We had been craving some seriously good BBQ and kept hearing the same thing: You have to try Wilma's. I'm glad we listened! First off, this place is enormous. It's the perfect spot for a large group, a fantasy football draft, game day, or any sports-watching event. The television screens are massive--there's virtually no chance of missing a play. Our server was fantastic. Friendly, relaxed, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable. I also loved that she had a little robot assistant helping deliver food. It struck the perfect balance between technology and hospitality without losing the human touch. She guided us through both the menu and bar selections, and from there everything just kept getting better. The first thing we tried was the Soul Roll, and wow. Imagine all your favorite comfort foods wrapped inside an egg roll and fried to perfection. Brisket, mac and cheese, greens, and yams--all bundled together and served with a sweet yam syrup dipping sauce. It sounds outrageous because it is... in the best possible way. The ribs were tender and practically fell off the bone. The links brought just the right amount of spice. The fried chicken was crispy, juicy, and delicious. The greens and yams were flavorful, and the baked beans? Absolutely magical. As for the bar, it was a mixed experience. I ordered a lemon drop and was told they don't sugar the rim because it creates a mess on the floor. Personally, a lemon drop without a sugar rim feels a little incomplete. However, the bartender did earn some points back by serving it in a highball glass instead of one of their smaller martini glasses, explaining that we'd actually get more of the cocktail that way. Fair enough--I can appreciate that kind of honesty. If you're visiting Chicago and looking for great BBQ, put Wilma's on your list. Come hungry. read more

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I really wanted to enjoy my visit to Wilma's BBQ in downtown Chicago, but unfortunately, it fell well short of my expectations. My party of four visited for Sunday brunch, and the restaurant was basically empty when we arrived. The escalator also wasn't working, which wasn't the best first impression. We ordered fried wings, rib tips, and drinks, but our food didn't come out together. For a table of four, it's disappointing when everyone isn't served at the same time. The biggest disappointment was the lemon drop martinis. After one sip, they were far too tart and overly citrusy for our taste. The glasses were still nearly full, so we politely asked if they could be remade or exchanged for a different cocktail. We were told that all alcohol sales are final. While I understand restaurants have policies, I was surprised there wasn't any willingness to accommodate us, especially since we had barely touched the drinks and simply wanted a different cocktail. As for the food, the fried wings lacked seasoning, and the rib tips were rubbery and didn't have much flavor. Being from Texas, I enjoy BBQ where the meat stands on its own, so I asked for the BBQ sauce on the side. Unfortunately, even with the sauce, the rib tips didn't have the quality or flavor I was expecting. The staff was polite, but the food quality, drink experience, and overall execution didn't live up to the reputation I was hoping for. I hope management takes this feedback as an opportunity to improve because the restaurant has potential. read more

Over the years I've gone to several restaurants that have occupied this space. It's such a great location. My husband and I didn't have a reservation but we were seated quickly. This is a large space and could probably use more tables because it felt a little empty inside. There are plenty of large TV's which we loved because we wanted to watch the NBA playoffs. I tried their tips and wings and I was surprised by how much food I got. Their sauce was good and the wings were seasoned well although they could have been fried harder so they could be broken into two pieces. I ordered their rum punch but it wasn't great, I didn't finish it. My hubby had the tips and perch. He LOVED the tips but thought the perch could have been seasoned better. We also ordered the Soul Rolls which we didn't love. They're an appetizer but they came out 25 mins after our meal, were over cooked and had zero flavor. Overall Wilma's is decent place to go if you're downtown hanging out and looking for a place to eat. read more

This is my go to every time I'm back home and staying downtown. It's really good Chicago style BBQ and they have daily specials. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Jerk chicken tips - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tried this place after seeing so many great reviews and it was good! The space is HUGE with plenty of seating and the service was great. I ordered two individual pieces of catfish and collard greens, Mac and cheese and yams for my sides. The food was fresh and tasty but had cooled down by the time it got to the table. Also the food was a bit on the pricier side but still good regardless. Recommend this spot if you want some southern comfort in Chicago. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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7 of us came to do a birthday celebration. We got in early so not many folks. This is upstairs in a large space Great for watching sports. The service was excellent. They let us wait until the last ones arrived about 20 minutes after being seated. Most had the brisket sandwiches. The fries that come with it are good. The jerk chicken was a favorite. Really moist and good flavor. The food comes out pretty quickly. Most liked this for a multi-unit restaurant. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing spot! Plenty of seating with fabulous service! Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern was a lovely place. Sitting second floor with split views of the city and trains it was a delight. I had the pleasure of indulging entrees with their lunch special like the mini tips on fries and the speciality Oxtails bedded with rice and plantains along with the sides Mac & cheese and cabbage. Everything was smacking GOOD! Tips were tender, oxtails needed a little more sauce for the rice but everything was great. Oh! And for My appetizer jerk chicken egg rolls. Those were really good! With a bit of ranch made it an even more flavorful! My waiter was great! Hate I can't remember his name but his was the best waiter everrrr! He expressed the lunch menu was coming to end and made sure to get my order in right away and just was a treat to have! Great food, good company check em out! read more

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Absolutely incredible! Some of the best BBQ food I've ever had in an awesome restaurant! The service was insanely fast, we got our food within minutes of ordering. The restaurant was so fun, it's up a set of escalators and was very clean and had the World Cup playing on almost every TV in the restaurant. Would definitely return here and recommend it to anyone in the mood for BBQ! read more

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Cute and ready for your next get together! Great BBQ and good beer selection! I enjoyed the ribs! read more

We popped in for lunch while in the Loop and didn't realize it was such a huge interior! We sat at the bar and were greeted quickly and kindly. The menu was via QR code and we ordered from the bartender. The food came out via robot! The bartender helped hand it off to us, but we loved seeing the robot in action. The food itself was super tasty and plentiful. We especially loved the lightly breaded seasoned fries. Prices were fair and we would visit it again. I saw others eating items I definitely want to try next time. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Pulled Pork Sandwich & Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have heard nothing but great things about Wilma's. Finally was able to dine in during restaurant week. The restaurant is huge with so much space. Full bar, plenty of seating with good music. The staff were all nice. From the restaurant week menu, I ordered the jerk honey wings, turkey tips, cabbage, mac n cheese and cheesecake with carmel. Listen......every single taste of every dish was absolutely delicious!! Especially the wings! Fresh, hot, crispy with the perfect seasoning. I could've just eaten those and been happy. The turkey tips were so good. Perfectly cut and tender. The sides were good too. I left full and happy with leftovers as the portions are huge. There is absolutely no question that I will be back and especially for the wings! I don't work far from here either. Help me! Lol read more

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The barbecue was fabulous. Service was very good and attentive. It was nice, energetic atmosphere during the holidays. We really had a good time. Very interesting decor as well. You can see it in our pictures read more

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I ordered the lunch special turkey tips and fries. They were fresh and tasty. A little kick at the end but not over powering. Price was reasonable and service was average. But overall food experience 10/10. read more

Smoked to PERFECTION, fall off the bone tendernism, stuffed with creamy mac & cheese, seasoned greens, and sweet candy yams dripping in flavor with every bite! Check out Wilma's Famous BBQ new stuffed Turkey leg you won't be disappointed read more

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Stopped in at Wilma's during St. Patty's Day and had a really pleasant experience. We grabbed seats at the bar and enjoyed some festive green drinks that were delicious. We also ordered the chicken wings, which were a solid 10/10 definitely a standout. Overall, great vibes and good food. Would definitely recommend stopping by! read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Chicken wing - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Come hungry cuz boy do they deliver, big portions good food, tiered all the carbs I could and baby where they delicious. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was excited to try Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern, but if I'm being honest, the experience fell a bit short. It could have just been an off day, but the food gave more of a fast-food BBQ vibe than what I was expecting. Nothing was necessarily bad -- it was simply just food. It didn't really stand out or leave me feeling like I needed to come back for it. The atmosphere itself is fine for a casual stop, but overall the experience didn't quite match the expectations I had going in. At this point, the only thing that would probably bring me back would be a happy hour special... because who doesn't appreciate a good deal? read more

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Father's Day reservations for party of 13 with seniors with disabilities and small children. Had to walk up, escalator. It was out of order. Appetizers were great. However, entrees all came out at different times. Some orders hit some cold. One of our orders NEVER ARRIVED, with NO EXPLANATION. Server provided no remedy and avoided us. Manager provided little help, but made an excuse that it was the only "complaint" of the day. Tried to charge for the undelivered food. This was an awful experience for Father's Day celebration. read more

Our experience was cool, a couple of minor gripes: - The rib tips were a bit tough - The Sweet Tea tasted like artificial flavoring was added or something, just a weird taste - 15% gratuity added, just be aware - A bit pricey, but we went away full Other than that, the chicken wings, catfish, fries, and Mac & Cheese were great (bbq sauce was good for dipping fries), and I think my family enjoyed the jerk wings. The service was excellent, no complaints. It's a large open space, the tables have a nice bit of space between them, didn't feel crowded. We'll be back, but will be more selective. I recommend trying at least once. read more

It was a good time on a Thursday evening! We were able to get the 10.00 happy hour specials, wings and fries and tips and fries! The food was really good, arrived hot and it was flavor. Brandon our server was attentive throughout our dinner. I will definitely be back. read more

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Amazing food, service and ambiance. Brandon was our waiter and made the experience even more enjoyable! Highly recommend. Best of both worlds jerk & bbq! read more

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I have now confirmed that Chicago is more than pizza and hot dogs! Oh my goodness... I have been to Chicago 10+ times and just discovered this place! The food was delicious, great portions, perfect flavors, came out hot! The menu was a bit overwhelming but gave me an excuse to return! Be sure to get the soul food egg rolls, omg, out of this world. Service was super friendly, although a bit slow. Prices were also steep, though the portions aligned, so you are certainly getting two meals out of whatever you order (or don't be shy about sharing a plate). We already have this on the list of places to visit every time we are in Chicago. If I could name one regret, we went to this place on the same day as the Taste of Chicago and did not have enough room in our stomach's for all the deliciousness! Definitely put this place on your list! read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good service and good food! Tried the rib tips and wings and that combo was great. Location is a bit old but this is Chicago so it's part of the charm. read more

OMG !!! If you want Some excellent BBQ this is it . Meaty Meaty tips , the sauce is Boss on every piece of meat . Don't go no where else this is the spot . They got Turkey tips , Chicken tips, And of course Pork tips . Robot server if you dine in . Down town is dine in . read more

food came out really quick and was solid on the classics. nothing new or surprising. mac and cheese was seasoned to perfection and they had this little sever robot read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - tip and Rib Tip & Wings, Collard Greens, Mac & Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ok so this place is located on the second floor of a building, but it has the entire second floor so you can't get lost. The escalator didn't work, but there was an elevator near by. Once at the top, you're inside the restaurant. I sat at the bar, the place wasn't crowded, but a table for one was not easy to sit since most tables were for larger parties and the tables near the windows were taken. The food is brought out by a robot if you sit at a table, but at the bar, the bar tender gets the food from the robot to serve to you. I ordered the rib tips and wings combo with a hot link on the side. The wings and rib tips come with fries and tiny smidgen of slaw . Rib tips and wings are the best I've had from a restaurant! The people of Chicago will say their BBQ scene sucks, but Wilma's can't be in the category! I refused to go to any other bbq spot in the city because I just know that it can't get any better! The hotel staff and my ride share driver told me I picked a good place! Another place was recommended but if the people of Chicago say stick to Wilma's that's what I'm going to do and it did not disappoint. This is the downtown location so expect to pay downtown prices and gratuity is already added to the check no matter the party size. You are more than welcome to tip extra of your so desire. Man I wish I could take a plate or two home!! I asked for no sauce on the wings because I needed to know if that chicken was really seasoned or if the sauce was hiding a flavorless non seasoned wing. Wings seasoned to perfection!! Go get you some! read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Rib Tip & Wings ( I asked for no sauce on the wings) and the fries are under the tips and wings - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Soul Food Egg rolls are worth the drive all by themselves. The rib tips were good, but the Soul Food Egg rolls were off the charts good. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is top notch. Our son graduated the navy and was craving bbq. I wanted Chicago dogs or beef sandwiches but it wasn't about me. I didn't want to go at first since every state I've been to has good bbq but this was amazing bbq. We are from the west coast and hands down the best. We were constantly getting punched in the face with flavor. Flavor bombs galore and when we come back to Chicago this is the first place we are going. The staff were so nice and made us feel like we were at a family dinner. Wilmas please come California. Our server was Alexis and she was superb. Amazing read more

My wife and I visited the downtown Chicago location on Monday 5/25 for the first time, and it definitely will not be our last. The food was outstanding and came out quickly, hot, and fresh. The service was just as impressive. Our bartender, Bri, was friendly, attentive, and did an excellent job throughout our visit. She also made one of the best Sidecars I have had in a long time. It is a cocktail that many places struggle to get right, but hers was perfectly balanced and exceptionally well made. We also had the opportunity to speak with the General Manager, Fallon, who was equally great and made us feel welcome. We are already longtime fans of Wilma's and frequently visit the Dolton location. In fact, just a few days before this visit, I used the Dolton location to cater an event at my store, and the food was a huge hit. Simply put, Wilma's is the best barbecue I have had. Since discovering them, I have not found a reason to go anywhere else for barbecue. Too often people only leave reviews when something goes wrong. I wanted to take the time to recognize a team that got it right. Great food, great service, and great people. Highly recommend. read more

I had to ask for water. Say there for 15 min before I had to stop a waiter instead of someone asking me if I was helped, no one knew who was supposed to serve me. I received my food before the silverware and drink, and my food was cold. Lastly, I was told they didn't have greens then the next table got theirs! read more

I got Wilma's delivered today because it was the fastest. It was so delicious! The cat fish is moist and flavorful. Literally one of the top pieces of catfish I've even had. It would have been even better fresh at the restaurant. I also got the rib tips which are thick, meaty and moist. The serving was very large for $15. I was able to split it into two meals. My wife got the peach cobbler and loved it. She just wished the peaches were cut into smaller pieces. We aren't sure if it's fully worth $16 but it was good. read more

Our server Jasi was amazing! We had great service! We tried the soul egg rolls 12/10 experience with the yams, mac&cheese, greens and turkey WOW!!!!! I came during lunch time and the meal portion super good for the price! 9$ for a rip tip combo HELLLLLLL YEAHHHH! In the end the GM Fallen was making rounds and being hospitable!!! great experience!! read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had been wanting to go here for a while. Went to celebrate with family and had a ball! First HAPPY HOUR is until 7:00! Winning. The food smells so good getting off the elevator I couldn't wait to taste it and I was not disappointed! The bbq sauce was amazing, the meat was tender and the soul rolls delicious. The service from the bartender to the waitress was top tier! Great job Wilma's. read more

Another location that was highly recommended. In close proximity from hotel so we enjoyed walking over. Upon arrival, there was a little confusion on where to seat us. We ultimately ended up at a high top island. Ariel was our server and she was nice. After recommendations we decided to go with her recommendations Soul roll: Mac n cheese, collards and smoked turkey; the dipping sauce was l yam juice. OMG Daily special: 10pc wings, collards and cornbread. The chicken was crispy and hot, the greens with bits of turkey paired with the buttery cornbread was amazing Wilma's Punchbowl: very surprised at how good this one was. You can choose from either the BBQ or Jamaican jerk menu. It's a pretty laid back establishment with Music and televisions going in the background. Located upstairs so you access it very an elevator. It's pretty spacious. We missed happy hour which is 4-7. The food is delivered by the little robots, which is cute. read more

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Good food. Must come during happy hour. The pork rib tips were fire! I had to get an order to go. Baked beans and cabbage was on point. Angie our waitress was amazing. Beautiful person. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Solid tips, nice portion, my food was ready when I arrived. I was the sauce was a little tangier but that just preference. read more

Wilma's Famous BBQ & Tavern - Large Rib Tips - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My Other Mother said she wanted to come here for her birthday after seeing it on TikTok. So We Said let's Go! I know they have Valet Parking but I choose to do Spot Hero Parking. When Arriving there are several picture opportunities and of course we took advantage of it. The Place wasn't too packed but it was just the right amount of people for an early evening meal. Our server was very nice and friendly and accepted all the changes that we made. I went with the Turkey Tips, Mac & Cheese and Fries. Mama went with the Fried Platter and Sis went with the BBQ Platter. I really enjoyed everything I got. I even tried some of the Fried Platter and it was pretty tasty. The biggest grip that I have is that it was kind of overpriced for BBQ. I understand that we are downtown but dang. Overall the food was good but kind of pricey. read more

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I visited yesterday and I must say that I was very disappointed. My jerk oxtails came out cold. We ordered 3 plates of oxtails and 2 of them were cold. We sent them back only for them to return burnt and inedible, we ended up just taking them off of our tab. The sides were mediocre, the greens were under seasoned, the Mac and cheese were ok. I will say that the jerk wings and the rib tips were the highlight of the things we ordered. I would not go back as it was $129 for oxtail, jerk wings and an order of happy hour rib tips. Too expensive for mediocre food. read more

I went here again for Mother's Day, and my experience was not as great as the first time that I went. We were sat down almost immediately, but a server did not come to see us for 10-15 minutes. They let us know that the entrees would take about an hour to come out, but appetizers would come out almost immediately. The bbq food and mozzarella sticks were just as good as it was previously. The problems arose with the jerk food that I ordered. I ordered a half dark, and I had to send it back twice because they gave me white meat. The first few times, my meal did not come with the plantains. The macaroni and cheese was okay. The jerk chicken looked delicious when it came out, but it wasn't the best. It was not nasty, but it was average at best. The plantains were kind of hard, but they were still tasty. Overall, I would recommend going for BBQ and skipping the jerk. I also don't recommend going on a holiday because they did not seem prepared for the crowd. read more

If I could give this place 10 stars I would!! This was so damn good. Chicago really has good food. The music is a gem!! People are just vibing I loved it all. My server was so sweet. She kept checking on me to make sure I was good. Whatever drink I was drinking the remy lemonade put me on my a**. I had to stop to make sure I get back to my hotel. This plus is a must. Love it and will return!!! read more

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