Great food. Brisket and turkey were great. As was the slaw and burger! Drinks are a little high priced, but great experience. Service was accurate and fast. read more

This place was a random selection during a conference. The food was just ok and didn't have much seasoning.

I was looking for BBQ in Peoria. I looked at Slow Hand on Yelp and saw it had a ton going for it. One key decision it seems I have to evaluate more with BBQ joints nowadays are if they are going to break one of my BBQ commandments...charging for BBQ sauce. Slow Hand doesn't have that problem if you dine-in as all their housemade sauces are on the table. You do have to request for the white Alabama sauce. Out of the sauces - I loved the uniqueness of the Sweet Chili Pineapple. I have never had a BBQ sauce like that one anywhere. I also enjoyed the Gold (Mustard), Sweet, and White. The Spicy was ok but it tasted a lot like just hot sauce. I did not like the Coffee or the Carolina one. I went with the 2 meat plate of pulled pork and brisket with potato salad and Mac and cheese. It was all solid. The pulled pork was juicy. The brisket was a good mix of fat, bark, and meat. The mac and cheese was enjoyable. The potato salad seemed to be kind of bland as it was potatoes in some kind of Mustard conglomeration. My go-to drink with BBQ is sweet tea. They do not brew it in-house but have bottles of Gold Peak. Gold Peak is garbage tea to me and I have been to this rodeo several times in the Midwest that I have learned to just bring my own sweet tea. And they allowed me to drink my own sweet tea compared to my last review. I made I sure I tipped really well to say thanks for letting me having my own sweet tea. In all, it was all very good and service was wonderful and friendly. read more

See all

They have a great menu & a nice choices of barbecue sauces to choose from. I do recommend that people go and try this place out. It's a very nice and quaint atmosphere. read more

See all

There is plenty of parking. You walk up to the counter and order. The staff is very pleasant. The place is very clean. You will notice a barbecue theme. I ate there twice while working in Peoria, IL. The food was excellent. I loved the beer cheese for my fries. The brisket was very good. There are a variety of barbecue sauces to try. read more

See all

Eaten here several times over the years but the last few times has been so good! Smoked turkey is my fav. My husband likes the brisket chili even in the summer. Had pimento dip one night with homemade chips (be sure to ask for them unless you like pork rinds). The Mac n cheese was the perfect side! read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Smoked turkey and Mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

Really enjoyed the great eats and atmosphere. Prices were consistent with the size of portions. Quick service. They also have a good beer selection and outdoor seating. read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

See all

Brisket was fairly good but pricing is horrible. We both got the 18.00 2 meat meal. That does not include brisket or ribs. I wants all brisket for my 2 meats - it's 3.00 extra for each serving of brisket on this meal so it was 24.00! The potato salad was very vinegary and the baked beans were neither Midwest or Texas style. Very different. read more

Amazing menu Great price / worth Unbelievable BBQ meats, esp turket and Brisket Choice of fries with add ons wow Fried pickles were outstanding Friendly service read more

Was in the mood for some smoked turkey and theirs was a succulent triumph of smoke and light spice! And of all things, the lady had what she said was an incredibly tasty smashburger? Especially with sister business POUR bros downstairs, we look forward to a return visit! read more

We love Slow Hand BBQ! Food and service is excellent! Nicely decorated and just an overall great place!

I was surprised at how casual it was. I didn't realize that you ordered at the counter. That didn't really bother me too much, but the burnt ends that I ordered were terrible. They were all fat and barely any meat. The saving grace was the macaroni and cheese, which was very good. Also, no fountain drinks. read more

Great atmosphere, good place to meet family and friends. Fun selection of sauces, and great barbecue. Very friendly staff, cashier took the time to walk through the menu and make suggestions the first time I visited. read more

best burger in town, great portions, absolute quality. amazing service as well, and these chefs are cooking! read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - double smash with bacon, fries, and mac. - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

Been here twice and have loved it both times. The corn bread is great and the meats (too many to list) are fantastic.

We've had lunch here a couple of times and it's always so good. They have loads of different barbecue sauces to try and you can purchase for home. Which we have done several times. We had a little misunderstanding with what I ordered and it may have been partly my fault. The woman at the bar was great! She had them remake my sandwich and then suggested I take home the unwanted one since they had to throw it away anyway. Now my husband had lunch! Added bonus- if they are smoking meat on the day you go, the air is perfumed with the BEST SMOKY aroma. read more

Okay. Wow. How do I review this place? As a Memphis-born, Texan-raised foodie traveller... How do I review this place? Part of me says it has a lot of potential and deserves a 3. Another part of me recognizes that I haven't tasted something on this level outside of Texas and Tennessee in a long time... Let's look at each item. I did a 4 oz of all the meats. Let's go worst to best. Ribs. Good seasoning and flavor. Too small too dry. Chicken. Much too dry. Great first bite. But everything else required sauce. Sausage. Much too dry. The sauce made it better Pulled pork. Yes I know. My bar is astronomical. But this started off great. Dried too quickly. A little too much salt. Edges rocked Brisket. Okay okay. Stepping into the realm. Good ring. Great moist texture. Solid. Cauliflower. On another level. Next time I come it is no question... Full order of cauliflower. Mac n cheese is good. It tastes legit. Bread pudding smells amazing. This isn't some gooey, gloppy mess of a dessert. It stands tall. They used butter and it shows. Okay. Call me basic. But my favourite two things are carbs. Womp womp. But this place has potential. read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Small portion of all the meats. Wow. Don't sleep on the cauliflower - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

Approved. After living in Texas for 4 years, I'm apprehensive to try BBQ places in other places. It was delicious and four of us at the table all got different items. I got the Austin sandwich and potato salad. Brisket was good, not dry and the sauces were good too! Food was delivered just a few minutes after sitting down. read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Austin sandwich and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

The food wasn't bad, but it was nothing to rave about. My cornbread was hard and the brisket was very dry...

We have been coming here for years! The BBQ is top notch with flavor and the variety of meat and sides is great. Today I tried something different - The Heights sandwich - Burrito filled with Mac and cheese, pulled pork, sweet & spicy bbq sauce, pickled jalapeño relish. Served with homemade BBQ chips. I AM IN LOVE! The flavors are so great together, you get a ton of food. I hate 1/2 of it and the warmed up leftovers were just as delicious. read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Bread Pudding Cocktail. Great dessert. - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

I had high hopes for this place. I've heard amazing things after talking with others. It's been open for awhile so I figured I would give it a try. The first thing I noticed after walking in was the rude blonde woman at the counter who scolded our group for "going through the wrong door". I assume she meant this b/c the menu is at the "front door", although we were coming from pour bros downstairs. Fair enough. Everything is a la carte which isn't unusual for a BBQ restaurant. No issues there. The menu seemed a little expensive but we didn't think too much of this until we got our food. The quality and amount of food did not justify the pricetag. The meat was very dry/overcooked. The chili cheese fries were $14 for a mediocre/sub-par amount with barely any sauce. They didn't taste awful, but there was hardly any topping on the fries - two small chunks of meat, a few beans and a few slices of canned jalapeños with barely any cheese. The rest of the employees were friendly but I will not be back. I am severely disappointed, as I had such high hopes for this place. I rarely leave bad reviews and hate to do this to a local business but I cannot bring myself to promote poor quality. read more

Excellent pulled pork, brisket and turkey. Some of the best I've had in the Peoria area.

Don't sleep on the hamburgers! So super tasty. We've eaten here twice now and both times the kitchen messed up our order by not reading what the printed ticket said. However, they eventually got us the right food and it was tasty. The seating is not comfortable at all and the ambiance is lacking. Don't go here if you are looking for a comfy spot to eat and linger. For example, a first date here would be awkward as you're basically sitting with everyone else there. Also if you get nervous ordering food at a counter this one is especially difficult to navigate. Overall the food makes up for the inconveniences. read more

I'll start this review by saying I never set foot in the place. I sat downstairs at Pour Bros drinking a beer while my husband went upstairs and got the food and brought it down. What I had: 4 oz chicken 4 oz cauliflower Collard greens Butterscotch bread pudding A couple of bites of mac n cheese The verdict? Chicken? Delicious. Should have had 8 oz. Great flavorful rub. Cauliflower? Good enough. Still had that fresh vegetable crisp to it but not a lot of smoke flavor. I felt good for having had vegetables. Collard greens? Needed vinegar or some salt and such to give them more flavor. Bread pudding? Ample serving, well-executed with a good amount of sauce and crisped chunks of bread on top. Mac n cheese? Delicious and slightly toasted on top. Reminded me of my mom's cheesy potatoes. As for the sauces, I liked the spicy sauce as well as the mustard sauce, but really the chicken could stand on its own. The pickles were a nice touch. If I make it back, I'm going for the larger portion of chicken, mac n cheese, and I might try the cornbread or baked beans. read more

Excellent brisket, loved the cornbread, good sweet potato casserole and wonderful, friendly staff. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience! read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Food counter - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

Delicious food! We enjoyed the family 4 pack and it was perfect portions and great to try 4 meats. It's "self serve" and that was pretty cool. Yay for Jones soda! read more

Easy access, BBQ just okay. We were visiting Peoria Heights with friends. Enjoyed the shops along Prospect Blvd. We chose Slow Hand because it was easy to walk to our Airbnb. We ordered the Kona sandwich and baked beans. There was plenty to split, meat piled high with good smoked flavor. Several sauces to choose from but nothing outstanding. Baked beans were a little dry with good flavor, not sweet. Adding sauce helped. Staff was friendly. Indoor and outdoor seating stool style seating. I would return but just to get takeout and try a different sandwich. read more

Brisket was dry, bake beans so dry couldn't eat, fries weren't cooked long enough couldn't put a fork into them!!!! Was expense for what I got read more

The best BBQ in Peoria. They use oak wood and wrap their brisket in butcher paper after the bark forms. They do it right, and they also have amazing sides. Highly recommend! read more

We went there once, and it did not leave an impression. The meat was not seasoned, my opinion, the mac and cheese tasted very sour, hard to explain. The burnt ends did not taste like burnt ends. It was very busy though, which was great.. Support local! read more

Very underwhelming. Nothing special. Dry meat, dry bread, way too chewy. Workers weren't wearing gloves prepping the food.

We have eaten at Slow hand in the past, usually indoors. The common problem is a lot of times their meat has a hint of lighter fluid essence to the taste, which is unappealing. Our last order was take-out. Upon arriving home with our order, I was told that they ran out of brisket. When you order on line it is pre-pay. I ordered the 3 meat with a side of Mac & Cheese. However, I was not discounted or given credit for the price difference. There is about a $5 difference. Again the hint of lighter fluid was in both our sandwiches. Turkey was definitely had a stronger hint. The potato salad iwas fine if you like strong amount of mustard. It might taste better if they cut back a little on the squeezing the mustard in the mix. The mac & Cheese was very good. As for deserts, they banana pudding tasted like they poured it from a can and did not try to improve it. No real banana pieces. Just canned pudding topped with crumbled Nola wafers and whipped cream. Their prices are high. Indoor service is good and the staff is very friendly. read more

The best bbq in Peoria, hands down. Walking into this rustic, local barbecue restaurant in Peoria Heights transported me to the more popular and well known bbq establishments of larger cities, namely Green Street Meat Co. in Chicago. The brisket is not to be missed. The smoked sausage has just the right amount of heat. Baked Mac and cheese with a hint of garlic. And the pulled pork - tastes like you just pulled it from the pig. Amazing. When in the mood, there's no better place to get your smoked meat craving quenched than at Slow Hand in the Heights. PS - Finish off with the banana cream pie. The caramelized bananas are wonderful. read more

Slow Hand Craft BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Peoria Heights, Illinois

Love this place. Decently priced. Please try their brisket and corn bread. You won't be disappointed

My favorite go to BBQ joint in Peoria. The staff is pleasant and responsive. The addition of the brisket smash burgers is a bit frustrating... I cannot decide between the brisket or the burger now. Both are amazing choices. The Peoria themed decor is a nice touch. read more

Fantastic BBQ, like a tuned open-air version of Edley's (Nashville's kingpin of fast food meats) without the oppressive atmosphere, similar menu, sides, deserts, and brightened interior offering a full bar. There's a whole food menu making a sin to leave out a section. Got to complete the set with the sides, deserts, and everything they suggest! I went all in with 12oz of brisket, potato salad, onions, bread, pickles, and (sadly they were out of bread pudding) peach cheesecake. I would've been mad at the $22 spent for the occasion but I've sure spent a lot more for less. Check out my photos, I'm typically hesitant to drop so much cash when it involves plastic and grabbing my own silverware but just look at the pictures! Overall top drawer spot with good bar area, outdoor tables, friendly staff, and plenty to treat the appetite. read more

Great BBQ in Peoria Heights. You might have to search for this - it's in a strip mall off Prospect, but it is really good. We had pulled pork - the sandwich was big enough to split. We added their excellent coleslaw. Be sure to order a single side, or you may get the larger size which is more than two can eat! read more

Slow hand is inconsistent and a bit overpriced . I have gone in the past and have had great brisket and sides but the last couple times I've been it has not been good :( We went to dinner there last night and the brisket was ALL fat... for a leaner cut of beef and at that price point you'd expect better quality . The potato salad tasted like Danners store bought and the baked beans were hard and cold , not fully cooked . Poor beer selection as well . I love what they are trying to do but they just can't seem to get it down. read more

See all

Went there for the first time for lunch. It is a smaller restaurant with about 8 tables. The food was great. I had 4 ozs of pulled pork, macaroni & cheese, cauliflower, and a drink for about $17.00. They do carry a different kind of cola. I had the berry lemonade. It was awesome. Their service was quick, and the atmosphere was rustic. read more

Incredible BBQ. The brisket, burnt ends, and broccoli salad were to die for. Will definitely come back next time I'm in town.