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    Olympic Tavern

    3.6 (202 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    Olympic Tavern Photos

    OLYMPIC TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Olympic Tavern

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    Reviews With Photos - Olympic Tavern

    tavern burger with american cheese and bison chili
    Edward P.

    had a great vibe i. here. lots of seating, very cozy atmosphere. good service and excellent menu. highly recommend going here if you are in rockford ever. excellent prices and plenty of drink options. great bloody marys too!

    Fish and Chips
    Mitch J.

    A Rockford staple for good reason. They have a great, tasty menu with something for everyone. A surprise favorite for us lately has been the fish fry on Fridays (as a bonus, it's dairy free, which means it's the only fish fry in town that I know of that I can eat!). They have so much more to offer though, from burgers to tacos to ribs... a lot of great American fare. I don't drink but one of the highlights of this place is definitely their beer selection. It's some of the best in the entire area, and they're always rotating in something new. This is the place to get the rare stuff you can't find anywhere else, and the variety is insane. They also have a full bar with lots of liquor and wine choices. Servers are awesome and it's a well kept spot for being in business so long. They even have a lot of great outdoor seating for the warmer months.

    Seared Ahi with mango pineapple salsa
    Sara H.

    I normally enjoy the Olympic Tavern but this week was not great. Other than a couple obnoxious parties with little self awareness, this ahi tuna dish lacked anything past meh. The worst part of it for me were the out of place green beans. The taste and texture (and size) really just ruined it for me.

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    6 years ago

    Great place to have lunch or dinner. The atmosphere is nice too. A great bar and grill with more than just bar food.

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    8 years ago

    The beer selection is the bomb. Inventive menu and terrific staff. The Monday burger special is not to be missed!

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    Page 3 of 6

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    Smokehouse Barbecue

    Smokehouse Barbecue

    4.5
    (99 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    This five star review for this little family owned barbecue joint is pretty much dedicated to one…read moredelicious sandwich that they've been serving up for a number of years now. I'm talking about the Sho Boat. Plenty of reviews have already mentioned it, and even though I've had other items on their menu, and they've all been delicious, when you stop by Smokehouse Barbecue, you will notice two things... 1. There is typically a line. 2. 99% of the patrons are getting the Sho Boat. So much so that the woman behind the counter just points to people with her pen and says, "Sho Boat? How about you, Sho Boat?" The sandwich consists of perfectly seasoned chopped pork shoulder. Smoked daily on the pit outside on the back of the establishment. It's an awesome blend of juicy, meaty chucks of pork with just enough fat to pull it all together. It's then covered in a sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce on a nice crusty French roll and served with a side of fries, which are also drizzled in their signature sauce. The Yelp! reviews for this place mostly feature pictures of this sandwich, as you will see here in mine. There's not much else to say that hasn't already been written. Yes, it occupies a side space in a local Shell gas station. Yes, it is family run business by people who are absolutely lovely, super friendly, warm and inviting. Lastly, and most importantly, the sandwich is fantastic! The Food Network has got a TV show where all of the top chefs in America tell you about their favorite places and things to eat. The exact name escapes me, but if there were one of these famous chefs that was from Rockford, Illinois, there is no doubt they would be telling you about the this sandwich. It's that good. Again, their menu features more food besides the sandwich, although it is quite limited... But if delicious barbecue is your thing, and you don't mind waiting a minute or two, then this is a must have. Some of the reviews said this is cash only, however when we were there, they were taking a credit card. There is also ATM inside of the establishment. Smokehouse Barbecue isn't much to look at, but the people that work there know what they're doing, and it definitely shows! No frills... just one of the best sandwiches I've ever had served to you with a warm smile by wonderful people that care.

    Passing thru Rockford and remembered a great little bbq joint near 20. Got their bbq pork showboat…read more Just as good as I remembered. They were quick and the food was flavorful. A small family business on the side of a shell station. Worth a stop

    Photos
    Smokehouse Barbecue
    Ribs with beans and creamy coleslaw
    Ribs with beans and creamy coleslaw
    Menu as of July 30, 2025

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    Menu as of July 30, 2025
    Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

    Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

    2.9
    (98 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    Our family loves Famous Dave's! We've been getting BBQ here for years and it's always been…read moredelicious. To me, their brisket is the star of the show, but their ribs and roasted chicken are fantastic too, as well as their other meat choices. Most meals come with 1 or 2 sides, and they give you a bunch of options for those, so anyone can find something they're craving. We get takeout a lot, but when we do eat there we love the ambience of the place, makes you feel like you're not in Rockford anymore but somewhere down south. The servers have always been nice and helpful, too. Surprised by some of the low reviews of this place, I personally don't think they're warranted. Check it out for yourself and see!

    Another trip to Famous Dave's in Rockford and another great meal…read more First off, the service was wonderful. I'm sorry I forgot his name but he was great! We had the Baby back ribs plus two meat platter. We actually added a third meat for $4 more. Besides the baby backs, we had brisket, chopped pork, and burnt ends. All of the meats were fantastic! For sides we had the Wilbur Beans and red skin mashed potatoes, along with the pickled onions and hell fire pickles. We love them all. I love going into Dave's and walking around the restaurant looking at all of the cool vintage signs and pictures hanging on the walls. The pictures of Dave in front of all the old historic bbq joints all over the country are really cool too. Stop in at Famous Dave's in Rockford and have a great meal like we did.

    Photos
    Famous Dave's in Rockford, Illinois
    Famous Dave's in Rockford, Illinois
    Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que
    Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

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    Ritchie's Smokin' BBQ

    Ritchie's Smokin' BBQ

    3.5
    (19 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    Why do I do it. Why do I continuously bludgeon myself ordering barbecue with only halfway…read moreexpectations so I can make false claims about how good the food is, and have an excuse to fall back on? I got this off of grub dash or whatever delivery service it's called. I really wanted barbecue, but I didn't expect to get mostly unpalatable, stringy meat substances. Before you guys read this & judge me, I do a LOT of smoking. I have some stuff I've smoked, in my profile. I have Backwoods Lil Chubby G2 competition reverse flow water smoker, smoked tons of meat and have been in competitions, so I know my stuff. This isn't my stuff. I ordered the three meat combo, with brisket, pulled pork and chicken. I'm not too sure where the brisket is? Was it that stringy beef meat stuff? I couldn't tell the difference between that or what the pork was supposed to be. The chicken is obvious, and while we're on the topic, the chicken is the only thing that had a distinguished flavor of smoke. As far as the other 2 meats, other than a hint of smoke, bland and flavorless. Meat portion size is insulting. I basically paid $30 for five sides and cornbread. Cornbread is actually really good. The highlight of the whole meal, and the only thing that I actually finished. I can't wholeheartedly say that the mac and cheese is made in house, nor the pasta or potato salad or beans for that matter, but I could be wrong (but I'm pretty sure I'm not, seeing the caliber of this food). I was reserving one star, out of consideration for this place, in case the brisket wasn't as tender as it should be, seeing how I had this delivered 11 miles away, but then again, I don't even know where the brisket was. If you're shredding or chopping your brisket (who does that!?), you need to close your doors, because it's obvious that you don't know how to smoke brisket. Brisket is meant to be sliced, not masked by chopping or shredding, then thrown in a steamer tray. I ate about half of it, and tossed the rest out. Headed to Denny's for another lackluster supper. Obviously the people on here raving about how good this place is, haven't had barbecue outside of famous Dave's, Dickies or some other low end franchise. Very disappointed, and waste of money. Sorry Ritchies.... Live and learn I guess. ***DISCLAIMER*** This pure, uncut, honest review is federally protected under Federal Law by way of Bill #EO14149. Removal or alteration of this review by Yelp and/or their affiliates without Expressed consent by it's author is strictly prohibited by FEDERAL law. VIolators will be prosecuted, and litigation imminent.

    I ordered a side of Corn bread, Baked Beans, and Banana Pudding...to make it simple:…read more Corn bread: 7/10, needs more salt Baked Beans: 10/10 really yummy actually! Would come back just for that Banana Pudding: 1/10, Definitely need to find an actual recipe for BBQ (perhaps Texas style) Banana pudding instead of just spooning instant banana pudding with sliced banana and wafers in a cup. I was really disappointed by it, unfortunately. The service was friendly and nice! The dining area, albeit I didn't sit in for dining, seemed a bit sterile. I heard somewhere it's under new management so I'm hoping some things change.

    Photos
    The best thing this place has to offer, in my opinion.
    The best thing this place has to offer, in my opinion.
    Three meat plate. Supposed to have brisket, pork and chicken. I don't know where the brisket is
    Three meat plate. Supposed to have brisket, pork and chicken. I don't know where the brisket is
    Sides

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    Sides

    Olympic Tavern - bbq - Updated July 2026

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