Bar-B-Que Bob’s

i first discovered this place at ribfest 2010, and have been a fan every since. As i walked the fest i would ask random individuals ‘who has the best ribs?’ and the answer always came out the same «Bob’s.» So of course i made it my mission for the day to try their ribs. The first couple attempts they weren’t ready, both times being told it would be at least an hour, but when that hour was up, it was SO worth it. Their ribs are meaty, tender, have a great smoked taste and the sauce is awesome. The Sauce is thick, tangy and sweet, it compliments the ribs well.

Closed
Any other good BBQ delivery around here?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
My brother sent me a text saying this place had closed, and I guess it’s true.
Is nothing in life sacred anymore?
RIP, BBQ Bob’s, your pulled pork sammiches and mac n cheese will be greatly missed.

I went by on Saturday to purchase a bottle of sauce for a friend who lives out of state, only to find the store front completely empty. Goodbye BBQ Bob’s, you will be missed.

I’m sorry to say, but it looks like Bob’s might be closed.
On our way home on New Years day — we noticed they were removing all his appliances out of the store front.
When I was there back in Nov — I talked to his niece and she said they were trying to cut back hours/​days open — I didn’t expect them to close out all together. Sad to see them go.

After reading all the reviews on Unilocal I was super excited about trying out Bar-​B-​Que Bob’s. But I ended up being a little disappointed. We ordered the brisket, rib tips, wings, mac and cheese, fried okra, and cornbread. Everything we ordered was average — I’ve had better brisket, the mac and cheese was the quality you’d get at KFC. The fried okra and cornbread were very tasty, loved those. As for the service: fast and friendly and close to our apt. Overall we’ll probably go back, but it didn’t blow my mind like I had expected.

EXCELLENT ribs – huge meaty pieces like I’ve never seen in any of the other vaunted barbecue joints, cooked perfectly, and sauced judiciously so that the meat does all the talking. A half slab was seven luscious ribs which rank among the best I’ve ever had.
They offer you a side cup of sauce (no ketchup required for those fries) which seems like a sweet, mesquite style with a very slight tang. Thumbs-​up on the sauce. I’ve also tried the spicy sauce but it’s not much to my taste.
The pulled-​pork sandwich is solid, with nice chunks of meat and not just little strands, and very generously sized. I recently got the rib tips, most of which were either overly fatty or dry and chewy; however, like the rips, each tip has a lot of meat, not to mention that you get a big pile of them even in a «small» order.
Broasted chicken? Sure, I’ll try it. The batter has no flavor to speak of, but the meat is juicy and piping hot. Just dip it in the side of barbecue sauce, presuming that you were smart enough to accept one.
Fries and cole slaw, meh. (Although I will say that the fries heat up well in the oven, which is great because by the time the stuff gets to my house via takeout or delivery, the fries are always soggy.) Fried okra, ho hum. Barbecue chicken a little dry but generally serviceable. The mac and cheese isn’t Orbit-​Room-​quality but it’s not as worthless as others have stated. I like the thick, cheesy texture; it just needs a little extra flavor. Open up your spice cabinet and sprinkle on a little something such as paprika or chili powder.
Another reviewer mentioned them having no diet soda; this is no longer true. They have cans of Diet Pepsi and Diet Rite, and two-​liters of Diet Rite (free two-​liter with a GrubHub order over $ 9). Oh yeah, did I mention that they’re on GrubHub?
Friendly people, delicious eats, and incredible value. Not to mention handy to my commute home from work – a dangerous combination.

Affordable and good barbecue. It is a pain in the butt to find places with decent rib tips on the North side of Chicago. It is a pain to find places that serve rib tips on the north side of Chicago. Ever since Carson’s closed on Ridge Ave, Chicagoans are forced to buy average ribs from a pizza or Italian food vendor. No offense to them for trying, but it’s never worth the value of the spend. I’ve always known about Bobs and passed through often, but never able to order since they were always closed. They keep strange hours, open and closing at their discretion rather than posted hours. I’m guessing that based on my own experience and not for certain.
It was a weekend evening, just finished some shopping in the far North burbs and decided on having Carson’s of Deerfield. You’ll never believe what they told me, when I placed an order for a bucket of tips. «Sorry, but we’ve run out». How the Fuck could you guys run out of rib tips! Blasphemy! Never had I heard such a thing from the Chicago Carson’s. So, because Carson’s of Deerfield were so bogus, I was made into a new customer of Barbecue Bobs. Price was right, tips had the right amount of meat and fat, just as Darlene R. mentioned in her review. (She’s in my trusted taste list, so I knew I could trust her taste buds) We were able to make use of a daily special to get a half slab for a very attractive price. Fries orders here are plenty, meaning you get a large quantity, which was great for the kids in our party. Cornbread and soda options were blah, so I’d advise to get your drink on elsewhere.
Bob’s is located in a strip mall and most would carry out their food. There are two tables with chairs, best only for singles or waiting.

Wednesday night, I get asked the big question, what do you want for your birthday dinner? I think about it for a moment… I have the pick of Chicago, anything I want will be provided unto me. A moment later, it hits me: I want ribs. A quick jaunt onto Unilocal finds Bar-​B-​Que Bob’s right down the street from where we are, so we walk over.
My first visual impression was both good and bad. I’ve always felt that the best food comes from the dumpiest places, but then so does the worst. It’s a wicked game they play on us to intrigue us. Three square tables randomly laid out in the dining area, surrounded by chairs. a big counter and a chalkboard menu, and a teeny TV blasting whatever crap the UPN is airing these days.
I man up, walk up to the counter, and proudly declare my desire for ribs, a full rack of baby back. The girlfriend orders a half rack and some sides, and I decide that some mac and cheese and fried okra would compliment my meal nicely. The nice lady with the awesome hairdo at the counter takes the order and payment, and we camp out at the one table under a working ceiling fan and chill while the smells tease our now hungry tummies.
A while later (which is fine when waiting for ribs, fast = crap), the nice lady comes out with a tray full of food and lays it out for us. I’m a little puzzled why my full rack came out in four different pieces instead of the customary one or two, but I don’t think too hard about it. The girlfriend’s half rack is fully intact, and the sides look pretty yummy.
I’ll talk a little about the sides before we get down to the business of ribs. The mac and cheese? Don’t order it. Just don’t. The fried okra, on the other hand, is a must-​have. Maybe it’s because I’m from the west, but I’d never eaten fried okra where the okra was fresh before they cooked it up. Oh my gods, what a difference this makes. So tasty, so juicy, and perfect dipped in their spicy BBQ sauce. I don’t eat cole slaw, but the girlfriend ate all of hers, so that’s saying something.
Now onto the main event: the ribs. They were good. Not quite mind blowing, but still good. the meatier parts of the ribs were, disappointingly, a little dry, but the rest of them saved the experience, as they were juicy and the season/​basting was brilliant. Both the regular and spicy barbecue sauce are delicious, and as I speak my mouth waters for the leftover ribs and okra that are now heating up in my oven. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to recommend Bob’s as a must-​try and go enjoy some delicious leftovers now.

For this tasting, I gathered two born and bred southerners.
No– not the Mint Julep and sweet tea drinking, big hat wearing, palmetto bug slapping southerners, but GENUINE PEOPLE from the south. You know– the real south. The south that has water bugs, red clay dirt, drinks their tea with OUT sugar, and is known a bit for its fire and brimstone. The part of the country that, along with the b-​i-​b-​l-​e boosts up the britches of the LORD! (I think this description should speak enough for their credentials at BarBQue evaluation. If you need me to connect the dots, you may never understand). I have been tutored most of my life on the fine points of the BarBQue by these two people. I cannot claim to be an expert, but I do know the essentials.
*At this point in time, the author feels a strong need to assert that she, personally, HAS NEVER lived in the ABOVE described South. She has visited. In total honesty, she did live, briefly, in a town known as the boyhood home of one Samuel Clemens and as the playground of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, and Huckleberry Finn. However, that town does not quite fit the above description. * Back to Review*
BAR-​B-​Que Bob’s Won the Seal of Approval from this Team of Tasters! Oh boy did they!
We tried: The St. Louis style Ribs, the pulled pork, the brisket, the fries, the sweet potato pie, the mac n cheese, and the slaw. We tried this for lunch, dinner and breakfast. We LOVED IT!
The ribs were meaty. Flavored well. Juicy. An extra side of sauce was provided.
The pulled pork was fantastic. My father and I thought we were going to have to tackle my mother to get a taste. It was perfect!
The brisket. OOoohhh, the brisket. I love brisket. This is my thing. It was amazing. not fatty, seasoned perfectly, texture– awesome. I want more now! NOW!
The fries, amazing. Not greasy, but — well the perfect amount and hint of grease.
The mac n cheese and slaw were great sides– all finished with Sweet potato pie! YES! I will be back– again, and again and again.
I must say– Bob and the people who were in the store were all exceptionally friendly and helpful! There were people ordering while I was there (Tuesday before noon– and eating in) and when I left. I am thrilled that they appear to be doing well! They should be!

AWESOME RIB TIPS!!! They are smoky and they fall off the bone. It comes with fries and combined with their sauce it was heavenly. Debated a possible 5 star review but I can’t justify it after 1 visit and trying 1 entrée. But boy was I close to doing so. The best BBQ I’ve had in Rogers Park, period. This is just a little place with less than a handful of tables, and customer testimonials written in pen on the wall which I thought that was pretty funny. And when south siders are willing to take the red line all the way to Howard just to eat here, it must be good. And the owners are good people so good people and good food make this place a winner in my opinion.

I’m excited to keep going back to Bob’s so I can fully experiencce their menu. I had the pulled pork sandwich and as everyone said — it’s amazing. I plopped some of my coleslaw right on the sandwich and mowwed down.
J had the ½ rack of ribs which were perfectly and deliciously cooked.
Portions were great size and the tab was agreeable.
I must say the sweet potato pie — AMAZING!!!

Hungry and wanting to try something new I ordered outside my usual Thai places and tried Bob’s.
It was a great decision! The meat was tender and the sauce really tasty, not to sweet and there was lots of it! they even give you a side of sauce!
The coleslaw was disappointing but they only give you tiny side of it so whatever. I just wont order it. The meat made up for the sugary sweet yams. Great at first and I think still great so long as you dont try to finish the side. have a few bites and you’ll stay in love with it!
They were quick and everything was hot. Way affordable for what you get and great bbq!

I’m certainly no expert on Southern BBQ, but the food from Bob’s is delicious and plentiful. We’ve gotten delivery from BBQ Bob’s twice now and both times was terrific. Bob’s is in a really bad part of Rogers Park, near the Howard Street train station which besides being a bit dodgy is pretty far from us. As a result, I don’t think we’ll ever eat on site. Ordering for delivery has been just fine. The woman taking our order was very friendly on both occasions and delivery time was reasonable. Both times the food was perfectly hot when it got to us and the delivery guy couldn’t have been nicer.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the sauces are amazing. This time we got some sides of the spicy sauce as well and it was just as tasty as (though less sweet than) the original. We’ve ordered beef ribs, baby back ribs, rib tips, and St. Louis ribs. We have yet to order BBQ chicken, but that’s next. The best items we’ve gotten were the St. Louis ribs and the beef ribs. There are some mixed reviews on the sides. Since you really aren’t going to Bob for the sides, the fact that I’ve been underwhelmed by them doesn’t impact my score. The kids like the mac & cheese and the french fries. The mac & cheese was a little bland for my taste, but as long as the kids like it it’s fine. The French Fries look like crinkle cut Sysco. Nothing to get excited about. The okra was good but the turnip greens were not so good. The dirty rice was excellent. We ordered a sweet potato pie this time as well and it was delicious.
If you’re concerned about cholesterol and healthy eating, this is not the place to get dinner (for instance even the pie crust I believe has lard in it). More than about once a month is really asking for health problems. But for those occasions when you have some friends or family over and you want a special down home meal to feed them, Bar-​B-​Que Bob’s should really top your list.

I never knew about this place but boy am I glad that I had a bbq craving and used Unilocal to find a true needle in a haystack. I have tried a few different bbq places in Chicago and have been very disappointed. Upon driving into the small strip mall, I noticed a storefront with the establishment’s name on it and thought uh-​oh, here we go again, however I knew I was in for a treat the moment I walked through the door! The service area was impeccably clean, as was the kitchen, which is always a nice thing to see.
The smell was incredible and the menu was very diverse. I couldn’t make up my mind so Bruce offered me a taste of the rib tips. All it took was one bite and I knew I was hooked. I had the tips and wings plate and was amazed at how much food was in front of me! I finished it all and it was truly «finger lickin good”(Sorry KFC!) The sauce is nothing short of AMAZING!
Unfortunately I did not get the name of the woman at the counter, but she was very pleasant and patient whle I was trying to decide what to have. To her I have to say thank you!
I have travelled around the world and have to rank this place in my top 3 places for bbq, period!
All I can say is“Try it you’ll like it!»

I love that this place is so close to my apartment, and the father-​son relationship behind the counter is great — so I got good vibes about the place before I placed my order.
I tried a medium size order of the rib-​tips and a half bbq chicken. Both comes with a side of fries, coleslaw, and some plain slides of breat, and the serving size is good — plenty for a big meal. the rib-​tips were slathered with plenty of bbq bob’s unique bbq sauce — a sweet & thick, KC style sauce with just a little something in it to make it unique. but overall, the rib-​tips were not the best I’ve had… maybe could have been a bit more tender or charred.
The bbq chicken was excellent. Good smokey flavor, tender, and cooked just right. I would definitely recommend this.
The price was a little high for what I got, but would be worth it if the rib tips had been better. I’ll definitely be back to see if my opinion changes.

So when I moved up to Chicago from Georgia I had pretty much written off one of my true loves… good bar-​b-​que. Imagine my surprise when I was messing around on GrubHub and came across a bbq place that delivers to my apartment. I had pretty low expectations originally but have now discovered that Bob makes excellent bbq. I will not go into detail this time about the food but I will say it had become a staple of my diet up here, in fact I consider Bob’s to be my 5^th food group now.
It’s not the best bbq I’ve had but they earn the 5^th star by existing in the city and bringing smoked meat to my front door. Thanks Bob.

The hubs was craving ribs after reading an article about slow-​cooked ribs in the Tribune today. He suggested BBQ Bob’s, but I was a little skeptical. We’ve driven past this place almost every day for four years, and never had a second thought about stopping. But, once I looked at the reviews online and took a quick peek at their menu, I decided it was worth a shot. I have to say, I wasn’t at all disappointed tonight!
We had the beef ribs and the baby back ribs. Both were good, but next time we’ll skip the beef and go straight for the baby back. Saucy, meaty goodness in a styrofoam container! The fries were a bit dry, but after dunking them in the extra sauce, they were quite good. The dirty rice and mac n cheese were both great, too.
Definitely worth the wait! Next time, I’ll order online for quick and easy pick up or delivery.

Oh, Bar B Que Bob’s.
I spend quite a bit of time in Memphis, which as some of you may know is not just the Detroit of the south, it’s got the best BBQ you can imagine. So good and so plentiful, in fact, that it’s enough to make a person think about relocating there… and if it weren’t for the high crime, lack of jobs, and ridiculous humidity, I might just.
But hey, we have BBQ Bob’s in the neighborhood! No need to travel. And the rundown neighborhood just makes it feel more authentic. I don’t know that I’d trust BBQ served on real plates in a white-​tablecloth restaurant.
I usually go for the hot links or the pulled pork — both are tasty, and the link is just hot enough for me. Then I pile on some of the coleslaw and man, it’s like I’m in Midtown again.
A quick rundown of the sides:
mac and cheese — NO (flavorless and mushy)
sweet potato fries — NO (see above)
fried okra — A-​OK but I think they use frozen pre-​made
coleslaw — yes, yes, YES

Absolutely delicious and HUGE portion sizes. I got the pork ribs and I ate until my stomach was jam packed with flavor.
Sure, the ambiance is terrible but that means you can go in a stained bathrobe (like I did) and eat on their dirty plastic picnic tables.
I might not have looked good, but I certainly enjoyed myself.