Top notch BBQ, just loaded wood smoked flavor. The smoker has it own story and that kind of add mystique adds to the experience. Ask your server when you sit down to see the smoker and they will take you down to the basement to see this mythical beast. My two favorite items I sampled were the chicken and brisket. None of their meats require any sauce, but the sauce does add flavor and depth. The one knock I have is that they ran out of Uncle John's hot links. The Friday night crowd must have been really craving some hot links in them. Satisfy your meat urges here!
Review Source:I went to Big Bricks for the first time with a friend last night and it was excellent. Â I got a full slab expecting to take some home, but finished the whole thing. Â The service was very good, even as the place filled up. Â And after talking about how much we liked the BBQ, they showed us their Oyler smoking pit, which apparently is one of 40 in the country. Â I'll definitely be back. Â Well done!
Review Source:I'm having trouble understanding why this place has a 4 star review and why everyone is giving the BBQ such rave reviews. Â I love BBQ, and have sampled every place I can on the North Side, so I was looking forward to trying our this place. Â I can't speak for the other food, but I was extremely disappointed with with the BBQ. Â I got the combo platter. Â The ribs seemed dry, and the rest of the samples seemed bland. Â My friend felt the same way. Â Makes me wonder how reliable/legitimate a lot of these reviews are.
Review Source:My dining partner had been told by a friend this place was good and I had been told by two friends (and Yelpers) so we went over on a Saturday night to the larger  (in size and menu) sister restaurant of Bricks...Big Bricks.
As I mentioned, it's quite spacious with a cool main floor seating and bar area, as well as an upstairs dining room. The menu is more expansive; including many BBQ options in addition to their signature thin crust pizza.
We ordered:
Beer
Two of their pulled pork tacos (free w Yelp Check-in, thanks Yelp!)
They were small but packed with dripping meat. I felt mine had too much cilantro.
(they only have 1 kind of BBQ sauce on the table...most places have at least 2.)
Half rack of Ribs (dry at the server's suggestion), baked beans (with pulled pork in), cole slaw (tiny bit), pickle spear, and comes w a slice of white bread (why? No one every eats it).
He thought the ribs were ok. I kind of agree they have a bit of tug and nice bark but the texture wasn't great. They were large and meaty though. He thought the cole slaw was too mayo-y. The bean we both agreed were good. Large prices of pulled pork and couple tiny bits of onion made them a savory winner.
I got the pulled pork sandwich on brioche bun, macaroni and cheese, the tiny cole slaw.
Stop, collaborate, and listen! The Mac and cheese is one of the BEST I've had in this city! Spiral noodles that's shape really hold the thick, rich cheese...so delicious! A must order. The pulled pork sandwich was good. Meaty and really didn't need the BBQ sauce as the meat was juicy and well seasoned. I could only eat half, my dining partner having had enough pulled pork w the taco and beans preferred to focus on the ribs. Odd thing was the bun top and both sides were very buttered and toasted. The bun was soft, but I guess they toast it to hold up to the drippy meat. Just big butter taste. I'd order it again. I didn't bother w the cole slaw.
The atmosphere was very nice. Well decorated, spacious cozy booths, music at a reasonable volume. It's family friendly and hosts parties. The service from our server, the host, bus boys, manager who checked on us... all outstanding. I really enjoyed my visit and will return to try more of the menu.
My date and I arrived early in the evening last night to dine at Big Bricks (around six PM). The Yelp reviews were great, and we love some good barbecue. Â We were told there were two big parties that had reserved tables (they hadn't arrived yet), so the wait was an hour - even though the huge restaurant was mostly empty. Â Big Bricks was out of the way for us, so we stayed in the area and wandered around outside in the cold for an hour. Â
We came back and the restaurant was still mostly empty. Â We gave them our name again and they said, "Oh yes, your table is over there" and pointed to an empty table a few feet away. Â That same table was empty when we were there an hour before. Â
I don't know what the heck was going on, but I wish they hadn't done that to us. Â Anyway, we really liked Big Bricks. Â The music was good, the atmosphere was nice, and it smelled heavenly. Â
I had the pulled pork tacos; pulled pork in soft corn tortillas with pico de gallo. Â They were really good - the pulled pork was amazing. Â I love how smoky it was. Â I ordered three tacos, but they were really small... just a warning. Â I would've ordered more or something different if I had known. Â My date had the pulled pork sandwich and french fries and loved it. Â
One more thing: watch out for the saloon-style swinging glass doors when you walk in. Â They're dangerous!
After ordering delivery from Big Bricks several times, we finally decided to stop by for an in-person visit. The place was packed, with the upstairs room pretty much taken over by families, which was a great vibe for us. The best first impression, though, was the aroma of BBQ smoke, which we first noticed out on the street and got even stronger inside and upstairs.
Our Yelp check-in landed us a free pulled pork taco, which was delicious. The smoke/fried/sauced wings are even better in the restaurant than delivered. We also tried the smoked shrimp and fried grits, which made this Florida boy happy.
As I'm want to do, I ordered a BBQ combo plate to try as many of the meats as possible. The pulled pork was stellar, smoky and salty with a great pork flavor. The ribs are excellent and the hotlinks were tasty. The brisket had a great flavor and an incredible smoke ring (the menu says they smoke it for 18 hours). My only complaint is that it appears that they did not separate the flat and the point of the brisket, which leaves some layers of fat in the middle of the slices that makes the meat quite fatty and greasy. I think they could achieve just as moist and tender slices of brisket without all the fat if they separated the flat and point and trimmed the fat. In fact, their seasoning and smoke are so good that they ought to make burnt ends with the point, which Chicago BBQ lovers would really get into.
All told, I think Big Bricks is even giving Smoque a run for their money, but I'm not ready to declare a winner.
My wife got the Sweet Heat pizza which was a little too spicy for her and could have used some BBQ sauce, but it had a nice flavor. Our four year old was pleased with the kids' pepperoni pizza.
We keep finding places in this neighborhood to love, and Big Bricks is definitely near the top.
Oh, our server told us that the chef gives a great tour of the smoker, which I will definitely return for at a less busy time of day.
Went to Big Bricks for a family dinner because we were craving some BBQ. My husband and I live a few blocks away and thought it was a new restaurant, but come to find out they've been open for a year. Wish we would have known about them earlier because we definitely would have tried it sooner!
We had several appetizers and entrees for our group of 5 and everything was delicious. Some highlights: the Gumbo Fries, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Brisket, and Combo Platter. Great beer selection too!
Like the dark lighting- nice way to feel cozy on a cold winter night. Can't wait to go back!
Out for a walk on a warm winter Sunday when the thought came up to pop in for a rest and a quick drink... great idea.
Food - ridiculously large wings for a half price special. Do you like BBQ? Amazing flavour sauce. $3 Schlitz tall boy to wash them down.
Service - great, granted it was not busy today but this is not the first time I have been and service had always been attentive no matter how busy.
Place - comfortable. Plenty of space in various rooms.
J: "What makes the ravioli slutty?"
Server: "It is stuffed with spicy Italian sausage."
This conversation happened at Big Bricks. So fantastic!
The pizza and BBQ thing is a bit confusing, but no more than all these Thai-Sushi places we have all over the city. My verdict? Delicious pizza. So-so BBQ, though the BBQ chicken was pretty good.
This is a great spot for Northcenterites (is that a thing?), especially families. This place is enormous and very kid-friendly. Plus, they serve booze for the adults, which is great to take the edge off daily life.
I have had BBQ all over this city, and in many states which are famous for their BBQ sauces and techniques. Big Bricks is easily in the TOP 5 BBQ places I've ever experienced. The service is extremely nice (we were offered a free slab of ribs since we finished our meal right as the kitchen was closing and they didn't want to throw out food). The beer selection is not extensive, but there is something for everyone. The atmosphere is casual and inviting. Best of all, the prices are very affordable for dinner. I can recommend the brisket platter and the hot links platter. Both will blow your mind. GO THERE!
Review Source:Coming off a previous night of food poisoning from the local Chili's, I wasn't sure if I'd make it out to our reservation at Big Bricks. I know, I know, it's my fault for eating a Chili's, but what can I say, it's convenient. But enough about mediocre chain food, lets talk BBQ and Pizza.
We go out to eat a lot, and it's usually these weird upscale restaurants downtown that my wife really wants to try, so when she told me this place had BBQ and Pizza I was instantly sold.. and on top of it, it's right down the street from our buddy's house so it was perfect.
We walked over to the restaurant and our reserved table was already waiting for us. That never happens to us, there's always still a 10-15 minute wait, but I guess when the restaurant wasn't terribly crowded it didn't matter. The beer selection is excellent and the Whiskey/burbon selection is amazing. I can say for those two reasons alone we'll probably be back. But lets talk food.
We couldn't decide whether we wanted to try the BBQ or the pizza as we had heard great things about both. So to compromise we ordered the BBQ combo platter and a pizza. The BBQ combo platter came with a few ribs, pulled pork, sausage and chicken, plus a side (we chose cornbread). Between the 3 of us this was the perfect amount of food, but how did it all taste you ask? The consensus of the group was that the sausage was the least favorite. I actually didn't mind the flavor, but it was a bit spicy for my tastes. I actually tasted kind of like a breakfast sausage with a kick; not bad, but as I said, a bit spicy. The chicken was next. Definitely good BBQ chicken, but I'm more of a fried guy myself. Which reminds me, the BBQ sauces on the tables was outstanding. I'm usually a fan of the thicker, molasses based BBQ sauces over the vinegar ones, but this one wasn't as watery as most vinegar ones, but not as thick as molasses; I'm guessing it was a hybrid... but either way it was delicious.
With the pulled pork and ribs the only thing left to discuss, my decision might surprise most people. I've never been a huge huge fan of ribs in general, and I love me some pulled pork. But I have to say that the ribs here were so delicious I would actually order them over the pulled pork next time. Although if I could get a combo plate and just replace the chicken and sausage with more ribs and pulled pork I would.
The pizza was also quite delicious. I can't remember the exact name of the one we got, but it had spicy pepperoni, garlic, jalapeños and onions on it... and it was amazing. I'm what my friends call a plain-eater, so I normally just roll with Pepperoni, but the garlic and onions were outstanding.
We will definitely be coming back to this place in the near future, especially since it's so close. So if you're looking for solid BBQ and pizza, good beer and whiskey/burbon, you should definitely check this place out. Oh, did I mention that our server was outstanding. She came over and checked on us all the time, she never let a drink run dry and was very apologetic when they were out of my wife's first beer choice as well as her first ice cream choice.
Big Bricks really has something for everyone, with newly expanded menu options now including burgers, specials and smoky meat treats for all, let alone a stellar pizza menu. Â Beverage options tend to be a little pricey but lately I cant go in without ordering a brisket sandwich (with delicious side of fries included).
Real BBQ doesnt need to be drenched in sauce as the meat should speak for itself and not sure why this place doesnt get the love it deserves for their pitmaster. Â Â If not into BBQ, a "Ditka" pizza will surely hit the spot.
Highly recommended and glad they are past service issues and look forward to the Spring in their beer garden.
This place is great- the bar is comfortable, servers are friendly, and the food (we've tried the BBQ, the pizza and some apps) is delicious.
But what really impressed me recently is their customer service. I'd pre-ordered one of their smoked turkeys for Christmas Eve dinner, somehow forgot to pick it up on the 23rd when I was supposed to, and remembered after midnight that night, when they'd already closed. I decided to try calling them anyway, and to my surprise someone actually answered the phone. I was told 'of course, no problem, just come over and get it'- which I did. The woman who opened the restaurant for me was entirely gracious when I got there, even gave me directions for reheating it- all at 12:30AM!
And beyond that, the manager called me the next day, when they weren't even open, to make sure I'd gotten the turkey okay.
How rare these days- a place that goes above and beyond.
Real good pizza and BBQ which you wouldn't think mix but do just fine. Get them both. The place is a little bit family style setup (big booths and tvs around and just generally not sexy) but the food and the good beer selection make this a fine place to go if you want to eat well and don't need to convince a woman to come mate with you after.
Review Source:First outing to a restaurant with our two month old and two year old went as well as could be expected. Nice restaurant. Took us to the back area which seemed like a pretty good space for families. I think they only had one TV which was perfect for us. Great beer selection, very good service, fantastic pork nachos and fair prices. Also tried the pizza and it was not as saucy as I like it, but still good. I will definitely be going back!
Review Source:I have to give these guys props. 5 star joint right here. My only complaint is that they could use another TV or 2 up at the bar area for games, but I guess they might not be wanting to cater to that crowd. Expect a slightly classier pub style atmosphere here. The grub here is not in the same realm as a sport bar. You come here for the food!
They have a smoker in the basement, and they make fantastic BBQ. My buddy and I stopped in to watch football games, but ran off to another bar for better viewing. We decided to return to check out the food since it smelled so good. We stuffed face with many of their dishes, after a good 4-5 hours of football and boozing. Hot/BBQ wing here are unreal, (and half price on Sunday). Smoked Shrimp with fried grits with "naughty sauce", (a cream sauce) was worth coming back for. I put down an order of smoked pulled pork tacos, (which I think they had a $1 taco night) and was almost addicted. I'm a sucker for pulled pork, and tacos. My buddy got the brisket platter, and I managed to steal a reasonable portion of his order when he wasn't looking, and it was killer. I think we both ordered several orders of smoked hot wings each. I honestly can't wait to try more of their menu.
Friendly staff. Friendly bar patrons. I got this chicks number, which was cool. Nice cozy tin ceiling bar room. I guess there is an up stairs bar as well, (didn't see) but there is several rooms to dine, as well as an outdoor patio for when things warm up.
Don't hesitate to try this place out. No lines, no gimmicks, not trendy. Just great smoked goods, served with nice upscale cozy like pub atmosphere.
Although, I wish it had another TV or 2, (they do have a giant projection TV on one wall, but not the easiest to see from the bar).
Oh, almost forgot to mention. Beer choices here are choice! They had a solid selection of taps, and no shortage of odd ball beers. None of the typical Heine, Becks, Light, Blue Moon crap. They even had 3 different taps of Celebration Ale, (WHAAA!!!!?) That's right.. Three of them. One from 20010, 2011, 2012. Just in case you preferred a certain vintage. I've made my rounds of the good beer bars, and that's a 1st for this guy. Cheers! They even stocked bombers of random Clownshoes and stuff. Not extensive, but everything they stock, are beers you want to see. Still, there's enough different beer to keep you busy for a 48 hour rampage. Not that you would do that here. Just sayin' is all.
Atmosphere, grub, service, beer selection.
I give this place 5 snaps in a circle, (daaaaaaaamn).
We came to Big Bricks with a big group (9) and everyone arriving at different times. We had seats in the back and a great server -- Sean. Sean got everyone drinks, we had lots of great pizza and water too.
The Ditka pizza was loved by all, the Kaluhau pizza was adored by the pineapple fans, the Popeye was enjoyed by the garlic fans. Perfect!
The atmosphere at Big Bricks is delightful. There's football on and music, but nothing so loud you can't have a good conversation. (Amazing!) Sean was fantastic and we had a sensational time celebrating. Thank you!!!
I ate here for the first time last weekend, but my husband works nearby and is a frequent flyer. He highly recommends it. The interior is nice abs cozy and we were greeted quickly-- always a good start.
I thought my veggie pizza was very good, though it could have used a pinch more sauce. My husband got the pulled chicken, which he loves. He really, really likes the BBQ sauce. I put some on my pizza (relax, as I mentioned there wasn't lot of pizza sauce on there, so it was like a BBQ veggie pizza) and had to agree it was good. Service was very pleasant, and someone I believed to be the owner came over to check on is. They have a good beer list, too. I know I'll be back again and I hope this place has success in the neighborhood.
After reading all of the 5 star review I decided to check this restaurant out. The interior is very nice but, like most lower to mid-scale restaurants inChicago, there were a lot of big screen tvs with sports on and the volume turned all of the way up so you can't hear yourself think. The service was a little slow and the clientele was made up of a lot of younger couples.
I started out with the pulled pork nachos appetizer and ate it while I examined the rest of the menu. The pork was so salty that between myself and my date neither f us was able to order anything else after attempting to finish it. I left unimpressed.
This place is great! Â Like the others are saying, the BBQ here is amazing. Â Definitely give the brisket a go, it's mind blowingly good. Â Their meats are the real deal and they take the time to do them right. Â If you're not into BBQ for some reason or want to switch it up, their pizzas are delicious too - good crust and sauce - and they have a bunch of unique combos to try out. Â Not to mention they have an excellent beer list, with many brews I haven't seen available at other places.
So, they have great BBQ, great pizza, AND a great selection of beer. Â What's not to like? Â I've been to Big Bricks multiple times and will continue going back. Â And if you don't agree that their BBQ is fantastic, I'll challenge you to a duel.
Great food, service, music and decor. I had the pizza-very tasty. Ingredients were fresh and pizza was cooked perfectly. My husband had the combo-ribs, chicken, hot link and pulled pork. We both thought everything tasted wonderful. Â No wait for a table. Comfy booths. Â Above average beer list-lots of choices. Check it out-you won't be disappointed!
Review Source:This place has some of the best BBQ in the city. Â They have a proper wood burning smoker that they use to its full potential. Â I have been to this location on numerous occasions since they opened and they still continue to impress me. Â Their meats have deep smoke rings and their rubs are balanced perfectly. Â Also, they have a great sauce. Â Seriously, the BBQ is right up there with joints like Honey 1 and Smoque.
I heard that they will be expanding a menu soon too, so I am looking forward to see what they some up with. Â Service is great and the staff is very welcoming. Â Big Bricks is also a great place just to go for a few beers as they have a fairly substantial selection.
The pizza is of course outstanding as you can see from my other review about the Bricks on Sheffield. Â They have about the same selection with a few more pizzas built around their BBQ items. Â Go here, there is a convenient public lot across the street.
We ordered carry out from Big Bricks over the weekend and despite loving the pizza we ordered the BBQ pulled pork, house salad and gumbo for dinner. Â The pulled pork dinner came with cole slaw and baked beans - the baked beans were fantastic - a little spicy and made your mouth pop with all of the flavor of the beans. Â The pulled pork itself was very good - moist and flavorful. Â The pulled pork did not need additional BBQ sauce at all.
The staff here gets a big thumbs up too! Â When we picked up our original order they forgot to provide our salads. Â When we called and returned they apologized and also provided us with additional sides and another salad for no charge. Â It made us feel like they felt bad about the error and we really appreciated it!
Can't wait to go and eat at Big Brick's as the beer list looked amazing!
Wow - can't believe it took me this long to discover this place! Â
Where to start -
- The specialize in BBQ and pizzas ( I haven't tried the pizza so I won't comment)
- BBQ pit in the basement, so all their meats are smoked/cooked in house.
- Super chill atmosphere, great blues/folksy music.
- Awesome beer list, Delirium Tremens ON TAP (I've never seen that). Half Acre on tap as well as a few other locals. Â They seems to specialize on German and Belgium beers! What really impressed me was the attention to detail they posses here. Â Every beer which has a special glass, they have it. Â Guinness, Sam Adams, Stella, ect. are all served in the glass which the brewer intended. Â
- Great whiskey selection (20-30)
For food I tried their pulled pork sliders which were very good. I love the BBQ sauce. Perfect amount of tang, sweet, and kick. I will update this review when I have a chance to try it some more which I will be doing a lot. Â
Here are the daily specials.
Sunday - 1/2 priced wings and $2 Schwag cans
Monday - Pulled rib sliders and $3 off fancy beer
Tuesday - 1/2 priced full slabs of ribs & 1/2 wine bottles
Wednesday  - buy one get one free pizzas and $4 local pints
Thursday - Dollar tacos and 1/2 off 22oz fat tires
BIG BRICKS IS A WICKEDLY AWESOME GOOD TIME!
I am a sucker for any non-corporate, non-chain, pub, bar, tavern, and or pizza/ BBQ spot that has a ton of good beers on tap. There was sports on the TVs when I first walked in which is always a smart move to get me to come back. Myself and some others were given a tour of their smoker setup and and told about their history which was cool to hear about, I feel like most places don't do that kind of stuff.
We had the sliders and tacos which were both amazing, and after some beers we decided to get a pizza too. They had a good veggie option for my friend which doesn't always happen.
All in all, I really recommend this place, and I will be back, for realzies!
Two words:
Slutty Ravioli.
(Who would think they'd ever get to say that?)
I have been here many times since they first opened. I feel like there are two separate entities to review about Big Brick's though: the food and the service.
First, the service:
I graduated in May and was having several guests in from out of town for the day of. I called Big Bricks because I knew they had separate party rooms. I was so sad to realize that they wouldn't be open in time for my graduation dinner. Well, the owner agreed to open up a full hour and half early, just to accommodate me! I mean, WHOA, that is just so kind.
We had a tremendous time at dinner. We sat in the back, and when other guests began coming in, they curtained off our area to keep other noises out. My family and I ate and laughed, and were attended to frequently. My dad picked up the tab and, though I don't know what the total was (liquor and food for 12 people - I'm assuming in the hundreds) he noted his pleasant surprise at the bill.
That being said, the service on a regular visit - the last 5 times or so - is questionable. Not BAD, per say, but just... strange. Every single time we come in, we have multiple waiters or waitresses who don't seem to realize that we have already been helped. We usually have to place our drink orders a few times or explain that our food order has already been taken. Last time we visited, a month ago, we waited 45 minutes to get our check even after flagging a few people down. I earnestly didn't mind a ton - it's just amusing to have both overattentive and inattentive staff all at once.
THE FOOD!
The pizza is not my favorite. I am a total crust fan, and I think the crust is just too bland. It really is a vessel for the entire dish. I long for more depth of flavor - maybe some garlic salt - anything, really.
And that's the only criticism I have...
The barbecue is amazing. Hands down, the BEST pulled pork I've ever had in my entire life.
The slutty ravioli? OH, the slutty ravioli. Sure, there aren't many, but... let's be honest... you probably shouldn't eat more than 4.
I believe the owner is from California and he has some great California wine choices available.
We'll be back. And you should try it out.
Holy Christ on the cross! This place is absolutely beautiful inside. The decor is beautiful and I have never used the word decor in my life before..... I'm 30 so that's a while not to use that word.
Guy working the bar is super cool and the beer selection is top notch. We had the pulled pork plater and a red planet pizza both of which were delicious. Prices were very reasonable and the portion size were great. Great place will be coming back.
I love the restaurant's layout. Â There's an entry room, connected to a cozier back room, connected to an outdoor area with picnic tables.
I thought the menu was kind of weird. Â I ended up ordering the Piggly Po'Boy. Â It's described, terrifyingly, as containing "rib meat debris." Â Debris? Â Not really the word you want to see in something you're about to stick in your mouth.
But my friends ordered the Po'Boy and it looked good. Â I ordered one, too. Â It was fine. Â Nothing amazing. Â I wish the bun were toasted. Â If you're looking for barbecue, it's hard to beat Twin Anchors.
I would expect that a restaurant specializing in pizza and barbecue would be my favorite place to eat. Â As it stands, Big Bricks ranks merely as "satisfactory."
I went back last night, figuring that the ridiculous drunk server was in fact terminated.
I still give the food only three stars, but it's priced fair for the neighborhood. The pulled pork sandwich is pretty dry, but the BBQ sauce is tasty and elevates it. Fries are only OK. I just think I am not a fan of that particular style of fry.
Beer list is still above average.
Patio - 5 stars.
My server last night - 5 stars. I don't remember his name, but he more than made up for any previous weirdness. Attentive, polite and funny.
I will be back for sure. Especially when the weather is perfect for al fresco dining, like last night.
Have to give this place the 5 stars to offset some of the low scores! I've been here one time and can't wait to go back. Our server was very on top of everything, very knowledgable, and super friendly. We had a slab of ribs which were delicious! I'm not used to ribs with a dry rub so it was an unexpected surprise! The sides were good. The beer was great. I really want to try their pizza but don't know if I can NOT order the ribs lol.
This place also has a great atmosphere. No loud music blasting (they have cool fitting music for the theme), and cool decor. Some places have so many tv's that it seems like I'm being FORCED to look at one no matter where I sit. This is a rare bar-ish joint that doesn't do that so Thank You!
Check this place out- it's unique and has great food and beer!
I am huge fan of the Painful pizza at the original Bricks further down on Lincoln. Â In fact, it is listed among my favorite things in my profile. Â I've gone as far as trying to recreate it at home using a Homerun Inn cheese pizza. Â So when a friend and I were walking up Lincoln to Wasabi Cafe and spotted Big Bricks I thought to myself "could this truly be?!" Â I had to find out!
Because my bean was already set on sushi, we decided we'd stop in and grab beer. Â The space is warm and cozy and they had a nice selection of drinks to choose from, though I went with my typical Lagunitas IPA. Â I perused the menu and there it was - The Painful. Â Red onions, fresh garlic, spicy pepperoni and jalapenos. Â I'm telling you, when I eat this thing I have sweat beads dripping down my forehead. Â If spicy is your thing, then order this - without question. Â Fun fact: saw on the News once Brick's also has a Super Painful that has scotch bonnets on it. Â The news anchor took one bite and had to go to commercial, unable to speak, hands grasping for the already prepared glass of milk waiting. Â It was kind of amazing to witness. Â So if you're into a sort of Man Vs. Food challenge...god speed my friend.
I'm looking forward to coming back for some pizza pie.
Like it? I loved it. Holy BBQ-Bonanza Batman. Big Bricks is the best new eatery I've been to in a long time. I was impressed by the food, service and all-around vibe of the place.
Let's face it. I"m a BBQ slut. There's nothing I love more than gnawing on Rib Bones with a good pint of stout. The Ribs at Big Bricks are quite different than anything you'll find in Chicago. Â These aren't your typical sauced up Ribs that you find in the Midwest. These are Texas style ribs that are all about the dry rub. I did add a smidge of sauce to them. I couldn't help myself. The sauce was too damn good. Not only were these Ribs delicious. They were large and meaty. They are larger than the Ribs you usually find in Chicago. Don't get me wrong, I love the sauced up Kansas City and St. Louis style ribs, but the Texas style Ribs were a nice change of pace. You could literally taste the Vinegar in the dry rub. It was a tasty combination of flavors that worked well.
For my side dish, I went with the Au Gratin Potato's. This side dish was a giant bowl of sloppy, cheesy goodness. And I mean sloppy in a good way. Everything my wife and I sank our teeth into was delicious.
Here's the bottom line: If you're a Rib lover, get your ass down to Big Bricks right away. You will enjoy the service and beer selection and the BBQ will blow you away. I left fat, happy and drooling for more. I can't wait to go back.
I was gonna blame this review and the poor execution on the fact that they just opened a week ago, but seeing as how they have a handful of "5 star" reviews, it won't make me feel bad for not liking it as much as I wanted to. Â I mean come on, if they have the ability to do it right, they should and with frequency. Â
The good news is I love pizza and BBQ. Â So much in fact, I giggled when I heard they were opening this world-colliding restaurant just a few minutes from our house. Â The bad news is, you know those cute, rarely seen, magical little BBQ and pizza fairies who were put in this realm to sprinkle deliciousness over all those wonderful ingredients? Â Well, they must of died in a cloud fire, or called in sick after a hard night of drinking, because their tantalizing tastebud dust did not make it to our food.
We ordered a pulled pork platter, a pesto pizza and a BBQ chicken pizza. Â The platter was the first to arrive with the caveat that the pizzas (which our kids ordered) were less than "6 minutes away," Â eh, we could live with that, so we dug into the pork. Â They used the "pulled" to describe this plate, I can only assume that they have a hired a Velociraptor to shred and pull apart the meat until it resembled a form of hash-like substance that tasted fine, but looked meat oatmeal. Â The Au-Gratin potatoes were awesome. Â
Soooo... 30 minutes later or as they say "six" and then "eight" then "a couple" then back to "six" our slowly starving kids received their 10" and 12" pizzas. Â And?????? Â It was just pizza. Â I'll be honest, It was serviceable, but not great and definitely not worth waiting 45 minutes for. Â The pesto was green, which was all that it had in common with it's namesake. Â The pizza was super-sad-bland and the same went for the BBQ chicken one, it wasn't special. Â I wanted it to be, I prayed that it would be, but it wasn't. Â
But let's leave on a positive note.  The service was good, the restaurant was beautiful, the beer list was eclectic and its in a great location. In fact, by the time we left it was full. We've decided to try it again in about a year after they  get good and comfortable. At that point we can hope that its better... we can hope. That's all we can do.
I am SO pumped to be the first to review this location. They just opened tonight and... lemme tell ya - North Center pizza has gone to a whole new level thanks to Big Bricks.
I have been a huge fan of Bricks in Lincoln Park, but rarely found myself there and willing to mess with parking. In the four years I have lived in Chicago I've been auditing pizza joints all over the city and Bricks is by far my favorite. Their toppings pack a MAJOR punch in the flavor department.
Big Bricks just opened this evening and has the standards from their first location: the Ditka, the Berserkly, and all the other completely original flavor combos I've come to love... BUT they have added BBQ to the menu in a BIG way. As in... they crane-lifted a HUGE smoker into the restaurant that can crank out 200 slabs of ribs at once. But never accuse Big Bricks for aiming for quantity over quality. The BBQ on their BBQ pizza was the most tender and deliciously smoked I've had in the city. The sauce was the perfect blend of tomato base and smoky-sweet kick. I could go on...
Bill, the owner, was thrilled to show off his "baby", the smoker, to my husband and I when we asked (though I wouldn't bank on that happening outside of the opening-night fervor) as well as the sparkly new party room upstairs. All in all, I think they've cultivated some artistically delicious pie in that little "purgatory" (as I lovingly refer to it) in Lincoln Park all these years, and now their equipped to pass their perfect pizzas to the masses in North Center.
Just go there. :)
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