Now you can get the award-winning BBQ from Lillie's Q without going to Bucktown. more ›

Brisket, pulled pork and chicken may sounds like a standard BBQ menu, but new food truck Brown Bag Lunch Truck brings new flavors to traditional favorites using special slaws and spices to create a new breed of BBQ sandwiches. more ›

When I arrived at the Green City Market BBQ at 4:30 yesterday afternoon, the thermometer had already topped 100 degrees. My shirt soaked through in the first 10 minutes - and my plight was nothing compared to that of the chefs, standing over hot grills. But, that's not what guests to the BBQ will remember. They'll remember the entire Chicago food world, including every restaurant you've ever heard of, standing out there cooking and sweating together, to support an organization we all love. more ›

"Barbeque for us means smoke," says Smoke Daddy owner Derek Rettell. "A lot of barbeque places don't smoke, but our smoker is going 24/7." With the trendy BBQ craze in Chicago going full blast, we decided to learn how it was done from a classic spot. Smoke Daddy has been open in Wicker Park for 16 years, and Rettell and his crew know a few things about making great barbeque. We spent a morning surrounded by wood and meat, and came out happy, full and smelling like a campsite. more ›

Travel and Leisure Magazine has just put out their yearly "America's Favorite Cities" issue. The new survey ranks cities in tons of different categories and, interestingly enough, splits the results into "visitors" and "residents." We're statistics nerds, so it was interesting to see the differences between how we see ourselves and how others see us. On the food side, the results were interesting and a little surprising. more ›

Unlike last year, when a fast but furious downpour hit just as the gates opened, the weather cooperated at last night's Green City Market Chefs BBQ. With the talents of most of the city's best chefs and cocktail alchemists on display, some folks have called the annual event "the real Taste of Chicago." It's certainly a Bizzaro version of Taste. While there weren't any turkey legs bigger than a baby's arm or random acts of violence, there was beer can chicken (courtesy of the folks at NoMI) and an estimated 2,000 people paying $100 a ticket for the chance to get their grub on during a hot and muggy Chicago evening. more ›

Last September's tour accident that left the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir gearless and with significant medical debt has brought together the city's local musicians and fans through countless unique and proactive benefits. The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir united the Chicago music scene through their passion, humble demeanor and ambitious spirit. And with respect, we've just wanted to channel those same ideals towards helping the band get back to doing what they were born to do, as soon as possible. more ›

So yesterday was the annual chef's BBQ at Green City Market, which a few folks on twitter have called "the real Taste of Chicago." No arguments there. Not even a passing thunderstorm could keep people away from indulging in pure unadulterated gluttony. more ›

Green City Market will be packed this evening on a picture perfect night for grilling and BBQ as they host their annual chef's BBQ. The BBQ brings together a Justice League of chefs making dishes using food procured directly at the market. Food tends to go fast and furious here; they've actually run out of some dishes at previous incarnations. Get there early. more ›

For Memorial Day, The Chopping Block is hosting a BBQ Bash at their Lincoln Square location. The bash is an "open-house-style cooking class and party" on their patio with all the proceedes going to veterans via the Disabled Patriot Fund, a not-for-profit that helps Illinois veterans wounded in Iraq or Afganistan. Cook and dine on slow-smoked BBQ pork, balsamic-glazed skirt steak, beer can chicken, three bean salad, blueberry pie a la mode and sip on (free) lemonade and Goose Island Beer. The classparty is from 12-3pm, sponsored by Goose Island, Paulina Market and Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet and is $75 per person. Yes, more than your typical back yard party but it's for a good, local cause. So do it. With a smile and hungry stomach. more ›

Well, we guess that whole "we'll store anything approach" must be making bank, because somehow Jones secured the capital to open a BBQ / Foot Massage joint. Just don't go accidentally barbecuing a foot! more ›

It's mid-July which means that many tastings and fixed price dinner events have a Bastille Day theme. Here are a few of note more ›

Holiday weekends tend to bring out the freak accidents and unfortunate circumstances. This weekend is no different. Already there are reports of: more ›

The World Championship BBQ Competition in Memphis ended last weekend and some locals brought home a trophy. more ›

With the warmer weather upon us, we've been outside exercising more and not really into the heavier meals we enjoyed during our winter hibernation. What we've been digging is a well-made salad for a meal, but salads can get really repetitive and boring if you're not careful. more ›

It's completely OK to laugh at this because no one got hurt: A truck carrying 50,000 pounds of beef ribs caught fire last night near Hazel Crest. Authorities don't know what exact cut of rib the truck was hauling, but made plenty of barbecue jokes. Mmm, barbecue smell. more ›

It's no secret that we're big fans of pigs here at Chicagoist (especially the mini variety). So of course we're going to be celebrating National Pig Day today at Brookfield Zoo. Started in 1972 by two sisters in North Carolina (where they also love their pigs), the day was set aside to honor the smart and tasty barnyard beast. more ›

But [Village Manager Mark] Rooney and [director of economic development for Wheeling James] Lang said the village never intended to stop anyone cooking for their church or any other religious organization. more ›

Chicagoist's general rule toward our vegetarian tendencies is, if we wanted a dish-chock full of meat, we'd eat it. As such, plates full of fake meat masquerading as juicy animal parts (a vegan Reuben sandwich, for instance) generally hold little appeal, and we instead opt for dishes full of clearly identifiable veggies or simple marinated tofu. more ›

We sometimes feel that turkey is the ugly stepchild of sandwich meats. Why get dry, boring turkey when crispy bacon, juicy roast beef or succulent ham are calling? When paired with the right ingredients, turkey doesn't become a liability—it becomes an asset. more ›

Let's keep the party going. The list continues! -That with Smoque, Honkey Tonk and relocated Honey1, we're finally getting some halfway decent BBQ in town within easy reach of the north side. - That we can know how most Chicago sports fans feel about a story simply by assuming it's the opposite of what Jay Mariotti thinks - That we won't be wasting more b-day money on Super Bowl t-shirts, Bears jerseys, etc. this... more ›

If there's one thing we brought back to Chicago with us after our six years down south, it's certainly our love for smoked meats. We'd always loved ribs as far back as we can remember, but exposure to true Southern BBQ raised our expectations to a whole new level. We learned that meat is meant to be lovingly smoked for hours in order to achieve the perfect symphony of tastes and textures. more ›

Lately we've dedicated more than a few sentences about Honky Tonk BBQ, the new Pilsen-based barbecue restaurant officially opening in late September. We even announced that they were doing a sneak preview of their menu last weekend. Having sampled their 'cue while making our rounds on the street fair circuit we had a lot of questions, mainly about the true quality of the meat. more ›

A few weeks back in one of the "Friday Buffet" installments we wrote about Honky Tonk BBQ, a vendor that's been traveling around the street fair circuit all summer serving up some decent barbecue, but nothing that makes us start searching for superlatives to describe it. We've attributed that to them traveling around, spending full weekends with the same stuff to sell to passers-by who might be more interested in purely bacchanalian pursuits. Our suspicion is that, once they officially open to the public in September, Smoque might be in for some serious competition for the attentions of foodies and BBQ enthusiasts. more ›

Chicagoist has long been a fan of Goose Island beers. Not only have they long been a staple Beer of the Week, but we're pretty sure our names are on a plaque somewhere on the pub walls as "Masters of Beer Appreciation," a feat accomplished in the hazy years before our baby. What we didn't know then was that we could have our kid and our beer, too. more ›

This clip from The Simpsons is as good a place to jump off this week, as we're leaving to see the film after we file this, and the beginning setting is at a fair. Which makes a nice segue for us. Last week, we went to the South Side Arts & Music Fest we profiled in last week's installment and were confronted with the sticker shock of seeing a funnel cake sell for nine... more ›

Twelve pieces of salmon-pink, slimy, sliced smoked turkey deli meat were piled on top of each other with a plop of tasteless coleslaw, a teaspoon of cranberry sauce, and a whole lot of "adobo sauce" which looked and tasted like Sriracha. Meet the mediocre "Maya F," one of the 100+ sandwiches on the menu at the second outpost of Jerry's. The Division Street location officially opened on Monday, though people have been packing the place since the beginning of July. And we couldn't blame them; at $8.25 for a sandwich and two sides, it presents an upscale yet inexpensive take on a food that almost everyone can appreciate. more ›

Taste of Chicago left a bad taste in the mouths of some; 17 people have become sick after eating tainted food from the Pars Cove booth at the annual food fest. Five of these have been diagnosed with salmonella contamination.This is the first time in the Taste's 27 years that there has been an incident like this. more ›

No repartee this week, all business. - We've received e-mails from concerned people and had to check it out for ourselves, and it looks as though Cereality at 110 South Wacker has closed down, only a couple years after Chicagoist (among other media) made a big fuss about its opening. There's even a "For Rent" sign in its front window. This kind of reaffirms our faith in the human race; if people won't pay $4.50... more ›