The service was great, food arrived fast and the presentation of everything was good. But the food.....everything we got was barely luke warm, except the Mac & cheese. All the meats were bland, literally all of them. We got a sampler so we had a little of everything, and everything we tasted needed more seasoning. The meat tasted okay, but none of it stood out as being above average. The Mac & cheese had a very weird flavor. It claims to be five cheese Mac, but we didn't even taste ANY cheese flavor. It has a strange after taste. The corn muffins also tasted weird, and may have been better if they were warm. The bacon candy and the pound cake with the bourbon sauce were the only things that stood out as actually tasting good. I don't know if I would pay $8.00 for that size of cake again, but it was the best part of the meal, unfortunately. Overall, I'm glad I tried this place so I can check it off the list. But I would not go back. read more

Ordered the sampler platter via grubhub, which arrived missing almost half the items. We called the restaurant and we're offered a 6$ refund on what ended up being a 45$ meal - that was half the size of what we expected. Very mad at the employees and sad that I didn't get my hot links or ribs :(( ALSO the chicken and cornbread were dry as frick and the beans were flavorless. The coleslaw, however, was shockingly delightful. read more

Had high hopes but turned out very disappointing. We ordered carry out. Half of our items were missing. Probably would have deserved no stars but the fact that the staff drove out our multiple missing food items props it up to a 1 star. The BBQ (pulled pork and brisket) was bland, dry, fatty and very burnt. The Mac and cheese, coleslaw, cornbread and mashed potatoes were very dry as well. It was as if they were sitting prepared in the containers and sat for weeks. When calling back to inform them of our missing items we were not treated with the best approach by staff. It's disappointing to write this review because we were trying to support local businesses during the stay at home order. Hopefully this isn't a common occurrence during the dine in experience. read more

We came in with a group of eight, ordered drinks and food and were eating within fifteen minutes. We had a waitress in training, yet I still enjoyed all of my time there. The group enjoyed the St. Louis Ribs, Girlfriend Salad, Sample Platter, Green BLT, and Pulled Pork with some delicious sauces. The decor added great authenticity to the experience. I would go back in a heartbeat! read more

I remember the first time I went here, before there was a snazzy bar. The food was decent, the service was slow as molasses, and the band was great. I couldn't justify a 30min. drive cross-city when I could hit up some great places in my neck of the woods. Now I have that reason, and it is BACON CANDY. They caramelize brown sugar, and then soak bacon in it and let it cool. Crunchy bacon candy. At least, I think that's how it's made. I have no idea. If you have 2-3 people, the $30 sampler patter is the way to go. It comes with pulled pork, brisket, hot links, ribs, chicken, slaw, beans, cornbread... etc. Between two people, we had leftovers. For booze, their bourbon cocktails are well crafted. I had moonshiner's lemonade (but I switched out Maker's for Buillet). If I remember right, and I probably don't, it had Acai berry liquor, bitters, lemonade, and a bourbon soaked cherry. read more

The Tonk - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was a lot of fun to be here.. Featured on Diners Dives and Drive-ins and thought why not let's go check it out. Parking, as some people suggested, could be dicey but if you're there early or street parking it's pretty much available. I don't know about being around the neighborhood later at night because it looks like it could be a bit sketchy. The decor inside is quite charming and found it fun to look at to pass the time. The food was good but not excellent. The baby back ribs were a bit on the dry side. I would not order them again. The other dish we had was a triple threat of sausage brisket and pulled pork. Of the three, I felt that the brisket was the most amazing. The sausage was more Rosemary based and I thought it was a bit funky it. I would not order that again. The bwer selwction was adequate and there was enough there for every taste. read more

The Tonk - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Let's kickstart this review with something positive, shall we? The food here is really good. The bacon candy is thick and sweet, the brisket is fork-tender, and the greens have the right amount of kick. To be honest, everything I tried was great, if not excellent. Honestly, the only item that was a bit subpar was the caramel sauce that came with my pound cake. It had a slightly bitter (i.e. burnt) taste to it. But, it wasn't overt enough to ruin my dessert. As for the experience itself? Well, it led for a much different affair. I happened to venture in late on a Sunday night, because everything else in the neighborhood was closed or closing. Well, it turns out Sunday is also live band night. And with an "incredible" stroke of luck, I also stumbled upon a rambunctious birthday party. It wasn't long after taking a seat at the bar that people began to push me aside to pay their tabs, dip their elbows into my sauces and silverware, and constantly hit me in the back. Obviously, none of this is the establishment's fault. But, it was unpleasant nonetheless. The real kicker came when I went to pay my bill and the bartender overcharged my card by $53. You read that right. My tab of $35 somehow totaled $88 in his mind. It became a long, drawn out hassle that added another 15 minutes to a process that should've taken but a few. I do understand that they were a bit busy, but at the time things were fairly calm. So, I'm not sure what happened. I guess in the end, my word of caution would be: go and try their delicious food, but be weary of the crowd inside. read more

Came back for the candy bacon, then I discovered the spicy mac n' cheese. Now I'll be back for both.

Omg such delicious BBQ. I literally crave it once or twice a month. Eating in, there's sometimes a live band to listen to near the bar area but if you like a more quiet environment, there's more seating in the back. Waitstaff can be iffy depending on how busy it is. The food usually comes out within 10 min of ordering regardless. But the food- the food is worth it. My go-to is the baby back ribs with the mustard (the yellow) sauce. But HOLY CRAP, if you're there on a Friday or Saturday, please spring for the Viking rib. You're not going to regret it. It's the most tender and fall-off-the-bone rib you'll ever taste. Like literally, I touched it with the tip of my fork and it fell off the bone. The chicken and beef brisket and pulled pork are good here too but I focus on the ribs. Try to come in before the dinner rush or if you can handle the wait. Or just order to-go. Just go and eat and enjoy! read more

For years I have been passing by this unique place on the corner and finally decided to give it a chance. My girlfriends and I came on a Sunday night and walked in to a cute western/vintage themed place with unique paintings and live music. We sat ourselves and a waiter came quickly to serve us. We ordered the Platter and the Delux with pulled pork. We were pretty hungry and surprisingly the wait for the food was not too long! The Mac and Cheese was full of flavor with a kick, but personally found it a bit too salty. I found myself constantly dipping my pulled pork in the barbecue sauce. The pork was dry and a bit tasteless. The smoked chicken was smoky but unfortunately dry. The ribs had this smoky charcoaled layer that we weren't a fan of. The meat did not slide off the bone like it should. But overall if you need a quick BBQ fix and live near Pilsen this will do the job! The price was fair and would come back just for cute decor, fun live music and the lively ambiance! P.S. the door brings in a cold draft, sitting in the back would've been a smarter choice! read more

The Tonk - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great BBQ joint. Come for the live music if you don't feel like talking to people in your party.... Doesn't have to be a bad thing. Focus on the ribs instead. The ribs come dry with a perfect rub and plenty of sauce to pour over the meet. Rib tips is the way to go. Large portions. Beans with pork are amazing. I would pass on the corn bread. The candy bacon is a cool appetizer. read more

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My boyfriend and I went to Honky Tonk BBQ Sunday night for dinner because he had seen the show featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. He's a big fan of the show and bbq, so I was gamed, especially hearing that their pulled pork (my favorite) was award winning. The atmosphere of the restaurant is mixed. Upfront by the bar is definitely a louder crowd, but they do have a quieter dining area in the back of the restaurant so you can have a conversation without sitting on top of one another. The hostess who sat us was very friendly. Before coming to the restaurant, I had already viewed their menu online, so I was pretty certain on what I wanted to order. For starters, we got the bacon candy. It was amazing! I absolutely love the sweet & salty combo. You receive 4 strips of thick-cut bacon that appeared to be covered in brown sugar and possibly maple syrup. We both thoroughly enjoyed the bacon candy. Unfortunately, that is where our satisfaction ended. We ordered the sample platter to share. The sample platter included a half rack of ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, half a chicken, hot links (2), corn bread muffins (2), coleslaw, and baked beans. I was not a fan of the dry rub that was used on the ribs. It was overpowering for my taste. I don't like spicy food, so my boyfriend ate both of the hot links. The ribs, pulled pork, and beef brisket were dry. The corn bread muffin and coleslaw were good, but nothing to write home about. I don't like baked beans either, but my boyfriend said it was too spicy for him. On the table, they have three types of sauce, NC vinegar based sauce, SC mustard based sauce, and a Kansas City sweet sauce. The sauces were good. Our waitress was MIA for most of our dining experience. She didn't even refill our drinks. We weren't please with the minimum level of service we received. If a restaurant is busy, I definitely give the waitstaff a break, because I know they are trying to take care of everyone. However, the restaurant wasn't busy at the time we dined there and their were only 3 other tables in the back dining room aside from ours. All in all, I definitely recommend the bacon candy, but there wasn't anything else that tempted my tastebuds for a repeat visit. read more

We both had the brisket and they got that right. Had mash potatoes (felt it lacked a bit of flavor) , Mac and cheese was good. The jumbo wings were really good and they sure were jumbo ! I would go back to try the rest of the meats! " the platter " didn't feel like a platter it was just on a small plate. Which was kinda odd cause platters come in platters. Also try their garlic sauce( the green sauce) was so good! read more

The Tonk - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service was good with friendly staff that were very helpful. Unfortunately the food was only average and pricey for what you get. We tried the pork sandwich and chicken. The sauces were also kind of bland. I wish I could have liked it more! read more

Awesome restaurant! My boyfriend and I were going to the sox game and wanted to grab a bite to eat before we went. Found the Honky Tonk BBQ on google, and so glad we came here. The decor was super cute, the wait staff was very friendly. We ordered the fried green tomatoes for an appetizer, and I got the pulled pork sandwich and mac and cheese, he got the ribs/half chicken/greens/coleslaw. I ate a little something of everything (aside from the chicken) and it was all delicious. I absolutely want to come back here again. I loved the atmosphere, and would like to go back when a band is playing. I would definitely recommend Honky Tonk to anyone who likes good BBQ. read more

The Tonk - ribs/chicken/pulled pork sandwich/mac and cheese/greens/coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Okay , here we go! We have been eating at and getting food from Honky Tonk for a few years now. So today we decide to go and eat there. The food was good and so were the cocktails. Then comes the bill.... We were over charged $100 on our bill which we caught. $68 for 2 rib orders which should have been $46. $55 for corn bread which should have been $5.50...and drinks were also charged incorrectly. Now come on, that's crazy". But the worst part was their attitude when told about the mistake. The waitress was "Sorry". The calculator is old and she missed the decimal on the rolls. Are you brand new here or what? Then when she went to correct the bill, we saw her go to attend another table. Who does that? This wasn't just a missed salad. It was $100 mistake! Thought the least they could do was buy us a drink. Well the owner, cook, etc was told about the mishap his attitude was no better. Pretty rude really! Maybe we are "Old School" where the wait staff offers to rectify a huge mistake with a drink or dessert, but their lack of concern was truly sad to say the least. Kind of got the impression that they were trying to get one over on us.... Will be looking for a New BBQ place... One positive was he guy who brought out the food. He was Great! Very efficient and friendly! read more

This is not bbq. This is meat poorly cooked with liquid smoke. Brisket should not be beige. No smoke ring at all. Mostly fat even though I ordered lean. Swimming in grease and chewy. Couldn't even cover it in sauce since they didn't send any of the sauce that I ordered. Evidently they've never heard of a rub either. The ribs were dry and black....yes, completely black. Finally, the pork and beans is really just mushy beans with some dry pulled pork thrown on top. Embarrassing. Called the restaurant to complain and was offered nothing beyond a "sorry about that." Much better bbq options out there. Stay away from these imposters. Hopefully a better restaurant opens in their space after they go out of business. read more

I've been waiting for years to try this place well it was Not Good !!!! Ordered takeout Whole chicken Beef brisket Hot links Greens Mac and Cheese and 3 wings. Spent a good $50 Chicken and brisket extremely dry and flavorless. The greens were tender but had no seasoning at all the corn muffin and Mac and cheese tasted old and reheated.. The wings were ok. Maybe I ordered on a bad day..I'm so disappointed because I was really wanted to like this place.. read more

Got the Sampler Platter with a side of Portobello Mushrooms and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. The Sampler came with a variety of meats that I found to be extremely dry without drowning it in their BBQ sauce. The rib meat was fall off the bone which was satisfying at least. The Mashed Potatoes came without gravy and was dry as well. The service was exceptional and there was great live music playing. read more

Stopped in with a large group of friends and the staff was very accommodating. Everyone raved about the service and of course the BBQ. I ordered The Delux with brisket and would recommend it to anyone who likes that kind of cut. The surprise for me was the mustard based BBQ sauce that they have available. I've always been more of a Carolina Red or KC style kinda guy, but the Mustard BBQ was excellent. Thanks for a great night, Honky Tonk! P.S. - Don't leave without trying the Bacon Candy. read more

Honkey Tonk is a perfect spot in Pilsen. Regular live music. Fun decor. But the BBQ and sides are the reason to come. I dream of the Mac and cheese. One of the best places in Chicago to get a mean case of the meat sweats. read more

A Pilsen classic, best BBQ in Chicago and the kitchen stays open late. It's not a huge bar but it doesn't feel crowded, it honestly feels more inclusive. Live music, awesome decor, well stocked bar. You can get a fancy cocktail or a PBR, my kind of place. read more

I feel like I remember Honky Tonk being good in the past, so I don't know what happened. I haven't been here in at least six years. I know that they smoke the meat behorehand, but it's so weird to me to have sides and meats all the same lukewarm temperature. I think BBQ can be good reheated, but lukewarm is just weird. Why was the coleslaw the same temperature as the mac and cheese??? Why was my bread so stale? It's all a mystery to me. read more

There was no wait time considering it's a saturday night. The corn bread delicious as a starter. I had the rib bits very juicy. read more

The Tonk - Honky old fashion - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

7.5 years....the amount of time I dealt with customers who complained about something I did on a daily basis. Usually unwarranted (because it was Whole Foods and people get holier than thou when they shop there), but every now and then they got me and I would tell my boss "100% said that" or "yes, I did indeed do that" or whatever it was, I owned up to it. Honky Tonk employees never accept the fact that they screwed something up. I'm over it. The last time we ordered some food for pick-up, my partner said he'd go get it. This was a day when it was in the high 90s, mind you. Now, this might sound ridiculous (and believe me, I read reviews often and roll my eyes at the dumb shit people complain about), but this is how Honky Tonk operates and this last time really got me. We order 2 sides of links. They've always tossed them in their own bag and mark them with the stamp, as they do with all sides. I've never had them come in the same bag as rib tips, not from Honky Tonk, at least. Partner gets back and we get settled in to eat when I notice my link is missing. He then notices his is missing too. It's too hot to walk back, but we think maybe they'd offer us credit, so I call. The guy who answered wasn't rude, but clearly wasn't going to deal with the issue so he puts me on hold and the guy who answers was just rude from the start. Rude Ass Employee: "Hello? Yeah, you ordered the links?" Me: "Hi, yes, we didn't see them in the order." RAE: "They're in there. I packed them myself. They're there." Me: "Where are they?" RAE: "They're there." Me: "Where? With the ribs?" RAE: "Yeah, I packed them. They're there." He never actually tells me where they were until I ask if they were with the ribs, he just kept insisting they were "there". At this point I tell him that we live in the neighborhood and order from here enough that I would never try to scam them, especially for $6 worth of links, but that they weren't in there. Everything else was, but not those, and maybe they got put in with another order. He rudely says "I guess we'll refund it!" and just straight up hangs up on me. Of course they didn't refund anything, whatever, it's $6....but there was no need to be so damn rude. Even when I want to lose my shit, I don't, because I've had plenty of friends or bosses in the industry, but this finally turned me off enough that we decided they weren't worth it anymore. Check their Facebook, this is a common theme. Forget something in an order and then blame the customer. Add to it, the rib tips weren't even good this time. A few years back I remember thinking they weren't worth it and it took other people ordering them a few times after for me to give them a shot again, and they were solid, but the last couple of times the quality went back down. Those garlic mashed potatoes are still bomb though. I'll miss those! read more

Atmosphere and service : 5/5 Food: 4/5 Drinks: 5/5 So I am giving them 5 stars. Honky Tonk has pretty decent music regularly, bartenders and servers are always friendly, drink prices are low, and the clientele is diverse. I never fail to have a good time here! Food is good, definitely worth trying but I have had better BBQ. Mac and cheese is definitely on point though!!! Most definitely my favorite bar in Pilsen, and a great place to stop in after going to a show at Thaila hall. read more

Hands down the BBQ I have had in Illinois! We arrived around 5:30 ish and they open at 5pm so I'm surprised the food was fresh and served immediately. This can only mean they take BBQ seriously and I love them for it. We ordered the sampler platter because we wanted to taste everything and it did not disappoint. The pulled pork was flavorful, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. The BBQ ribs were not falling off the bone but they weren't tough either they were just right for your teeth. The sampler comes with links which I usually avoid but these were fantastic. They had a hint of hotness but it didn't overwhelm and the chicken was perfect. They don't sauce any meats instead they offer a variety and their house BBQ is probably the best. I wish they would bottle it up and sell it. Everything was great from food to great drinks with laugh out loud names (if you ever been to church you'll love it). The décor really ties it all in and compliments the meal nicely. I never felt overwhelmed I felt relaxed and as if I was in a barn eating well. I didn't get the meat sweats but I did get meat coma and I floated my way back to my car. This is my new spot! read more

The Tonk - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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20 minutes before our order was taken, wait far to long for our food which arrived cold, order was not completed and then charged extra for what we had originally ordered. This place used to be great now it sucks. Would not recommend. read more

I hadn't been here in a long time, but I remembered how good the food was the last time I was here, so I was excited to have some bbq. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. The quality of the food has decreased significantly. -Bacon Candy: pretty good -Rib Tips: good -Sampler Platter: chicken was dry and over cooked, cornbread muffins were dry, baked beans had no flavor, Mac & cheese was mediocre. The only decent thing on the platter was the sausage links. I ordered a Paloma, which tasted pretty watered down and bland. I definitely will not be returning to Honky Tonk BBQ. read more

I'm a little concerned with this places ability to manage customer experience, but after binging at Joe's and Gate's in KC the weekend prior to this visit... I had a 5 star Smoked Meat experience here. The Brisket was not overly juicy and far from dry, with a good amount of fat cap and heavy smoke. The Viking Beef Short Ribs ate like a roast and were also heavily smoked, with a great bark, perhaps on the drier side (due to low fat content), but this is a non issue, it was plenty tender. The Baby Backs were tender as well, juicy, without falling off the bone, plenty of pork and smoke flavor, I enjoyed this more than the Ribs at Gates or Joes in KC the weekend before. Now about them Rib Tips, they are among the best I've had, and here's why... They fatty, juicy, tender, porky and yes, fatty! Anyone complaining about fatty rib tips need to lay off the rib tips dayum, they are great here. +1 star for thier NC sauce (the only one I really, really like), and because their rib tips kick so much ass when smothered in it. The other sauces are good not great IMO... The bad... -1 star for uninspired side dishes. The slaw was a vinigar base, not to my pref., I had 2 bites. Mac & Cheese perhaps had some asiago in it which I liked, but overall it was bland and not stand out, had 2 bites. Garlic Bread was nothing special (Joes Texas Toast blows that up and it's not even garlic bread). Pretzel roll got 1 bite and the cibatta rolls or whatever they serve under the tips, brisket and short ribs are to dense and went uneaten. I prefer a plain slice of white bread (or two), for use as a fatty juice mop. -1 for the Cornbread (this gets us to the concerning customer experience part). They were a bit dry with slight corn flavoring and texture that was less then traditional, but with butter I finished 1. I commented on them being decent In fact (as they were prob the "best" out of the side dishes we had), but my friend disagreed and said they were quite gross. I was surprised by this and took a bite of hers, bad idea... It was spoiled, rancid and inedible, it smelled and I immediately spit it out. It was toward the end of my meal that I took this bite thankfully, because it immediately ended all the wonderfull smoke flavor still filling my mouth. I had to literally wipe out the sudden taste of spoiled something or other... this is how I finished my meal. -1 star for how they handled serving me a spoiled food item. Long story short, I pointed out the inedible Cornbread to both my server and bus boy multiple times. I made sure they knew to let the kitchen know about spoiled product, and that this really effected an otherwise great food experience. Unfortunately the bus boy didn't take the Cornbread to show the kitchen, he just str8 dumped it in the trash and stood around the server station for awhile, and the servers only remark was (as she handed us the bill), "I'm sorry about the muffin, at least it wasn't the meat"?! Though our servers remark acknowledged she knew we were served spoiled product, there was no effort to correct that situation. We were still charged in full for a basket of Cornbread, with 1 being inedible and a 2nd questionable, as it's in my left over container yet to be inspected. I thought the situation warranted a $5 comp of the Cornbread off a $90 meal, but all we got was a lame ass sorry... I just hope the kitchen was made aware. Unacceptable. Parting words... Go for the meat (or a drink at the bar), skip the sides, hit the NC sauce... and to Honky Tonk specifically... please take better care of your customers overall experience. You guys are pretty cool and have really contributed to the area, the community is supporting you and the culture you breed shouldn't be one of a fuck you attitude. Maybe that's being to blunt, the staff isnt nec. mean, but if something is wrong with the food it shouldn't be acknowledged and then ignored. Your staff can come off like they don't care sometimes, and you can do 18th St. better than that. read more

The Tonk - Beef Short Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Okay, I'm not a gin-soaked bar-room queen from Memphis, so perhaps I'm not a true Honky Tonk Woman in every sense, but I liked this place just fine. Met a friend here for dinner on a Sunday night and it was remarkably easy to get a table (contrary to what I've heard about Friday and Saturday nights). We're both true-blue fans of Smoque, but it never hurts to give another place a try. In other words, I didn't have to put up some kind of a fight. The front area was teeming with kids, so we headed to the much quieter back room to enjoy our 'que. I ordered the sweet tea, and thankfully it was quite drinkable (which isn't always the case for me); it was sweet but still tasted like tea and not just sugar. We both ordered ribs (St. Louis for my friend and baby back for me), a side of macaroni and cheese, and also a half chicken. I was a little bummed that they don't offer fries (just mashed potatoes) because that's the perfect accompaniment in my book, but I got over it. The food came out quickly and it's dry-rubbed. The server explained their three barbecue sauces --a sweeter one, a tangy, more vinegar-y one, and a garlic mustard. I pretended I was Goldilocks and mixed all three until it was "just right," and then slathered it liberally over everything. I liked that there was still some tug on the ribs and the skin on the chicken was nice and crispy. I've had better mac 'n cheese; theirs wasn't very creamy or cheesy. But overall, everything was very enjoyable. I'm saving my biggest praise for dessert: peach cobbler. I don't know if they used fresh peaches or not, but it really didn't matter as it was delicious. The crust was flaky and buttery, the peaches tender, and the filling had a nice note of cinnamon. It was my perfect peach cobbler. It didn't even need the generous scoop of vanilla ice cream that came on the side. Service was amiable and efficient. I would definitely go back. No Honky Tonk Blues for me. 3.5 stars. read more

I would give this place three and half stars if that were an option, but can't quite justify four. On a side note, if you are from out of town and taking a cab here make sure you specify the address as S. Racine because as it turns out, N. Racine is nowhere close. After an 86 mile, three hour cab ride (ok slight exaggeration), I was starving in the literal sense and figuratively with anticipation. By the way, you know the cab fare is going to hurt when you've had to stop for gas twice. The location...on S. Racine...as it turns out, is an older building in a slightly shady looking area of town. With that said, when it comes to great BBQ I learned to absolutely never question either. As for the food, I started with a cup of the brisket chili and I will never forget it. This was the first time I've ever seen brisket in chili and it was incredible. The chili was very flavorful with just the right kick of spice and laden with tender chunks of savory brisket. I would definitely go back just for the chili. Another thing the Honky Tonk is doing well is their cornbread. This was a grandma needs to check on her recipe because she's got real competition with this one, kind of good. Unfortunately it was the main course that took this review from a solid four to a three for me. If you've ever read any of my previous BBQ reviews you can probably guess I went with the brisket and in this case, the brisket sandwich. Right off the bat I notice that the brisket is very heavily seasoned, as in on top and after the fact. I am all for a precooked rub, but am not accustomed to seeing legitimate brisket requiring seasoning on top. However the real issue for me was just the immense amount of fat and gristle that was left on the sliced brisket. What can I say, I like my women thick and my brisket thin. It's one thing if it's sliced brisket on a plate where it can easily be trimmed, but not easily option when it's already lathered in sauce and on a sandwich. I am not completely sold on the idea of brisket on seasoned ciabatta bun (as you'll find here) either. Maybe it's just the traditionalist in me, but I prefer my BBQ on plain white sliced bread or a bun. Aside from the food I really liked the unique decor from another era and was especially fond of the painting of Hank Williams Sr. The service here was outstanding and all of the servers were very friendly and attentive. Lastly, the live music was a nice touch and really rounded out the BBQ experience and honky tonk feel. read more

The Tonk - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My magical BBQ food baby was conceived at Honky Tonk BBQ. He's got a preference for old-school country, lip smackin' good food, and cute blonde waitresses. He was happy last night. I'm callin' HTBBQ: the "barbecure." For anything that ails you... HOLY MOTHER OF BARBECUE: A full slab of ribs. Dismantled effectively. Pulled pork sandwich...great sauces at the table, bustin' with pork! Sides: greens (soaked in pork juice!), mac 'n cheese, candied yams, and one delicious, moist, sinful corn muffin. Dessert: ZOMG. Banana bread pudding, sweet potato pie & peach cobbler. Unlike Simone's (down the street), Honky Tonk BBQ fills a niche...a need, without proving garish, or stepping on anyone's toes. It's authentic, the owners are genuine, the service is sweet, the food fantastic, the setting original, and the concept: traditional. It works well into the Pilsen-fold, without disturbing the delicate mix of cultures, histories and values. Because, let's face it...ANYONE can value good damn BBQ in a non-stuffy setting. A few things to note: 1. Cash ONLY. 2. BYOB. 3. They do not have straws. But, they do have great Diet Coke. I'll live. 4. They do not have take-out containers. So eat up! 5. Closed on Mondays. 6. They do not take reservations. 7. They are SUPER busy on the weekends. I will certainly have Peach Cobbler finding me in my dreams, I am sure. I am planning a future return with my father and brothers in tow, because this is a "sure-as-shit" pleaser for any man in your life that LOVES to eat, LOVES meat, and LOVES to eat with their hands. Ain't no frou-frou food up in here...you can bet on it! Endearing. It's a new favorite. read more

Wow, somehow this place lived up to my high expectations. That's rare. It wasn't quite perfect, but I'm rounding them up to five stars based on some intangibles such as the company and the experience: I simply had a hell of a great time. BYO doesn't usually entice me because I tend not to drink with dinner, but barbecue is the perfect cuisine to accompany with beer, and since I was having a small gathering, two six-packs suited us just fine. They brought an ice container for us to chill the stuff. How cool is that! I also liked the tag-team servicing; it helped contribute to the casual but welcoming vibe that was perfect for the occasion. I love the interior, although hard to describe. It's a little arty but very fun. Of course we mostly came for the food, which was excellent. On the first bite of my brisket sandwich, I called out to deities in which I don't even believe; by the third bite, I was weeping and speaking in tongues. Honestly, I didn't know whether to devour this sandwich or make love to it. Best brisket on earth. No sauce needed, but try it with the garlic/mustard for a bite or two. The brisket was the highlight, and the sandwich is plenty big for a full meal, but there was plenty o' gluttonizing left to do: Baby back ribs: Not quite as tender and fall-off-the-bone as I like, but solid (B) Pulled pork: They should call this "semi-pulled pork" because it is still in big chunks mostly. It works--I like the extra heft, and the meat is very, very good (A-) Beef chili: A bowl of savory fucking amazingness (A) Macaroni and cheese: A little boring; oddly, a light-contrasting option to all the meats, since they don't smother it in cheese as most places do (B) Cole slaw: Good to have something cool and light-ish, but this could use more zing (B) Corn muffin: Fluffy! (B+) Garlic/mustard sauce: Excellent, and went PERFECTLY on the brisket (A) Tangy bbq sauce: Very, very good, perhaps a bit more vinegary and less smoky than I like; went very well with the pork items (A-) Sweet bbq sauce: The weak link of the sauce trio (C) Banana pudding: I don't even have the words. I thought that I was full and could only eat a bite or two of dessert. Wrong! Nearly licked the bowl. (A) Hell, I even loved the plain roll that came with my rib dinner (different from the ciabatta on which the sandwiches are served). Hmm, anything else to say? Probably not. Awesome grub; fun, friendly place...a compelling, independent reason to trek down to Pilsen. read more

Willie and Beth welcomed us into their home. Or at least that's what it felt like. I can't even find words to properly describe the pulled pork. AWESOME is all that comes out. Then again, my mouth may be full of pulled pork, and my brain full of beer and vinegar, so that's all I can muster. Treat yourself a bit and spilt up your pork among both tangy and sweet sauces put on the table. It'll give your mouth a joyride you won't soon forget. A large group of us were easily accommodated and they brought out a big bucket with ice for all the beer. That was a nice, homestyle touch that made it feel like we were in their backyard, just waiting for the goods to come off the grill. Add to that some live banjo-playing musicians, and it was a real hootenanny! I'll reserve a 5th star for my next visit and it's not a large group for a birthday party. Willie, keep that fire going and don't let me down! read more

Was slumming in the Pilsen area last Saturday night on our way to DeColores for some Mexican food when we passed by Honky Tonk and I heard very excited "awwwww that place is the shit" from the back seat of the car. We pulled over, had a pow wow, busted a U-eyyyyyy and were on our way. BBQ it was. I absolutely loved the decor...I am plotting ways to break in and steal the huge Frida Kahlo portrait they have when you walk in the door. Italian Job anybody??? Rockabilly Bands playing while we ate! Yes! I'm a huge rockabilly/pin up girl fan. Started with the Bacon N Brew which was fine by me. Candied Bacon is never a bad idea,,neither is beer for that matter. Had fried green tomatoes and Mac n Cheese for apps. Both were so/so, Have had better. Ordered the sampler platter for my main course. Holy Shit that's a lot of food. Huge Portions Great Service Delicious Cornbread. Ribs were delicious. Coleslaw was awesome with hints of cilantro. Banana Pudding was very good and I don't usually order desserts. The sauces are delicious, especially that mustard sauce. I don't know what's in it, but I would have loved to take the bottle. (I seem to want to steal a lot of shit from here...don't mind me Honky Tonk...I won't steal your sauces or painting....honestly.) All I know is I got home and put on my stretchy pants and the next thing I knew there was drool on my shoulder. ITIS! To sum this up....I would come back to eat or just to have some drinks and listen to some bands. My experience was great here. read more

OK, OK, OK, sorry about my April Fool's prank (cough, not really), but here is the REAL and TRUE review that I promised! Oh, uh, first up KUDOS to Carol J, who obviously put a lot of thought and preparation into last nights event and oh my word... This place is UNBELIEVABLE! The only words I can use to describe it would be meat, meat, sauce, and meat! Don't go if you know whats good for you! Seriously, you will have to be rolled out of this place at the end and since there are some hard concrete steps outside, thats gonna hurt! I really don't want to go into too much detail about it (oh, OK if you insist!) Let's just say my all day fasting yesterday in anticipation of that dinner was... completely necessary! *groan* So, just when you think the meat has your full attention, there are these side dishes - one better than the other! Fried green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, coleslaw. Oh man. Not even one tiny thing to complain about. What the heck! Well, I guess there is a good reason this place won at the Memphis BBQ competition! I have never been so full & happy since my last foray into the world of gluttony that is the Wisconsin State Fair. Sweeeeeet. Oh and by the way, this is no joke. If you like BBQ you need to get your butt down to Pilsen, ASAP. read more

Honky Tonk, you were someone great. But after earning local fame on Check Please, you slowly let it go to your head. I understood when you went from BYO to full bar, because you're a business and businesses run on money not table-hoggin' guests. Hell, I even admit I was one of those guests. When you started the Saloon Stage and began booking regional acts, I regularly drove 9 miles instead of hanging in my own 'hood on Saturday nights. I brazenly deemed your pulled pork sandwich "the best" and advised many to go and experience it. You were just that good. Then you raised your prices. Understandable, as you really jazzed up the joint and food costs are on the rise. But your quality starting suffering - that pulled pork sandwich I could always count on being spectacular became an inconsistent gamble. Sometimes, like when I showed up at opening time, the meat was hot, fresh, just perfect. Other times, the meat was lukewarm and fatty and the bread fall-apart soggy. Why? I've enjoyed many good nights here over the years, and hope you give your service and food the revamp it deserves, just as you did to your venue. I'm sill holding out hope. Love, The Duchess read more

Oh man. Oh man oh man. Not again. When I look back I might be mad I gave this attention. But it's weighing heavy on my conscience, & f*ck you left a boy no ooooptions. Decided to stay in on Saturday night, because like Flo Rida, this is my house and we don't have to go out. Got a hankering for barbecue after binge watching episodes of Man Fire Food, so we decided to place an order for Honky Tonk. And let me tell you after this latest experience, this review is not a love song. This a "f*ck dem boys forever" hold-a-grudge song. I walked to get the food and I get home only to find out they forgot the two damn hot links we asked for. After walking to get this food in 97° heat, I was not going back for them, so I had the girl call and tell them to give us our credit back or something. Since two puny hot links alone are like 6 bucks. Simple enough right? No, because the initial guy on the phone who takes the orders decided to put this condescending little fuck boy from the kitchen on phone who all but said we're trying to scam them. He claimed he packed it himself therefore they HAD to be in our bag. Cool story bro. Except...they weren't. The condensed version of the phone call: Dipshit Blowhard: Yeah, they're in there. I packed it myself. Us: Ok, they're not. We have everything out of the bag. There are no hot links. Maybe they were given to someone else? DB: No, I put them in there. They're there. Holy shit, little too proud to admit you made a mistake are we? & forget trying to rectify said mistake. They didn't even propose me coming back to get these hot links, that mysteriously went AWOL, as an option. He rudely said "I guess we'll refund it" and hung up. Of course, that didn't happen. To add insult to injury the rib tips we ordered were hot garbage. The oft lacking meat-to-bone ratio in and of itself is a reason to stop wasting my money here, but their shitty attitude further reinforces my decision to not f*ck with this place anymore. Duces. read more

Ummm, nice attempt but no cigar! Smells good, but taste very bland. Had the Ribs, BLAND! Had the pulled pork, BLAND had the cole slaw, I'm not a fan of cilantro in my cole slaw! It overpowered the vinegar and mayo based sauce, please take that out. The people who like this BBQ have no idea what good BBQ tastes like. If you put a dry-rub with some Salt(s), paprika, dry mustard, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion powder, rubbed in with soy sauce...then we can talk. OOPS, I just gave away a rub recipe. PLEASE USE IT! However the service was very nice! :) Not a fan, I'm sorry guys! read more