When you first walk in water from the ceiling drips on you so don't wear anything you remotely care about. Everything from the floors to the outside tables are sticky. The set up to order food and serve yourself drinks isn't worth the money. read more

Really good food. I saw some fried chicken whizz by that looked amazing!! I want that next time. The fries were great! The pulled pork and chicken sandwiches were pretty good. Reminded me of a North Carolina smokehouse bbq sandwich. Yummy! Mac and cheese was great, reminded me of the mac n cheese at Bar Louie. What I really like about ths place is the modern decor with the southern touches. The bbq sauces are in these cute little modern bottles, the tables are made of wood and every drink is served in a cute "mason" jar. So nice! Next time I will come at night and get some moonshine!!! Lots of that on the drink menu. read more

Lillie's Q used to be my boyfriend's favorite restaurant, but he claims that it has changed significantly since the fire. I've only been there twice, once before and once after, and I didn't really notice a difference. I really enjoy the atmosphere and decor inside. We headed to Lillie's Q for dinner on a Saturday evening and faced a 15-20 minute wait. We went to the bar to kill some time before our table was ready. They have a decent beer selection, so we ordered a beer and took up some space at the bar. For my meal, I ordered the crawfish roll. I think it's pretty good, nothing special, but a good meal. I don't eat meat, and in my boyfriend's opinion, that is what has fallen short since their reopening. read more

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I tried their tri tip, ribs, & fried chicken. Then for sides we got fries, green beans and baked beans. The tri tip was nice and tender, but you definitely need to add one of their sauces to it because it didn't have much flavor to it. The ribs and fried chicken were delicious. The fried chicken was moist and had just enough breading. The fries had a nice spice seasoning. Nothing special about their green beans or baked beans. I also ordered the moonshine with lemonade which was strong enough for me. Their drinks all come in cute mason jars. Next time I'm back I'm ordering the fried chicken and fries! read more

Went here for lunch yesterday, it was great! I'm a veggie so going to a bbq place is all sides for me. I got the Mac and cheese, corn bread and coleslaw. Left super full and super satisfied. They have 5-6 different bbq sauces at the table so was fun to try them all. Great atmosphere, great service, and great food! It is super close to my house so definitely would be back and definitely would recommend it! Oh and get the hush puppies!!! Yum! read more

Lillie's Q - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got delivery from here. Ribs and Pulled Pork. The ribs were tough and seemed like they should've been cooked for longer. Pulled pork was soggy. Maybe it's an off day but bbq here is just not that good. read more

Love the wings, different sauces and pork. Mac and cheese is also good. Whenever I come to Chicago I have to come to lillies to get the best smoky wings ever. read more

Food = B Sauce= C Drinks = B Service = F Recently came with a group of friends and had horrible service. It's BBQ, so the expectations for service are low, but it took 30 min for a round of drinks and 1.5 hrs for food. For the prices they charge you expect much better. The restaurant wasn't busy until 30 minutes after we ordered. When our food arrived we were missing food, and it then took another 20 minutes for our waiter to walk aimlessly around the restaurant trying to figure out what to do. No accommodation was offered for the screw up or snack offered during the additional wait. The food was fine. There is definitely better bbq in Chicago. The sauces were very hit or miss but overall watery. The bar service was extremely slow, probably due to the waiters and bar tenders constantly huddling to deal with what I'm assuming are screw ups. Save time and spend your money elsewhere. read more

Had a great experience at Lillie's Q last night. Arrived a little before the dinner rush, and was greeted by a friendly bartender welcoming us from behind the bar instructing us to sit wherever we chose. An attentive server came over almost immediately to grab out drink order as we were waiting for two others. While waiting, we ordered the boiled peanuts as a snack to hold us over. The place filled up pretty quickly, and eventually every table was full. The service never declined despite the increase in patrons, and the kitchen was equally as quick. After our friends joined us we ordered some fried pickles which were the best I've ever had - the batter is really amazing, you dont even need the ranch. Regarding the main food, everyone ordered sandwiches - pulled pork, pulled chicken, and tri-tip, along with fries, sweet potato fries and mac/cheese for sides. Everything was amazing. The meats come plain and sauce-less, so you can select one of the 5 sauces on the table to slather your food with. I am a sauce junkie, so fortunately my sandwich was heaped so high with tri-tip that I could pull a few pieces aside and try all the sauces before committing to one on the sandwich. I ended up with the mustard-based Carolina Gold on the sandwich, but loved the Hot Smokey on the fries (so much so I bought a bottle to take home). My one negative, if you call it that, was those boiled peanuts. I'm a big fan of peanuts, but these just were not my thing really - kinda soggy and the juice inside is a bit sloppy. Must be a southern thing. All in all a great experience - the redesign is a huge upgrade over Aberdeen, and the food and service went above expectations. If I'm going to recommend something you must try it is definately the tri-tip and the fried pickles. read more

So 8 weeks in and I'm Here on a Thursday night. Sat at the bar they have s nice beer list and about 5 cocktails most with moonshine added. I opted for a two brothers atom smasher which is there octoberfeast. The beer was very good . However they served it in a small maybe 8 oz glass ? Is it endangered? Oh well So I ordered a full slab Cole slaw fries and roast corn . The ribs were good nice flavor but not alot of smoke also some ribs were a bit on the dry side. I'm not sure if they were sitting around from lunch. Or just overdone. The Cole slaw was a cream based with a vinagery flavor. Pretty good. The fries were seasoned with a lot of spices also good. The roasted corn was tasty. For dessert banana pudding with meringue This was good . All on all not bad but not wowed. Smoke daddy has better ribs. Still searching for the best ! read more

In search of the best BBQ experience in Chicago, and so far this one tops the list. We sampled the ribs, pulled pork and pulled chicken as well as all the sauces which were all excellent. They don't take reservations, but that's ok! They take your mobile number and will give you a call when something opens up. We went to a nearby bar for a drink and to relax and it was about 30 minutes on Friday night which wasn't bad. The interior ambiance has character and is brought together well. Wait staff wear mechanic-type shirts and you drink out of mason jars. Food is served on paper on aluminum trays (think cookie sheets). Yet, the place still manages to be a little bit upscale in the feel so you can easily go on a date here (if you don't mind some dirty hands). I would place it between Smoke Daddy and Q for the degree of formality. Would love to come back and do the whole hog option with a group (but requires 48 hour notice). I would give 4.5 stars if I could because there are a few nits: 1. Service took longer than expected (more than 30 minutes for food to arrive after ordering), and would have been nice for the server to stop by in the interim to say it would be on its way. 2. Mac n' Cheese and seasoned fries were good, but not standout as the BBQ is. Mac n' Cheese was very creamy, but didn't have the sharp cheddar kind of taste or herb seasoning you might get elsewhere to make it unique. read more

I tired vey hard to find tri tip in Chicago. At least a place where they serve it. And Lillies Q did a pretty good job. Their service was also pretty good. I also tried their Mac & Cheese and that was delicious. And then a boiler maker to wash all that deliciousness down. read more

Lillie's Q - Tri Tip sandwich, Mac & cheese and a boilermaker. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have to tell you, I am not usually inclined to dining at BBQ places, mainly because I prefer my beef cooked rare and my chicken plump and juicy vs over cooked and dry! That and I really don't think I've ever had a fond memory of a single place that does BBQ right. With that said I have never ever suggested BBQ places as place to go, until I came across a friends picture album of her recent visit to lilies q. The pictures alone had the power to conjure up an unknown craving for BBQ that apparently exists within me! I immediately took it upon my duty to suggest this as the next restaurant for my friends and I to try. Skipping forward to the meal... I had to go big or go home if i was going to come to a bbq joint so I got the platter where you sample three meats. I decided on the quarter chicken, pulled pork and ribs. The winner is the pulled pork along with the chicken. I was a tad turned off by the ribs due to it being dry and over done. The highlight of it all were all the choices of homemade sauces! This place is slightly pricier than other places from what I hear but the quality is there. There's a down sides are really good but everything is ala carte. I did enjoy the cornbread and mac and cheese. I also had a taste of the tri tips and will definitely order that next time! You will definitely need to have no extravagant plans after this hearty meal! read more

This used to be the #1 BBQ place in Chicago. They recently "reconcepted" and the new concept is frankly terrible. First, they eliminated really good fries from the menu entirely. So strike one. Second, the new sides are comically small. $4 for 12 noodles of Mac and cheese. It's delicious, but c'mon guys. The old sides may have been more expensive but they were also reasonably sized portions. Third, when I ordered chicken wings they came out charred. They were barely edible. I have recommended Lillie's Q to friends and family for years, and I sincerely hope they go back to the old concept. I cannot recommend them in good faith with the new concept. read more

Lillie's Q - Chicken wings - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm sorry to disappoint you...but this is nowhere near legit bar b que. So, my wife and I get there and all we heard from the staff and cook say is that its prime brisket. we were so excited! like finally we have found authentic brisket in Chicago! nope! Over cooked! could not taste an ounce of smokiness. Sauce was ok..just ok. we're originally from Texas, hey Lillie. take a lesson from Texas smoked Brisket. Way overpriced for mediocre Brisket! Will not visit again. that being said... front staff was really great though..far better than the Brisket! My advice, stick to pizza and hot dogs!!!!! read more

I used to love eating here. Their old concept was exceptional and the food was amazing. Today I went for the first time since the re-concept in March and will sadly not be going back. The menu has been slashed nearly in half and they're going more toward a "fast casual" vibe. I can't speak to if food is made cooked to order, however, our pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were dry and the mac & cheese had cold noodles - leading us to think they're microwaving food in back. Scaling back on the portions, options (no fries??), and service leaves a lot to be desired from a former favorite of ours. read more

Had this on my bookmarks, but last night there was too much smoke and not of the right kind. Sounds like there'll be a disruption of service for a while after a fire destroyed the business last night. Hope they can rebuild and be back up and running this year. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-firefighters-battle-blaze-at-lillies-q-restaurant-in-bucktown-20130314,0,115652.story read more

We've been here several times for dinner, and while the service is hit or miss (and the reason why I'm not giving 5 stars), the food and drinks are always delicious. I can honestly say the sweet potato fries are the best I've ever had. Just the right amount of sweet, salt, crisp, and soft. I love all the different sauces on the table so you can mix and match to your heart's content. And the meat... It makes me hungry to just think about it. I don't eat pork, but the chicken and the tri-tip are both so juicy and delicious. The space is really authentic for a BBQ joint, but it gets LOUD in there. Be prepared to yell at your dining partner. read more

Lillie's Q - The dining room on a bustling Saturday night. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh, Laaaady Lillie... My friends hyped it up a lot while we were en route, so my expectations were gently nudged above average. I have had the great fortune of eating some amazing BBQ while road-tripping around the country - and it is usually sub-$5 at some hole in the wall that wouldn't even make it onto a map - so I have that as my benchmark. Lillie's may have been set up to disappoint, not that it did, but it didn't wow me, either. Food: Pulled pork sandwich + beans Drink: Old New Orleans (if I remember correctly) Pork was good, and the drink was a bit much. I might as well have ordered a handle of straight liquor. I do like the variety of sauces. They are definitely a unique feature. Being a bit of a health nut, I wasn't thrilled about their nutritional content (Hint: Eat. Drown your food in them. Do anything but read the label). Then again, who the heck expects BBQ to be within 50 miles of a healthy zone? I am a realist at heart. ;) read more

Lillie's Q - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hello my beautiful people, Let me start off by saying I'm so disappointed I brought my fiancee back to a place where we met on a first date That it will be cool or mothers day to do so but I had a funny feeling that I shouldn't for some odd reason. I called in to ask to see if we could order a full slab or ribs and other items but they said they're not taking orders for for slab ribs. So I said OK What can I order so we ordered 2 orders of trio dinners plus 2 Side. My total was $ $80 and something. Which was fine I guess, So we got home to discover the chicken wasn't fully cooked along With the brisket extremely bloody smh. I have to re cook the food when I got home so upset. I'm giving it 2 stars only because I know they can do better. read more

Lillie's Q - Bloody food I had to cook it when I got home - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tried out the new location at district brew yards. My boyfriend got the tri tip and it was ice cold. He asked for 3 sauces they said they could only give him 2.. old location gave you full bottles to use as you please. I wanted the 3 piece tender and was told I couldn't get the buffalo sauce on the side - only on the tenders.. which was odd because I saw numerous people with no sauce on their tenders eating around me, I can't imagine why they wouldn't just give me a cup of buffalo sauce to dip. Bad experience, not great service, and cold and salty food. I'll pass next time. read more

The food was great but the service was crap. Our sever was the worst, he wouldn't even make eye contact with me the entire time. He was laughing it up with the other tables, and giving them recommendations but we had to fend just to get water. It was a big downer not to have a good sever. The fried pickles were super bomb, and finally another guy who could of been the manager or bartender told us which BBQ sauces are best paired with the fried pickles. I also ordered the pulled pork sandwich which was super bomb also. Again the bartender/ manager had to come over and explain which BBQ sauces paired best with the sandwich. I would also really recommend the Lillie Palmer (125 proof), if your looking for the strong pick me upper. Super tasty, but strong. My main disappointment is the service you should treat all customers equally. Food was super bomb. It was a tad bit pricey, but super bomb BBQ. I would definitely say it's my 4 best BBQ spot in the city. read more

Lillie's Q - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We tried the pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries and the taste of LQ (3 meats) with fries. Everything was DELICIOUS! The pulled pork is fantastic! And I loved the brioche bun! This place is unique, very original and beautiful. The staff was very helpful. I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere! read more

Lillie's Q - Sauces - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love everything about this place. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. It feels like your on the North side of Chicago but with a twist of Southern charm. The staff are all friendly and helpful, especially Matt. He was our server for the night and he did a great job of making us feel welcome, schooling us on the sauces and keeping our drinks flowing. He was really good with the kids too. I love that the drinks are served in mason jars. Reminds me of one of my favorite shows "Duck Dynasty". I guess that's how they do it in the South. Most importantly the BBQ was delicious! Everybody at the table was happy with their meal. The kids, the pregnant wife, and the teenagers, everybody, absolutely loved everything on their plates. I even heard a few "This is my new favorite place" comments throughout the meal. I chose the 3 meats so I could sample a few different items. I was given plenty of food, even for my big appetite. The ribs, are hands down my favorite item on the menu, and now my favorite ribs from anywhere in this state. I might even venture to say the country. Don't miss out on the tri-tips, their version of brisket, and really really good and tender. The mac and cheese was also really good. A lot of places preach that they have great mac and cheese, Lillie's Q delivers. Matt talked us into the banana pudding, and were glad we tried it. None of us had room, so 3 of us split it. After tasting one bite, I knew I should have ordered my own. I will definitely be back here with more friends so they too can rave about how I put them on to this great BBQ place. read more

Lillie's Q - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Mason jars for water, metal chairs, wood tables ambiance It gets loud, and country music playing overhead Food: 3 meat plate we choose tri tip, ribs and pulled pork all very good! Sides of mac n cheese and seasoned fries also good 6 sauces to choose from ranging from mayo base-mustard base-vinegar base-and ur bbq sauces. Favs Smoky and Hot smoky read more

A few months ago I met up with friends for an early lunch at Lillie's Q. My husband and I arrived early, so we ordered boiled peanuts for an appetizer. We are both boiled peanut lovers, as they're a local specialty in both Hawaii, where he grew up, and in the South, where my dad's family is from. For drinks, my husband ordered a Lillie Palmer, which is basically a boozed up Arnold Palmer. Don't ask me what kind of booze was in it, the menu said "moonshine" and you could pick the potency! I got my first Bell's Oberon of the season. Tasty. All drinks, including water, are served in Ball jars. Lillie's Q makes five of their own sauces, which are bottled and available on every table. You can pick and choose whichever sauces you want. My favorite was the Carolina. For lunch I had the pulled chicken sandwich on brioche, southern style (with coleslaw on top) and the baked beans. Always the baked beans. The chicken was flavorful and so tender. And I loved the beans. Not too smoky, not too sweet. My husband got the pulled pork with sweet potato fries as a side. My friends split the tri-tip. One friend didn't love it and thought it should have had a better sear or char on the outside, but my husband thought it was great. My friend got the baby back ribs with the stone ground grits with bacon as a side. He gave a rib to us to try and I really liked them, but I'm not a huge rib connoisseur. Well, a few days after this lunch I saw that Lillie's Q was recognized by Food and Wine as one of the top six new barbecue restaurants in United States. And the magazine specifically recommended the baby back ribs. I guess it's not just me who thinks the ribs were good! So yeh, we liked Lillie's Q. When we arrived at 11:30 the place was empty but by the time we left it was full. Not sure how busy they are at night. read more

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We went for lunch and really enjoyed ourselves. For starters we tried the hush puppies. They were tasty but a little cold. We split the Memphis Tacos, 1/2 lb of pulled chicken, green beans and sweet potato fries (see pictures) between 2 of us. The tacos were quite delicious! We enjoyed the various sauces (I think 6 total) and dipped everything. My fave was the hot sauce. What I love about bbq is that you don't walk away feeling super full...it's just the right amount of satisfaction. The chicken was moist and tender. The fries were perfect. I had a glass of wine and the only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is the serving size seemed like 4 oz. Come on! Hook a sista up and let the wine flow!! Will be back for more good eats! read more

Lillie's Q - Tacos, pulled chicken, sweet potato fries and green beans. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have to say is yummy! We started our meal with some great smoked chicken wings recommended by our waiter. I have to say it was one of the best wings we tried in a long time. I enjoyed their baby back ribs and the brisket. My wife had the pull pork sandwich with Mac and Cheese and corn bread. This place had a really nice atmosphere. The only problem is trying to find parking around the restaurant. I had to park a block and a half a way. I forgot to mention that I had their sweet tea. Very good! Not too many have this on their menu. I love me some sweet tea, especially Lillies Q. I highly recommend this restaurant. I give it a thumbs up! Enjoy! #SeñorFood read more

Lillie's Q - Bbq - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It's the second time for me to be here. The food is really good. What I love about this place is you get the chance to try different types of sauce under their brand. read more

Lillie's Q - Very juicy and well seasoned beef rib and sweet potato fries~ - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely delicious. My favorite BBQ in Chicago. The sauce assortment is wide compared to a lot of BBQ places and they're all great.

A very sauce forward BBQ joint. They have a good variety of sauces, plan to use them because the brisket is dry. There is a good smokey rub on the brisket and it crumbles well, it is just so dry that it is not great without the sauce. The grits were great, I just wish the portion was larger. I usually get a small soup bowl worth of grits for $3. Here that gets you a 4 oz. Ball jar of grits. read more

Delicious! Make sure to come with an appetite and a few people, it's the best bet to try everything at once!

The best part is that they flame toast your bun, a nice touch. Good pulled pork sandwich; ok mac & cheese....perhaps a bit too salty. Multiple BW sauce options; I went for the Carolina and it was good. read more

Lillie's Q - Pulled pork sandwich with Mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Update your hours and your voicemail which still says you're open ya bunch of ding dongs. Making people waste time driving out to you.

Overall Lillie's Q was a great experience! The atmosphere is fun and invited-the smells are AMAZING and the service was excellent. I always appreciate when a server gives a full run down of the menu, popular house items and their favorites when I'm visiting a restaurant for the first time. Definitely give the mac and cheese a try-I believe it lives up to the hype. read more

Lillie's Q - All of their house sauces, we tried all of them and it was fun to see what everyone thought and which one was a favorite of the table! - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I hate to write this review, but Lillie's Q has changed, and I won't be back. I used to love their "brisket Tuesdays". The meat WAS delicious, service WAS great, and I felt like I got what I paid for. Not anymore. I went this evening and ordered the 1/2 pound of pulled pork, mac and cheese, and a drink. The pork was fine, but wasn't served hot. The mac and cheese was lukewarm at best, and the $10 moscow mule was a joke. I would call it a large shot poured over ice. The mason jar it was served in... may have held 6 ounces of liquid... but that's being generous. OH! And my friend ordered the 1/2 pound of brisket. The measurement at the register (yes, they weigh your food right at the register) showed .56 pounds. When asked if that was ok, she said, sure. Little did she know they actually charged her for the extra .06 pounds. Ridiculous. Had she known that, she would've asked them to trim off the inedible fat, then weigh it. Enough nickle and diming. I won't be back. There's better BBQ in the city. read more

I'm pretty picky about my BBQ, and I had my doubts about a more "upscale", Wicker Park BBQ place, but I was pleasantly surprised by Lillie's. I had just returned from North Carolina where they don't mess with their vinegar-based BBQ; my girlfriend was raised in the NC, so she was skeptical as well. Do yourself a favor and start with the pulled pork sandwich or the brunswick stew. Just delicious. I am not a big fan of grits, they're just too heavy and creamy for me, but apparently these are the best grits my girl has ever tasted. They were so rich I could only eat half the bowl. The variety of sauces is nice and I thought the smoke went well with the pulled pork. It's great that everyone at the table can choose how to dress their own stuff. We had sweet potato fries and green beans, the latter of which had a great dijon mustard and lemon taste to them. The one thing I was disappointed with were the hush puppies... they just weren't how they make 'em in the south. I guess it's their "own interpretation". I can't wait to try their ribs. If they pass that test, they've got me for life. I've never had a problem with their service, though I've only been during lunchtime and early dinner. I think this is a great place to take a group and I would definitely take friends from out of town here to show them what great food chicago has to offer. read more

Lillie's Q - pulled chicken sandwich (southern style) and grits with bacon - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

RETURNED after a year... Small servings of average food. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich adding the extra $1 for southern style. The food arrived with less than 1/2 inch of pork and a little more than a table spoon of slaw. Nothing else, side are more $$$. The flavor was dry and did not have a strong smoked tasted. I am attaching a picture of my serving. UGG I will not return, and from the looks of it, people who know BBQ are not returning. I also ordered a Mac and Cheese, it was white cheese, so wet it was like they stretched the serving by adding milk. It also lacked flavor and forget about it being toasted on top.... Think wet noodles in a white Velveeta.... Plus there is at best 1/2 of a cup of product. This is a true shame to scrimp on something so inexpensive to do right. read more

Lillie's Q - light on food, less than 1/2 inch of pulled pork, very little slaw, mac and cheese was less than a 1/2 cup and was milky will not return - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What's up with all the reviews that have good things to say along with 2 or 3 stars?! Anywho.. I am a southern girl and I love me some bbq and all the stuff that comes with. Though this place doesn't take away my need to jet home and 'pig' out occasionally, it's one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood to get my grub on. And the delivery is always quick and dependable. The fried pickles may be the best I've ever had. They got me through my pregnancy that is for sure! The meats are yum yum and I love all the choice of sauces. I get my sandwich southern style (with slaw on top). Always have to order a salad too- I love it and the croutons are scrumptious. The vinaigrette dressings are great. Rare for me not to get Ranch! Perfect selection of sides, it's always hard to not order them all. But I love the mac & cheese, the green beans (like my Momma makes), and baked beans the most. Only thing I don't care for is the tea. I'm sure you're wondering how I eat all this but I'm usually able to do leftovers with everything except the pickles. read more

Lillie's Q - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am absolutely addicted to their sweet potato fries! Every day on my way to work I stop by to pick them up. Hey they are healthy and approved by my trainer. Overall so far I haven't been disappointed with anything I ordered. And the staff is really sweet! read more

Lillie's Q - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois