they have some pretty good lunch specials too. read more

Great ribs! Sauce is amazing! Hot links and catfish are good too! This is an old school type of joint, with good down home service and conversation. Service alone will keep you coming back. My wife and I went there 4 Fridays in a row! read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch after classes. Had the pulled pork, fries, and drink. Pulled pork was mediocre at best. The meat was tender at least. Covered in some dressed up ketchup sauce, passed off as BBQ sauce. That was the worst part. Then it's placed on a store bought hamburger bun?! Fries were standard frozen French fries you find at any diner. They were tossed with some Italian seasoning, which at least gave them a somewhat decent flavor. Fountain machine was down, so they hand out cans of pop. No big deal, but also no free refills. At least the workers were nice. Definitely not coming back. Way over priced for the quality of food that goes out. $10+ for my sub-par meal. read more

Note to anyone curious and the foaming at the mouth - the "Pork A Nator" is only served off the food truck in downtown Naperville during bar hours. Big ups for the bears memorabilia and fandom! When I walked in I smelled fantastic hickory-like smokiness filling the air. I had the ribs and they were A-OK. They took a bit to prepare as expected and as they were coming out of the overhead grill box I noticed they were so fall off the bone tender that a couple did just that - fell off and were lost to the wind (so make sure you like them that tender). No worry - I was hoping ribby bliss would soon meet my mouth. Ribby goodness did hit. It was A-OK, but not as smokey as I was expecting with the scents that were there when I walked in and not quite as delicious as I had hoped after making some great slow baked ribs at home the week before. The fries were pretty good (but not anything crazy) and the coleslaw was nothing to write home about. I do still want to head back and try their rib tips - but for now this is just a perfectly acceptable place to eat. read more

We did end up catering my daughter's 7th BDay party from John's, and the pulled pork, slaw & beans were the item that people kept going back to, and were the items that people wanted when when were offering left-overs. I'm a big fan of Italian Beef (we get it at Angelo's on Maple & Belmont..really good if you haven't tried it), but I never even had one - I just chose to have 2 of the pork sandwiches. I don't think that I mentioned this in my original post, but I'm really not much of a BBQ fan, but John's makes me actually considering branching out and trying it more. Just really good stuff!@ read more

One of my very favourite places in the area. EXCELLENT barbecue and fried catfish, fantastic people who operate the place. As much as I enjoy the food, I also enjoy visiting with Johnny (Jr) and his father (Sr) whilst waiting on my order to complete. VERY rarely do they ever miss the highest mark with the food and their homemade pie (when available) is incredible! It is a very small place, though perfect for what it is. I only wish its location was more convenient, as the parking lot is near a very busy intersection and therefore difficult to drive in and out of during certain hours of the day. However, it is well worth the opportunity to go. read more

Not impressed. I really thought I was going to be satisified after dropping almost $30 on a quick BBQ dinner. Not so much. I got the pulled pork sandwich. I liked the sauce but the meat had no flavor besides the sauce and I wasnt planning on eating the bun, but it was so soggy that it just melted into the pork. The sandwich was worth the money paid. My fiance got the ribs and he too was not impressed. They were dry and parts were even crunchy. The portions of sides they give you are laughable. read more

I've driven by this rib joint for years never noticing it tucked away in the little strip mall on the SW corner of Maple & Route 53. It's time to make up for all that lost rib time. WHITE PEOPLE: try the rib tips!!!! They are outstanding - messy, meaty, pink ring, and not too smoky. Very nice mildly vinegar-based BBQ sauce. John, the co-owner along with his father, is a very friendly guy adding yet another reason to come back: excellent service! John recommended I try the catfish and hot links next time. I will, but it will be hard not to order the rib tips again. But I know one thing for sure - I will be back. Friday night catfish sounds good. If you're a rib fan, this place is a must visit! Also, look for John's Rib House sidewalk vending cart in downtown Naperville this summer. read more

My #1 spot for ribs in the suburbs. I have been a fan of ribs for years and have searched high and low for the best bbq in Chicago. I came across John's rib house 3-4 years ago and it has been my go to spot ever since. I still try new spots, always in search of the next best spot but so far no one has been able to outdo the rib house. Their bbq pulled pork, ribs, and the chicken wings are a few of my personal favorites. The wings are twice the size you get at a wing joint. If I had to choose the best item on the menu it would be the Catfish, hands down. If you like fish, this is a MUST try. It is an old family recipe that is absolutely delicious. The fries are just frozen and from a bag, it would be better if they were hand cut but I come here for the bbq not the fries. The owner is a class act, he takes time to treat each customer like they are family. read more

I should have written a review for this place a long time ago. The owner, John, is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is a good, honest, hard-working person. He helped me out with some cross-marketing when I managed the GameStop in downtown Naperville and even worked a few midnight launches with me. I cannot thank him enough for his help. The world needs more business owners like John and his dad. read more

Well, the ribs here are the best I have found anywhere in the west suburbs. even better than the highly-rated Robinson's IMHO. Many, many notches above The Patio, which seems to be the favorite of folks in my immediate area. The fries are definitely better than most. Its location (in a strip mall near the southwest corner of IL-53 & Maple Avenue with poor parking) is a little inconvenient, but well worth it in the end. My only negative is that they seem to be a little stingy with the side items. The amount of fries that come with a "dinner" is half what you'd get at most other places (but that never stops me from going there when I get the urge for ribs). The catfish and peach-cobbler are both also excellent choices!! read more

Best frickin' ribs and homemade bbq sauce you're gonna find within 20 miles! You're not going to find better ribs unless you take a bit of a road trip. The sauce is a family recipe that John won't give me. I'd eat that sauce on top of anything... and I have an addiction to their fries with garlic salt. Rib tips are fantastic, the slabs are divine, and mom made pies are slices of heaven. Food takes a bit to prepare cuz everything is made fresh to order but it's totally worth it. Obviously since they often sell out of menu items regularly. Both father and son Johns are friendly and charming if you take the opportunity to chat up with them. read more

Had the lunch special and a coke. Pulled pork and a drink for nine bucks. Right near my house and love BBQ. Read the reviews and was excited to try. Staff was friendly and food came quick. Unfortunately food was way too salty and the sauce was just about tasteless. I really wanted to like but can't recommend. Disappointed. read more

Ribs were awesome! Service was awesome! Small note- only has 2 tables for two and 2 tall top tables. Very small place, from other reviews i thought it was bigger. read more

Great BBQ! I lived in Memphis for a while and smoke my own bbq so I know what it's supposed to taste like. This is it. Got the pulled pork sandwich today, meat was very juicy and sauce was great. I can't wait to try the ribs next time. read more

We almost ate next door at the Mexican restaurant & decided to give these guys a try - Wow!!! me & my 2 friends were surprised how great the food was. The father & son team do a great job running the place 7 days a week & everything including the deserts are hand made. We had the rib tip bucket w/Slaw & there was plenty for everyone ...We will be eating here more often. There's a couple decent window front tables if you want to eat in. I assure you that it's worth the trip & our service was excellent. Shawn & Madison (Plainfield,IL) read more

This place counts as one of those "local flair" type of places. It is located in a strip mall and if it wasn't for Yelp I never would have even noticed this place let alone stop there. When we walked in we first noticed it smelled pretty good...like yummy food odor. We order a rib dinner and shared it. The ribs were good. Our sides were fries and fries...we like fries...and they were okay. The rib dinner was $19 so priced about average. Overall, we would try it again but it wasn't so good that we 'have to' try it again. Perhaps if we went there when John of Johns Rib House was there or if it was busier maybe the food might be 5 stars...I dont know. If you are a fan of ribs definitely worth a shot. read more

I ate here based on being in the neighborhood and the reviews. I had the pulled pork sandwich and fries. It was a large and very reasonably priced sandwich. I was disappointed that the meat was not hot or even warm. The fries with their special garlic seasoning were delicious. The barbecue sauce is a thin sauce. My personal preference is for a thick, sweet sauce but that does not effect my rating. There just wasn't anything special to bring me back to this restaurant. read more

A friend and I went to John's Rib House based on the reviews. John's sits in a strip mall at a busy intersection on Maple. The parking lot is terrible; make sure you drive slow. The joint is a store front with about four tables. There's a TV, but it doesn't work. When you walk in, the smell of bbq smoke hits you and your mouth starts watering. We ordered a half slab of ribs with a side of cole slaw and baked beans, a pulled pork sandwich and peach cobbler for dessert. The ribs were fall off the bone tender, but unfortunately, the smoke flavor you smelled in the air was not in the meat. Same for the pulled pork. Very tender, but very little smoke flavor. The sauce was decent, not the best I've ever had. Cole slaw was good, but a pretty small serving. The beans were average. The cobbler was good, but the topping was more like sweetened pie dough rather than a biscuit topping. The owner asked if we wanted it cold or heated in the microwave. We wanted it warmed, but it was steaming when we got it. It seems like we lucked out and got the last of the pulled pork. A guy came in after us and wasn't able to get pulled pork or rib tips. The owner said they had a run on them at lunch and it would be another 30 minutes or so for more rib tips. I would have like to have tried them. The owner is a real sweetheart and he's been there for four years. He was very friendly and people who came in seemed to be regulars. I may give it another try some day, but won't go out of my way to eat there. read more

John's has a very well rounded menu; you literally can't go wrong with anything. I have been to this hidden gem hundreds of times, and they are very consistent with the amazing quality. Their homemade BBQ sauce is to die for with Sriracha added to it. I love small businesses like this because they truly care about the quality. The Filipino father and son owners are very helpful and friendly. read more

Catered John's for a work lunch - it was perfect. Everyone loved it!! John was super friendly.

We have enjoyed John's Rib House for years and it was an easy decision for us to have him cater our son's high school graduation open house. We had beef brisket, pulled pork, tips, mac and cheese and peach cobbler. Every guest raved about how good the food was and it kept beautifully for the whole of our evening. John personally delivered the food and set it up for us. Totally stress free and wonderful to work with! read more

Growing up two of the most valuable values my father instilled in me were a true appreciation of quality food and how to recognize a well run business. One of my friends brought me into John's Rib House on 53 and Maple in Lisle a few months ago and from my first visit I knew he would be proud that I stumbled upon both at this one of kind restaurant. I knew I was in the right place the moment I walked in the door, the smell of the place had my mouth watering and I was hooked before my first bite. John's is a diamond in the rough, a hidden gem of Lisle/Naperville/Chicago/Illinois. I have a passion for home cooked food, I grew up in a generation consumed by dinners from a drivethru window or cardboard box you heat up in the microwave. And when i did go to a restaurant I paid over $25 for a meal I could have cooked better myself. At John's you do not pay for his advertisement, you do not pay for his high end seating and light fixtures, you don't pay for the fine china they serve their food on, because none of that will be found there! At John's you pay a reasonable price (multiple lunch specials under $10) , for some of the best food you will ever eat. Since my first trip to Johns I have been back on a near weekly basis, and they catered my family's Christmas Eve Dinner. I first had the Rib sandwich, which came with grilled onions and green peppers upon request, and the sweet and tangy sauce that wasn't too thick or remotely watery had me planning my next meal. I came back for a pulled pork, which is slow cooked for 13 hours, the pork is so tender you almost dont need to chew. My dad went to try it out after I gave him my initial review and the smell had him hooked. He ordered a full slab of baby backs, a rib sandwich, a catfish sandwich and a slice of peach cobbler. John bbq got my dads stamp of approval but he told me above everything, the catfish was by far the best he had ever had in his entire life. I had try it myself and I can attest, it is breaded and spiced to perfection, I have never tasted any catfish that is up to par with John's. On Christmas Eve my dad gave me $100 and told me to get as much food as I could from my friend John. John wrote up 4 different packages for me to choose from and sent me home with a slab of baby backs, a pound and a half of pulled pork, 4 catfish pieces, 2 pounds of rib tips, 5 hot links, and 2 slices of cobbler, and $20 left in my wallet! I could go on and on my friends. The cobbler is homemade by John's mom, it is to die for. The babybacks are better then any Ive had in Chicago or Nashville. Famous Daves, Gematos, The Patio, Portillos/Barnellis dont even belong in the same conversation as John's. All my life ive been under the impression rib tips are fatty, low quality pieces of meat. John showed me what a true rib tip is, 2 pounds of tips, not one piece of fat. I have never had a hot link before, but my mom grew up in Texas and said she hasnt had something like that since she was growing up. I highly recommend the Catfish, the hot links, the pulled pork, and the cobbler. For dinner go for the ribtips and babybacks. Their curly fries are hand cut, the slaw is homemade by mom and pop, the wings are triple the size of your average wing. I promise you will never be disappointed walking out of John's. John's is family owned, it is John Sr who started the restaurant, and his son John Jr, with mom making desserts that they bring from home. You just dont find that these days. The second time ate at John's I saw a man sitting inside, but he wasnt eating he was just hanging out talking to John Jr.I thought that was very unique. There are letters on the wall from people that have written to John about their love of his food and the way he does business. If you come in odds are you will see me in there,not eating, but shooting the breeze with my friend John Jr. In a short time and a few visits he took the time to get to know me, and he has earned himself a customer for life.I have never written a review for a restaurant, but I took the time out for this because not only do John and his dad deserve for the world to know about their restaurant, but anyone who loves food deserves to know about John's.John Jr is one the nicest, most humble people you will ever meet. Every time I tell him how good his food is he says thank you like he has never heard it before. He is a man of principle, he knows how to run a business. He is going to be running a stand in Downtown Naperville right outside of Barnes and Noble this year, from 11am-3pm for lunch and 11pm-3am for the night crowd. If this restaurant was publicly traded I would buy stock TODAY.All you have to do is try John's and you will be a believer. I am so confident I would pay for your first meal because I know you will be back. Go check out John's Rib House, get a business card, have them cater your next work luncheon, or graduation party, or anything.Tell him Palmer sent you, if Im there and you are unsatisfied the meal is on me. read more

Thank you for another wonderful meal. I always get John's Rib House ribs for my birthday dinner. Once again I was very happy with my food. The ribs had lots of meat on them. They were tender and cooked to perfection. John Sr. is always so friendly. (John Jr. is great too, but he wasn't working.) read more