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    Test Kitchen BBQ

    4.7 (60 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Fried chicken
    Jacqueline F.

    I think I found my newest go to bbq/soul food restaurant! What I love about it is that it's kind of set up as a fast food restaurant where you get your food at the counter and then you can either dine in or carry out. For the amount of food that we ordered, our food came out pretty fast. I love the family friendly vibes upon entering. It took me a few minutes to decide what to order because everything looked so good and smelled so good! What sealed the deal though is when they gave me a few pieces of baby back ribs to sample. It was delicious and I wanted more of it. So we went with the family dinner platter that came with ribs and 2 sides and corn bread and pickles. We ordered sides of red beans & rice, Mac and cheese, and collard greens. Also an order of fried chicken. Everything was delicious down to the pickles!! I really really enjoyed my meal. There are plenty of other things I still need yo try in the menu, like the bacon burnt ends and Ribtips. So I can't wait to go back for those. The restaurant inside is on the smaller end. Our party consisted of 5 people total. I don't recommend bringing more than 5 to dinner as it might get a little tight. If they keep it up, they may need to expand cuz this food oh so good!

    2 orders of 3 pieces for $5, smothered cabbage, jambalaya, collard greens, and some Mac and cheese
    Tim T.

    I'm from San Diego CA traveling here to see my friend graduate from the Navy. The food tastes amazing!! It tastes like it was made with love. The service is incredible, I felt very welcomed. It must be the southern hospitality, I love it!! I ordered the 3 pieces of chicken for $5. As well as the Jambalaya, collard greens, Mac and cheese and the smothered cabbage. The food was affordable. All the food in the picture was about $45 with 2 drinks. We had a peach mango and a blue drink! So gas!! I forgot to mention the really good caramel cake we got. I forgot to take a picture but we also had their fried catfish too!! Everything was soooo good!! This spot is a must for BBQ and soul food.

    Fried chicken combo with fries
    Meghan R.

    Stopped at Test Kitchen BBQ today for lunch. It was my first visit. The staff was very welcoming, offering us samples of several of the meats being served. I was overwhelmed by the number of options on the menu, and also confused about the differences between the combos, boxes, plates. I went with the fried chicken, which was delicious. My dad had the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and collared greens and really enjoyed it. I got the biggest serving of fries with my chicken. I had a real problem with the ketchup they offer for fries, it's a no-name brand and it was gross. I'd like to go back and try the fried shrimp next time. (I'll take it to go, so I can have my home ketchup.) Definitely worth a visit!

    Rib tip L, corn pudding, black eyed peas, bourbon sauce, corn bread, and pickles!
    Dave Y.

    Been there twice now and seems like mostly regulars are coming in. Always a super friendly greeting when you walk in, and if it's your first time, well, "you're in need of a sample". Their brisket is perfectly jiggly-juicy so highly recommended! A big menu and haven't found anything I didn't love yet.

    Rib, tips, greens, mac & cheese, gizzards, cornbread yams, potato salad fried chicken Black Eyed Peas. You name it we ate it 10 out of 10.
    TaNesha H.

    On June 4, my family and I arrived for my son's graduation from the Navy all he wanted was some barbecue. Test kitchen did not disappoint and we were met at this restaurant with kindness, love laughter, amazing decor, and to top it off 10 out of 10 food. Rib, tips, greens, mac & cheese, gizzards, cornbread yams, potato salad fried chicken Black Eyed Peas. You name it we ate it 10 out of 10. We enjoyed the food so much that we returned the next day. We gave a beautiful young lady a military graduation picture of my son. She informed us that she was gonna start a military wall for the graduation and name it after our son DeMarea. Oh let me tell you the kool-aid was fire. Let me tell you we were treated with class and respect and I will definitely be back. Thank you so much. Blessings to this restaurant. If you need some good barbecue go see test kitchen. Sending love from the Hopkins family from Victorville California

    Menu
    Mickey B.

    Tonight was our first experience at Test Kitchen BBQ and while the menu is expansive and the staff was nice and friendly, the food was just ok. We ordered the Medium Turkey Plate ($11.99)with sides of Cole slaw and mashed potatoes and the Medium Brisket plate ($13.99) with sides of baked Mac n cheese and baked beans. We also ordered an extra small side of corn fritters. The brisket (we asked for lean) was quite fatty. In fact half of it was fat. The flavor of the meat didn't require bbq sauce so that's a plus...but when half the plate is fat, that's not appetizing. The baked beans were tasty. The Mac n cheese was pretty bland. The Turkey was moist and flavorful but also fatty. The mashed potatoes were excellent and the Cole slaw was pretty tasty. The corn fritters were really good.

    Rib tips, brisket, and cornbread

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Love this place! Catfish is always on point and the fried cabbage and mashed potatoes are fire.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Great bbq, quirky hours. It's Part of the Browns Fried Chicken and is only open on the weekend.

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    3 years ago

    Brisket was excellent. Sides are super tasty. Highly recommend this place if you like BBQ M

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Test Kitchen BBQ

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    Big Ed's BBQ - Full Slab

    Big Ed's BBQ

    4.6(883 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Always hits the spot! We used to frequent their old restaurant across the way and now that they've…read moreopened up their new location we had to check it out. The restaurant is so much bigger and livelier and were so excited to see all of their success. Definitely come early to be able to try their brisket and Tony Mac! You wont regret anything you try but those are defnitely our favorites. Oh and the ribs, if you're looking for the incredible smokey juicy flavor look no further. Any of their bbq sauces are great and pair well, but we highly recommend giving their original a go because of the perfect balance of sweet, savory, with a bit of a kick.

    I am a HUGE fan of true barbecue and am also a restaurant owner from a restaurant family well known…read morein Chicagoland and it's suburbs for over 50 years. "Old School" customer service, Hospitality and appreciation for our customers is key and loyalty goes both ways friends. I was very interested to try the food here after trying a couple items that were served at a friend's party. I asked to say Hi to the owner as a entrepreneur myself. They said they would be out shortly at my request, being my first time and spending well over $300 to try some of their dishes I was extremely insulted to see that the owner never had the courtesy to say Hello as I waited. In my world, "old school" customer service is success because without customers you have nothing. I also believe that you should always remember where you came from. The food was very pricey for the Area and not worth the disrespect I felt. After this experience I'll stay with Hecky's in Evanston where we are recognized, greeted by name and given a positive everything when I walk in by the owners Daughter, Gigi...RIP Senior. Hecky's is located North Shore with more than fair prices, above par food and traditional style barbecue. Big Ed's is in Waukegan and we paid double plus for the food and a very poor customer service experience ‍ along with overpriced barbecue and sides. I got lots of sauce for not enough barbecue. If I could have cancelled I would have but it was the first time and the last time. I asked one last time "What happened to the owner who was supposedly was going to say Hello?" They said he left through the side door because he was busy. His picture is on a large sign outside and this man was at Aldi when I stopped for apples on the way back home to Arlington Heights. Go to Hecky's in Evanston, Smoque in Chicago, even Joe's Barbecue in Hillside. Good Luck Big Ed!!!

    Photos
    Big Ed's BBQ - Dining room with queue

    Dining room with queue

    Big Ed's BBQ - Burnt Ends

    Burnt Ends

    Big Ed's BBQ - Store front, BBQ time!

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    Store front, BBQ time!

    Mission BBQ - Beef brisket and sides: fries, cheesy potatoes, and baked bean brisket.

    Mission BBQ

    4.4(304 reviews)
    4.9 mi
    $$

    This has been on my bucket list for awhile. About 35 minutes drive from Wheeling…read more I also met 2 friends from Grayslake. First time, made me sad that it took me so darn long to get here. Young lady at cash register/ counter took time to fully explain menu and make recommendations. So very helpful. Their dining room, which was immaculate manager, Rose was so nice and very proud of her success there. Young man, manager also came by our table and gave us great background on this national chain. Service simply off the charts amazing. Had chopped brisket sandwich, piled high with superb quality smoked meat and sauce. Even something simple as fries were crispy, hot, well seasoned. My ex wife had sliced brisket and green beans. Generous portions and delicious. Fantastic selections of really tasty sauces. Large selection of cold drinks. Fantastic decor paying tribute to military, police, fire. Oh yeah, fairly priced for an outstanding overall experience. Highly recommended on every level. A real gem. Gave us a few samples of sauces to take home to top off an already excellent dining experience.

    The Cuisine Umpire says: "Three Strikes and You're OUT!"…read moreHere's the third Yelp I've done about "Mission BBQ" and I'm afraid the Mission was NOT accomplished. The last time we went to one, (In Naperville, IL q.v. my Yelp for it), We were totally bummed as it was a truly disappointing feed, bordering on the inedible: A piece of "Prime Rib" not ready for prime time, adipose pulled pork, and ribs with bone shrapnel. Ug. We had to pick up Grandson and Date from Six Flags Great America down the road, and we were early enough to wedge dinner in before we were expected at the park. Nothing else looked appetizing in the stretch of Illinois 132 just west of G.A., so we figured the last time at Mission was SO awful, it had to be a fluke, and this store should CERTAINLY be better. It wasn't. We both had "2 meat" plates- I with Ribs, Sausage and Wife had Ribs and pulled pork. We both had slaw and fries. The pulled pork was the least offensive of the proteins. This time, it was the opposite of last time--not so fatty, and not so flavorful either. Dry and insipid. The Sausage was mushy and strangely lacking in real flavor. And the goddamned Ribs were the same ineptly butchered mess we ran into in Naperville. Shards of Bones at the top of the cut. Slightly over-smoked/over-cooked as well. WTF? That much of the same criticism of Naperville was in play here made us think this is the way things are served at Mission BBQ and not an anomaly. A mention to the manager wouldn't help things. Now in the "Every theory has a corollary" dept: As in Naperville the slaw, fries and cornbread were pretty good; as was the Iced Tea and fountain drink "throw". The sauces were all pretty good too. Wished there was some decent "Q" to put them on. Maybe it's just our taste, or we are spoiled by "Q" in our visits to the South, but there's no excuse for the lazy butchering of the ribs, or the mushiness of the sausage. I know "corporate" chains tamp down spices in the "come bet" common palates will desire a less bold cuisine, but DAMN! this is BARBEQUE. American Q is NOT a "safe" proposition. This isn't the cuisine to play it safe. Then again, it's not meant as an insult, but Suburban denizens (unless you're a suburb of, say...Austin Texas) prolly aren't in for foods meant to challenge. I see enough 5star Yelps indicating a lot of folks like this place; so I'll assume Wife and I are the outliers. We haven't found a whole lot of Suburban Northern Q supremely edible. The whole mishegoss is a dilemma, as Mission BBQ is deep into honoring our service Men & Women. We are, too. That a portion of the (considerable) cash we left there goes to Service folks soothes at least part of the sting of a lousy feed...

    Photos
    Mission BBQ - Dining area

    Dining area

    Mission BBQ - Smoked Turkey with Alabama White Sauce at Mission BBQ Gurnee

    Smoked Turkey with Alabama White Sauce at Mission BBQ Gurnee

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    Storefront for Mission BBQ Gurnee

    Test Kitchen BBQ - bbq - Updated September 2026

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