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    Windy City Ribs

    3.1 (151 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 3:00 am (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Windy City Ribs Photos

    WINDY CITY RIBS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Windy City Ribs

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    Sky scoreboard and jumbotron screens with Windy City sponsor ad.
    Terrie A.

    This gem is a block or so from Wintrust Arena where the championship Chicago Sky play, and we've been looking for a place that supports Chicago's WNBA team. It's insulting that nearby restaurants that have sports stuff on the wall don't have Sky jerseys too. My husband, looking for another place near Wintrust other than the places on Indiana, spotted Windy City Ribs & Whiskey and suggested we try it. When we walked in and spoke to the very personable and knowledgeable owner, Terri Evans, and she showed us the signed Sky jersey and told us they are one of the sponsors, we immediately felt at home. The space has a cosy bar and it was hopping. There are two sections to eat and we sat in the section with the bar and another table with diners. Their storefront big windows were wide-open, letting the lovely day inside. My husband and his sons love BBQ and shared a platter: ribs, pulled pork, and brisket with two sides- elote spicy corn and fries. They ate it all. If you have a big appetite, a platter could feed one, but it's ok for two, too. The ribs had a tasty rub and the sauce was boss, they said. Ask for more sauce if you need it. There's no sauce on table but the lovely staff will bring you a container. What is on the table, which I saw as a good sign, was a large roll of paper towels. Much better than a weak individual napkin holder, IMHO. I got the fried catfish, which was sweet, melt in your mouth (but hot temp wise so watch out) and the cornmeal coating seasoned just right. My side was elote spicy corn with just the right combo of mayo, butter/margarine, chili, cheese. Corn was crunchy. But the real secret sauce of this place was the vibe from the owner and staff that spilled over to the clientele. They went the extra mile-plus to make sure everyone had what they wanted and were having a good time. It was more than friendly. There was a joy, fun and pride in providing an affordable, fresh and delicious meal. One of the many reasons we're die hard Sky/WNBA fans - in addition to the fun and excitement of the game and the creativity and skills of the players- is the atmosphere at the games. Welcoming- like family reunion welcoming and all are welcome. It's always a racially and LGBTQ+ diverse crowd, families, kids happy and having a good time. Windy City Ribs and Whiskey is an extension of that atmosphere. I don't know when I didn't think to take photos of the food, but I did take a photo of their sponsorship at the game. And BTW, the Sky won.

    Pulled pork along with mac & cheese
    Andre W.

    Me and a friend were looking for a new place to grab lunch and she mentioned she knew the owner of Windy City Ribs as we rode past. I'm usually open to try a place I've never been so I was game. It was around 2:30 in the afternoon on a weekday so no one was really there and we were able to sit anywhere we wanted. I love BBQ and there was so much that I wanted to try, but most of it would have put me to sleep lol! I decided on the pulled pork sandwich along with the mac & cheese. Both were delicious!!! One of the servers had some extra salsa they made and allowed us to try at no charge. Was pretty good, but I was too stuffed to enjoy more of it. Good place and pretty nice staff...would love to come back and try the brisket platter. Yes, they serve liquor here ;P

    Five Stars!
    Matthew B.

    My dad found Windy City Ribs and Whiskey while looking for a place to eat after a Chicago Fire soccer match. The game was an early start, 5:30 on a cool rainy Saturday evening. So we were hungry by the final whistle. We walked 1 mile to get there and it was definitely worth the walk. When we got there the friendly guy at the door greeted us and said we could sit anywhere. We took our seats in front of the TV near the bar so we could watch March Madness (St Peter's beat Murray state 80-70, in case you were wondering). We got our food really fast, a sampler plate of meats. It was spicy and sweet. I really enjoyed the smoky taste. The ribs fell off bone. The smoked chicken wings were delicious, with a tangy rub and crispy skin. But I really liked the spicy and sweet bbq sauce the best. If you find yourself in the neighborhood or are looking for an adventure in the city you should definitely go to Windy City Ribs And Whiskey!!! By Elliott, age 8

    Ketchup packet for scale of these tiny wings
    Jason B.

    WING REVIEW: Really wanted to like this place since I live in the South Loop but the wings were absolutely terrible: tiny, soggy, and bland. I ordered the large ($12 for 15 wings) original hot with blue cheese ($.85) and fries ($2). For $.80/wing I expect a normal size wing but instead they decided to serve wings from a chicken fetus - TINY. I also find it ludicrous that they charge for a dipping sauce! In what world do wings not automatically come with your choice of dipping sauce!? Sadly, when I picked up my order it was empty so it appears that they are combating their lack of patronage by nickle and diming their customers. With so many amazing restaurants in the area, Windy City Ribs is a HARD PASS.

    Smoke Whole Wings
    Kyra L.

    The smoked wings were cooked and seasoned to perfection. Great spot for those late night wing cravings!

    Basic Nachos until you add some magic and swishing
    Andy N.

    The new Windy City Ribs is a welcome addition to the Chicago BBQ scheme. With a couple of hot spots from the West Loop either being closed down or in the verge of an extended break, it's great to try somewhere new and fresh. With it's soft grand opening, Windy City Ribs was offering up some free Slider Trios ($9 usually), so my friend and I jumped on the opportunity to go and indulge. Being that it was new, we knew that they would be working on getting the service down. During our visit, one of the wait staff failed to show up work, so the existing ones were working extra hard to accommodate. I have to give them props for doing their best especially when they were just opening and needed to work out the kinks. In addition to the Sliders, we ordered the BBQ Nachos ($9) and half-slab of St. Louis Ribs ($17). Each plate came with a side of fries with no indication that you could switch it out with another side. Would've been great to try their mac n' cheese etc. Be sure to ask because we would have loved to have tried some other dishes. The sliders were very good- chicken, pulled pork, and brisket. Nachos at first seemed rather basic until you realized all the queso was at the bottom. You must slather their BBQ sauce and mix in the queso in order to have the best tasting nachos you could get. Our ribs weren't bad but they didn't have that smoky "fall off the bone" kind of flavor. I'd skip over these next time. So the Windy City Ribs has got some good stuff. They're working hard to improve their service and food, so it may take a bit for them to get into the groove of things. Good to try and I am curious to see how they do in the Chicago BBQ scene this upcoming year.

    Grant A.

    I like the spice blend they season the fries with, makes for a very savory experience. I thought my rib tips had a good porky experience. I was however disappointed there wasn't any smoky flavor. It also made me think about how I didn't spot a smoker on site.The sauce was on the sweeter side. I also feel for what they charge for a large rib tips there should be more tips in the tray. It should be literally teeming over with rib tips.

    Brisket barbecue nachos
    Rocio G.

    Didn't give it 5 stars because my food was warm not hot. The food was delicious. Sauce was good, needed more. The other problem was, for them to be so close to the Mccormick center , they wasn't prepared for a lot of people. For instance, there wasn't anymore drinks. They had run out. The smoked wings weren't available, they were still cooking. But, I give grace and mercy. Everyone was nice despite a few challenges. My friend in the group had a sampler. She said the green beans were the bomb(good). She said all her meat was good as well. They are attached to a bar. The bartender was nice, but, not so proficient in making a real drink. Overall, go eat here, you won't be disappointed. Just bring your own drinks...

    Sliders: pulled pork, beef and chicken with coleslaw

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    From Memphis TN and must give it up. I've been in Chicago for a few years now and must say I find myself coming back and leaving satisfied.

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    The wait is extremely long the service is terrible you need at least 3 hours before you get any kind of food on the table what a bummer.

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    Windy City Ribs - bbq - Updated September 2026

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