Chicago Q Reviews
Submitted by D “Juanito” H on 01/25/2022
D “Juanito” H 3 stars rating.
I reviewed Chicago Q a long time ago but I have decided to rewrite my review now since the place has changed a lot.
We have been coming to Chicago Q on and off since it was opened. I still rememeber our waiter told us on opening day that the chef won the throw down with Bobby Flay and the food definitely backed it up. We didn't go as often as we would like because service was always very slow. There was a time when we sat down and no one came for over 15 mins and we saw all of the wait staff walking pass us during this whole time. We just left.
It WAS quality BBQ, tender meats, perfect smoke and unforgetable sauces. You can enjoy the delicious pickled cucumbers and chips while you wait for your food. After all of these years, the flavor of the food has not changed but the quality has gone down hill for sure. We came on a Saturday night and there was no one here. I think partially because of the COVID protocol (vaccine card check, and yes get your shots), partially because of the same old boring menu and partially because of the food quality. The meats are definitely on the drier side, like others mentioned, reheated. My whole rack of St Louis ribs shrink down to 60% of its original size. I can understand COVID has caused a lot of issues for many people but cutting these corners will simply make things worse in my opinion. One thing I just found out, they started charging for the chips and the pickles that was given out for free, $3 each and no refills. Seriously, pretty soon they will start charging for toilet paper, nakins and take home boxes. The menu prices have already increased by 20-35%.
I used to pick Chicago Q over Bub City and definitely Carson's, so even though the service was slow I will still make the effort to come once in a while. But now it will be a very long time before I will come again or never. No wonder there is no one here on a Saturday night.
David McHenry 5 stars rating.
If you haven’t been here your gonna love it! They have the best macaroni and cheese. I often have thoughts about it! The pulled chicken sandwich is a great pairing you can’t go wrong! Service is above and beyond I would recommend to everyone!
Submitted by David Mchenry on 09/15/2022
naxhely mercado tena 5 stars rating.
Everything was amazing! The food was delicious, we got the mac & cheese, the baby back ribs and the brisket sandwich. All of them super tasty , BTW you have to try the french fries. Our server was really nice and delivered a great service, and the ambiance was the perfect complement of an incredible experience! I will definitely come back and recommend it!
Submitted by Naxhely Mercado Tena on 09/04/2022
Peter Lu 4 stars rating.
[My review always starts at 3 stars] Food 3 stars, Service 5 stars, Location and Atmosphere 4 stars, overall 4 stars. Chicago Q is an upscale venue featuring Chef Smith's BBQ. Maybe Chef prefers to let ingredients' flavors shine on their own, unfortunately this particular style of BBQ is not very memorable to me. Staff, space and the pop music are great though! Will keep this alternative spot in pocket when making a trip to Smoque is not possible. Thanks for the hospitality!
Submitted by Peter Lu on 08/29/2022
Abdulaziz 4 stars rating.
Had good bbq here. Not the best but definitely above average. The prices are a bit on the higher side. Quick service.
Submitted by Abdulaziz on 08/26/2022
Priscilla A 2 stars rating.
I was really excited to visit, but was really disappointed in the food. I ordered half chicken and brisket with a side of baked beans and coleslaw. The brisket was dry and chicken was not seasoned and also dry and tough. The baked beans were lacking as the burnt ends of the over cooked brisket were included. It’s almost like they fully cooked the meat and then warmed it in the microwave. You can get juicier chicken from Boston Market! The only highlight for me was the coleslaw. It was fresh and well made.
The staff was nice and pleasant, but with bad food, it’s hard to really want to come back. This is definitely not a place I would recommend. If you’re ever in New York, Mighty Quinn’s is the place to visit!
Submitted by Priscilla A on 08/21/2022
Anthony Passaglia 4 stars rating.
Not quite Dixie-Q but very good! Fried Green tomatoes and alligator bites earns it a Southern feel. I've been here a few times now and will continue to come at least until I've tried everything. Fried Chicken, Burnt ends and a good representation of BBQ makes it a favorite downtown....get here 4-6 and have a rye old fashioned and eat a carrot cake just smaller than a human head!
Submitted by Anthony Passaglia on 07/13/2022
Esther 4 stars rating.
Decent bbq, but honestly the meat was quite dry on both the brisket and ribs.
Not bad of an option for a nice get together for an event though because the ambiance is pleasant and there are a lot of seating options.
Submitted by Esther on 07/05/2022
Francine Wong 3 stars rating.
Went here on a Thursday night with some friends for dinner, it was not too busy and we were seated immediately (although we did have a reservation).
For starters: I would skip the alligator bites, didn't feel like they were anything special but they were not bad. I highly recommend their hush puppies, so fluffy and full of flavor. The sauce was a good addition too. Fried green tomatoes were good, I thought the breading was crispy
For the main courses: I got the Q3 dish and got the mac and cheese side (for additional $2.50). I felt the brisket and pulled pork was a bit dry but the ribs were cooked really well and fall off the bone. I highly recommend the mac, the panko topping was crunchy while the cheese was melty and perfect. I wish the actual bbq was better since that is supposed to be their bread and butter but it was overall a decent dining experience.
Submitted by Francine Wong on 05/07/2022
Marissa S 3 stars rating.
I have been wanting to try this place for a while now, but I would say it's definitely not the best bbq I've had. If you're someone who makes mac and cheese or cornbread from scratch, you probably won't think their sides are all that. Ordered ribs and to me they were good, but I'm sure you can get actual fall off the bone ribs somewhere else for less $$. Hush puppies were really good and our service was great though.
Submitted by Marissa S on 04/04/2022
Michael Gomez 3 stars rating.
Came here to eat with a friend. Got the hush puppies and gator wings for an appetizer were really good. I had the chicken sandwich which was basically 3 pieces of chicken stacked on top of each other. Sandwich was very dry and had too much batter. Waiter was very good and attentive. Nice low lit atmosphere.
Submitted by Michael Gomez on 04/04/2022
Kisha Johnson-Smith 5 stars rating.
Chicago Q is a worthy spot in downtown Chicago. Everyone enjoyed their food. The Mac & Cheese is rich! The ribs are perfectly cooked…the meat falls off the bone! The shrimp & grits are good but needs the smokiness of the Andouille sausage, which is not present. Great atmosphere and bigger than meets the eye. I enjoy the quaintness of the bar area. The hostess & her husband make (waiter) a great pair!
Submitted by Kisha Johnson-smith on 01/02/2022
Rovik Robert 4 stars rating.
Cool spot with sit-down bbq - don’t expect a shack-style atmosphere here. Meats are decent, although the sweet pickles are memorable. The main critique is that the meats are a bit too dry but the sauces help with that. Mac and Cheese also is decent. Service is friendly.
Submitted by Rovik Robert on 12/31/2021
Ope Olu 1 stars rating.
I and my friends went here for dinner. We all came to Chigaco from different states and was exited to eat here. You can imagine the disappointment when each person’s food ends up tasteless. It literally tastes like it just got cut and cooked. No salt or spices. Ribs were as dry as wood.
I had such a bad night there. How can you cook salmon wrong??? Chicken was absolutely tasteless, brisket was like paper ???? Either the chef hated us or just cooks really bad.????????♀️
The only good thing was the hushpuppy.
The waiter was very kind and the ambiance is decent. The food however, is a big NO!!!
Submitted by Ope Olu on 12/08/2021
Sean Mroczkowski 3 stars rating.
Nice building and staff...oh and the coleslaw. That's kinda it. BBQ sauces were mehh.. Our entrees were lukewarm at best. Pulled Chicken, brisket and ribs were dryyyyy. Wish I brought Lillie's bbq sauce to help out the night.
Submitted by Sean Mroczkowski on 09/08/2021
