The food is nothing to write home about whatsoever, save that pound cake which is to die for. They understaff their floor and it can be hard to get good service. Not exciting or innovative BBQ, but really packed, presumabley because it does, indeed, have a really fun atmosphere. If you go, go for the music and the beer, maybe eat dessert, but skip the BBQ.
Review Source:I want my baby back, baby back, baby back. Â I want my---
Alright. Â So, this place is definitely not Chili's and I didn't get the ribs, but good Lord does this place know how to make some food!
The boyfriend and I have been wanting to try Honky Tonk for a really long time and finally had the chance to go. Â The place was packed--literally no tables open and people were constantly coming in. Â Thankfully, we were only a party of two and were able to get seated right away at a table tucked in a corner right by the door. Â For future goers, I would suggest not sitting by the door and asking for a different table if you do get seated there since it's SO FREAKING COLD DURING THE WINTER.
Our server came around promptly and got our orders as soon as we were ready. Â The bf and I ordered his and her deluxe platters--mine with pork and a side of garlic mashed potatoes and his with brisket and a side of mac and cheese. Â The meat itself is kind of dry, but when you add the bbq sauce on the table, it is heavenly. Â The meat is very tender and juicy. Â My mouth is salivating just thinking about it. Â The sides are AWESOME SAUCE--corn bread muffins, a hot link (SO DELICIOUS), and the garlic mashed potatoes (my choice) were just heavenly. Â The bf's food was quite delicious too--same deal with the meat..a little dry but perfect with the bbq and the sides were delish.
The service itself was pretty good considering the fact that it was a full house. Â OH, and live music! Â Hooray!
Did I mention that the portions are pretty huge? Â The bf and I food coma-ed our way out.
Overall, very satisfying and I think we found ourselves a new go-to bbq joint!
always down to try a restaurant known for their BBQ and i been eyeing this place for a while.. finally got a chance to try it!
ordered the bacon candy, beef brisket sandwich, rib tips, hot links, and also got a filbertis black cherry soda... the bacon candy has a sweet coating on a thick slice of bacon and it was really good! so flavorful! the beef brisket sandwich was just OK.. not really special... the rib tips was just decent.. they cut it up in big chunks and i find it to be a little too dry.. the hot links was pretty good... the filbertis soda wasn't my cup of tea.. i didn't really like it..
they have a few different choices of sauce to choose from and most of them are great... i will be back to try other food in the menu!
Viking Rib is totally worth the 21 dollars. The rib is nicely done and so huge! It goes extremely well with the hot source and it is a shame they do not compliment such amazing work with homemade special source.
The rib tip is also great. Considering the price tag, it is as good as it gets.
My gf and I have been wanting to go to this place for about a year now but have never gotten the chance. We finally go today and it did not disappoint.
We got there and were seated quickly (nice!).
My gf ordered the deluxe platter (pork) with a side of garlic mashed potatoes.
I ordered the deluxe platter (brisket) with a side of mac and cheese.
Both orders came with a hot link and corned bread.
The hot link and corned bread was freaking delicious.
I thought the garlic mashed potatoes and mac and cheese were just so-so but my gf liked both of them.
The actual meat itself (pork and brisket), I thought it was a tad on the dry side but when you add sauce to it (there were 3 different kinds of sauces on the table) it made
it better.
So we had all that for $40 with tip. Not bad. For the amount of food, I'd say that was a solid deal.
The table next to us ordered a sampling platter and it looked delicious. We are definitely ordering that next time.
All in all, I'd say that this was a pretty good place. Good food for a good price. The only knock on it is that the meat was a tad dry. Other than that, this is a great place.
Took the wife and two kids here after we were told this was the place to eat BBQ in Chi Town. We are from Nashville and know BBQ. Loved the brisket sandwich! Loved the pork sandwich! Both very tender! Three sauces and all were fantastic. Liked the mustard sauce the best! Server and staff were VERY friendly, not sure where the bad reviews came on that. The band that played was a jazz trio and BADASS is all I can say! And it was FREE! Only minor negatives is the food was a little on the Luke warm side and there was no kid menu (which made an expensive meal even though we ate sandwiches! Kids (10-12) LOVED the place (decor and food)!
Review Source:We ate dinner at Honky Tonk BBQ on Friday (2/1), and the food and staff were outstanding. I had been here before, but it was my girlfriend's first visit. As a non-meat eater, she does not often frequent a BBQ joint. However, the vegetarian options were interesting to her.
Drinks - Old fashion and the bloody mary...both were great. The cherrys soaked in brandy were an added delight to a brilliant bourbon. The Bloody came with a beer back, which I prefer and they get points for it.
Starter = Empanadas - done perfectly.
Mains = Pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese - really enjoyed the sandwich, the pork was tender and the spicy bbq sauce was terrific. Funghi Sandwich was ordered by my lady. Although I did not try it, she thought the seasoning and flavor were both great.
Desert = Shared bananna pudding and brown sugar pound cake. Both were really good, and we agreed that the pound cake was our favorite.
Service was very friendly, and she was always there when a drink needed to be attended too. They were friendly with out being annoying.
We got introduced to the owner completely by accident. A great guy and we will be returning very soon.
I usually get carry out since it is so close to my apartment.
Pretty good BBQ. The brisket and pulled pork meat are tender. The links are good, nothing unique but they are enjoyable. The chili is delicious, comes with huge chunks of meat. The causes I tried were their tangy and sweet. The tangy sauce was meh, but the sweet sauce was damn good.
Overall friendly service, large space for groups, and there were times they had my carryout order done within 10 minutes. The prices are comparable to other bbq places like smoque or lillies cues.
The 3 stars is for the food. The bbq is pretty good, but I wasn't blown away. That is not a bad thing though. Honky Tonk is a friendly place with a lot of options, so check it out for yourself.
Two thumbs down for Honky Tonk.
Reasons being:
1) Terrible customer service. Servers being unfriendly is one of the main reasons I'm not coming back.
2) The food is just OK. Yea, it's good, but I've had better.
3) The music is great; just too loud.
Plus's
1) The decor is fantastic.
2) The prices on the food is affordable.
Pilsen is changing...for the better. Â We didn't have places like this when we lived here!! Â The beef brisket, pulled pork, and ribs were all delicious and enjoyed by my family, including a very picky nine year old. Â What made the evening really nice and memorable was the band. Â I felt like we were on vacation somewhere down south. Â I never noticed the huge, wooden bar until this visit. Â it is beautiful.
Review Source:It took me four months of living in Pilsen but I finally made it to this bar. Everything you've heard is true. The BBQ is delicious (well, the non-meaty BBQ sure is but I bet the meaty kind is pretty great too). They have musicians in all the time (playing great music) and their trivia night is pretty damn fun as well. Cheap drinks and a great atmosphere.
Review Source:I'm not gonna lie. Â When I moved to Pilsen, I was desperate for tips, found this place, and was happy for a while.
I've had some time to think  and to be completely offended by a barbecue place that doesn't serve fries.  I mean c'mon. Â
This place does have tasty meats, but for the money I can get better tips, some links, AND fries for half the price.  Guess I'm just gonna  have to drive my lazy ass to the South side.
I've been here 3 times, but the quality declined with each visit and I don't foresee returning.
The first visit was amazing: the pulled pork sandwich was perfect, huge portion, delicious meat. I had never had a vinegar based coleslaw (as opposed to mayo based) before, and loved it. My boyfriend had the beef brisket, which was good but totally trumped by the pulled pork. On my 2nd and 3rd visits, the pulled pork portion got smaller and more fatty/gristly each time, however the coleslaw remained awesome.
Really cool decor: beautiful old-timey wooden bar, great paintings hanging all over.
Hipper-than-thou clientele for sure: tattoo here, tattoo there, tattoo everywhere. Â :)
Not sure what happened, but I wish the quality of the food had been more consistent.
The minute I walked in I knew I loved this place. Quirky eclectic folk art (if you know Lucky Platter in Evanston, imagine that with a Western theme), and a long vintage bar leading to a stage in the back of the room... a perfect place for sipping whiskey after a hard day of work.
Alas, no whiskey this visit... I happened to be there mid-day with a huge group of family (3 kids under 10). We were seated quickly in the back room, surrounded by other families with smaller children. We felt very at home.
Service was a little slow, but they were also very patient and attentive once our order was taken.
We ordered the sampler and it was excellent. In my informal 3 generation family survey, the brisket was the favorite. My daughter normally doesn't like brisket and she liked it. Sauces were interesting and varied. Sides were fresh and yummy. Mac and cheese was a hit for all ages... mild and creamy and delicious.
The highlight of the meal was deserts... we got 3 to share and they were all so good we wished we had saved more room. Peach Cobbler and Pound cake were delicious. My mouth just started watering remembering how good they were.
Looking at the full drink menu and reviews, I need to go back soon with NO KIDS on a night with music and a designated driver!
I had the pork + brisket combo thinking it was enough for two, as the waitress promised. Turns out it's only enough for one person. The meat was a bit dry and insipid, but the macaroni and cheese and the cornbread were fantastic. If you're really craving BBQ food, I would suggest other places in the city. But if you find yourself in Pilsen and can't wait, then this place does it.
Review Source:REALLY good beef brisket sandwiches. Â Flavorful and ample. Â The mac and cheese was delicious as well. Â I did the mac and cheese a disservice because I was too busy eating my sandwich. Â My mac and cheese was cold by the time I got to it. Â My fault. Â Still is was well made.
My brother wanted a burger and fries and was disappointed that he could not. Â However, as soon as he took one bite of the pulled pork sandwich...thumbs up all the way!
When we're back in Chicago - we are going back!
I've been eating here since I moved to Chicago three years ago and I've enjoyed it every time! Â Although the bread roll and the coleslaw are pretty blah, the St. Louis ribs are top notch every time! Â Besides, who really comes to a BBQ joint for the bread roll and coleslaw...? Â I haven't tried the infamous Smoque, but I'm not willing to drive almost 10 miles just for some BBQ when Honky Tonk is less than a mile away.
Stick to the St. Louis ribs, I think they're better than the baby back. Â I like to mix all the sauces together (sweet BBQ, tangy BBQ, and garlic mustard) and dip my meat in it!
Well, I moved to Pilsen and people keep raving about Honky Tonky so seeing as though it's been about 3 years since I've been here I figured I'd give it another shot. The place is about as different from what it once was as you can get. Â We came in about 10 mins before they stopped serving food and there were 8 of us so kind of obnoxious, yes, but 8 people = bigger tip. Â
Well, we got some incredibly rude service we were basically shoved up and told to pay now because the waitress was off. Â I get it, you want to go, at least half of us have or do work int he service industry all you had to do was polity tell us that and we'd have settled up right then and there. So, terrible service but the food was better than the last time. Â We got a few sample platters. Â I'm sure I'll be back because it's so close; I just hope the service is better next time!
The hubby and I came here with some friends, which I was very excited for since we both love BBQ!
Please note: Their food is meant to be on the dryer side so that you can put as much or little sauce as youd like on them on your own.
When we walked into the restuarant, the hubby and I waited by what we thought was the hostess stand for 5 minutes before another group coming in and seating themselves..so we figured wed do the same! We ended up find the couple we were meeting in the back area. Â The food is pretty decent. Â My hubby and our friend ordered the bacon candy..and according to the hubs, it was the best food he's ever eaten (I guess better then my spinach lasagna!). Â I ordred the chicken sandwhich and the hubby ordred the ribs. Â We are more fans of meat being marinated in sauce, but it was pretty decent. Â The mac and cheese was good as well!
Check it out if you want to try a new BBQ joint in that neck of the woods!
BBQ joints are not typically known for their vegan food, but Honky Tonk has some delicious options. The portobello sandwich is juicy and full of flavour. The marinade is superb - it reminds me of French dip sandwiches - and baby lettuces top it off. The black eyed peas and one other side dish (I believe it was the greens) are also vegan.
It can get pretty packed, and live bands add to the ambient noise. But it's a fun place to go with a small group.
It's kind of a weird vibe when you go in. You're not really sure what to do and, at least when I was there, there didn't seem to be much staff. But whatever, everyone seemed to be engrossed in their own thing so we sat down and ordered. I had the pulled pork, which is a go-to in most BBQ joints and I was not disappointed. The brisket looked good too, but I didn't get to try it because it was basically swallowed whole by one of my dining mates. Next time...
Review Source:Honky Tonk had been on my Chicago BBQ bucket list for a while, and after I moved pretty close to it, it was only a matter of time before I tried it. We ordered carry out from there on Friday and it only took about 15 minutes to be ready. I loved the interior of the restaurant. It was spacious and there was live music. Definitely would love to come back to watch a band. We ordered the sampler platter and a side order of mac and cheese. Definitely waaaay too much for 2 people, but at least we had plenty of leftovers.
The chicken was very moist and delicious as was the brisket. I loved the pulled pork but unfortunately the bf finished off the majority of it. As for the ribs, our 1/2 rack was really small and hardly had any meat. Mac and Cheese was divine. I loved the corkscrew noodles and the white cheese sauce. The coleslaw was also light and refreshing. As for the cornbread? I love all types of cornbread and this one was a unique one. Tasted more like a corn fritter and had big pieces of corn in it. Yummy.
Overall, I think I would go back to Honky Tonk more for the atmosphere than the food. There are some standout items, but I will still be on my quest for great BBQ in Chicago.
I recently went to Honky Tonk BBQ and the waitress spilled mustard all over my husband's shirt. Â Not a big deal as accidents happen. Â What was a big deal is the way the owner treated us when it happened. Â Yelling at your customers and spinning the story to make your restaurant look better is lame.
I even wrote in to the Chicago Tribune "What's Your Problem" as this woman was so rude. Â He agreed to take on my problem because he couldn't believe how crazy she was.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fbusiness%2Fproblemsolver%2Fct-biz-1007-problem-gudgeon-20121007%2C0%2C2432789.column&s=7e54053c95b012ed0f83cf43f7bc8731a71502249b1a044a01662b0551b06d2c" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.chicagotribun…</a>
Moral of the story...Head to Smoque BBQ on Pulaski, where they treat you better and frankly...the food is head and shoulder above this place.
Walk in, immediately your mind travels... This place is huge, that art is as eclectic as it gets, and the smell is so incredible it could be a menu item. Okay, now I'm hungry, but wait a beer would be nice. As if your mind was read, a pint of Old Style and a piece of bacon candy for $5, where am I again, because I already don't want to leave. Before I go further, what's bacon candy? A thick cut piece of bacon smoked in maple syrup and crusted with brown sugar. More simply put; amazing.
Okay so where were we; beer, check. Appetizer, check. Now for the main course, a sizable half rack of baby back ribs. Smoked for hours, as tender as a beef stew, with a bark like a great oak. On it's own they're good, but after tinkering with the three house sauces (sweet BBQ, tangy BBQ, and garlic mustard) you really have something worth writing home about.
Before we finished our meal, a nice added touch was the live pianist. I personally felt like a not so well-dressed cast member dining in a saloon of the Boardwalk Empire stage set.
Make your way to the West side and check this place out, 4.5 stars.
Now I will start with- I am not a pit master. Â HOWEVER, I do not understand the high ratings for this place. All I can think is people are rating them high on the entertaiment aspect of this restaurant rather than the bbq. Â And also, perhaps people just dump enough bbq sauce on the meat served here so that they aren't tasting the actual meat itself. Because honestly, the bbq was pretty cruddy.
When we got to the restaurant we didn't realize they don't open the kitchen till 4pm, so we wound up being their first customers of the day.
Everytime in my life that I've ever walked into a bbq restaurant, even a suburban chain restaurant, Â the first thing I noticed was the lucious smoked smell. Â This place smelled disgusting. Â We smelled no food. Â Not even stale beer. Â I thought it stunk like cigarettes- in fact I could have sworn people in the kitchen must have been smoking because it smelled so bad. Â Another person in my group thought it smelled like urine, and another thought mold. Â None of these is what you want a restaurant to smell like. Â So right off the bat our senses were assulted with stink. Â Not good. Â In fact, it smelled so bad (and no NOT of anything smokey) that I asked if they do the smoking of the meats here on site or elsewhere? Â They claim they do the smoking here on site. Â Could have fooled me!
Our waitress was nice, but when we asked her about their bbq she said its the best in Chicago. Â I asked where else she gets her bbq from and she admitted this is the only bbq shes ever had in Chicago. Â Oookkkkk....
The guys ordered the brisket and us ladies got pulled pork.
The pulled pork was really really fatty. And absolutely NO smokey taste or smell in the meat. Â None. I had to resort to drowning the meat in bbq sauce.
The brisket was dry and tasteless. Â There was NO smoke flavor or smell in the stuff. Â The guys were really dissapointed. Â We even asked our waitress if the brisket was perhaps from the day before, and just reheated and served to us. Â She swore up and down that it was fresh brisket . Â If that's the case then I will absolutely not be returning. Â It was REALLY bad.
The waitress reported our comments back to the cook and he sent out a new, fresh platter of brisket for the guys. Â They said it was better- more moist, but really it tasted like they just tossed some chicken stock on the stuff. Â They said even that batch, though better than the one the restaurant originally served them, wasn't good enough to ever return... especially with places like Smoque and Chicago Q in the city. Â We asked a second time if the original brisket was perhaps from the day before and they swore again that both batches were made today. Â The waitress finally admitted their meat can be pretty hit or miss. Â I guess we hit them on a miss knd of day.
The next day we took our business back to Smoque for an amazing meal of meat. Â And ps- after eating at Smoque my fingers smelled like smoke for two days. Â That's how you do bbq!
I have been wanting to come here for years after seeing them on Check Please many years ago. Â Since they have never been open for lunch, it has been challenging to get here but I finally made it out here last night. Â Based on currently reviews here that I decided to read AFTER dining there, something has gone very wrong with the food here recently. Â On a side note, I know my BBQ to a high degree and have experienced even disappointing BBQ places in Chicagoland better than Honky Tonk.
I'll just get right to the food:
We started with a cup of steak chili.  It was not bad, but it reminded me of Chunky Soup  sirloin steak chili with more spices and ingredients added to it.
I asked the waitress if she recommend  the Viking Short Ribs  - they SOUNDED amazing and they are only available on Friday and Saturday.  They were as pricy as a full slab  of ribs - but I have had some great short ribs before at other places (not BBQ, but braised).  The waitress said she definitely recommended them.  My girlfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and we shared a side of garlic mashed.
Viking Short Ribs: Â It looked wonderful until I cut into it. Â It was huge but 15% of it was edible meat, the rest was gobs and gobs of fat. Â The thin layer of meat that was on the surface did not taste good, had little flavor and I had to use the mustard BBQ sauce to make it edible. Â We complained at the end of our meal that it was inedible and it was mostly fat... I tore it apart looking for meat to eat with no success. Â She came back and told us "the cow was fatty, sometimes the cow is fatty, I'm very sorry." Â Hmmm blame the cow! Â She brought us a free banana pudding dessert which we really didn't want or ask for because we were so disappointed in everything, we ate it anyway and couldn't wait to get out of there.
Pulled pork sandwich: Â Not smokey, little flavor, fatty, NOT PULLED - it was large chunks of pork that had to be cut up with a knife, it was not tender and did not come apart easily. Â Fat pieces were evident - the fat should have melted off in the BBQ process.
Bread on both dishes: Â Dry, stale, Â inedible.
Coleslaw: Â Dry, no flavor, no vinegar... maybe it was hiding at the bottom of the dish but it tasted to dry and bland, we were done with it immediately - it tasted like dry salad.
Garlic mashed:  Very whipped potatoes, with a piece of garlic clove on top.  I couldn't taste the garlic  very much in the potatoes - they were whipped so fine I almost thought they were boxed mashed potatoes but I found a small chunk of potato in them once in a great  while.
Sorry Honky Tonk, we shall not be returning. Â :-( Â first visit VERY BAD.
I used to live within a mile of Honky Tonk BBQ. Â For that reason, I probably gave this place a few more chances than I would have otherwise. Â
The first time I ordered from here, I had the St. Louis ribs, which were pretty bland and overcooked on the ends. Â None of their sauces were particularly good either, which might explain why they only give them to you on the side.
I tried the chili on my second visit, which tasted okay, though was aesthetically extremely unappealing. Â The color of it was surprisingly dark and there were pools of oil separation that didn't mix into the chili no matter how much I stirred it.
On my last visit, I tried the viking beef short ribs, which just flat-out sucked. Â It was way overpriced, alarmingly fatty and mostly flavorless. Â Do not get this.
I would have appreciated a decent BBQ place close to home, but after a while, I had to give up on Honky Tonk. Â All the atmosphere in the world doesn't matter if your food is substandard. Â I've tried a handful of BBQ places in Chicago, and honestly, I don't know of a place I was more disappointed in than Honky Tonk.
City Slicker BBQ at its worst.
Brisket sandwich? Â Forget about it. Â Puny portion of fatty, undersmoked meat on... ciabatta... fucking heresy. Â As much as I hated myself for doing it, I had to douse the entire dry brick of a sandwich in insipid sauce just to get it down my throat.
Mac & Cheese? Â More like a garlic powder bomb went off. Â Way to go to serve this to-go without packing a fork... eating mac & cheese w/ my fingers is really fun.
Spend less time touting how socially responsible and how on-trend your food is and actually learn to smoke meat and prepare food properly.
I remember this place being pretty decent when they first opened... what the fuck happened?
I'm reading the other reviews thinking of what to put and I'm reading that they won a prize for their pulled pork? Â So when I asked the waitress the house special, why did she say the brisket?
Anyway, I got five slices of brisket on a huge bun - there was not enough brisket for a regular sized sandwich (a rip-off right there) and then they compound it by making it look even smaller on this huge bun. Â It was all bun.
Didn't taste good either, and to be honest, the BBQ sauces tasted off as well.
Also got the black-eyed peas. Â Now, I make BEP at home and they're pretty good - as in, I can eat a pound of them at one sitting.
These? Ate two bites - one to try, the second to confirm that they didn't taste any good. Â Too much pepper or something.
Ate a bit of Flowers' veggie sandwich, not good at all - had a funny taste to it.
Last, is everyone in Pilsen high and angry? Â Even had a problem with some pigeons.
Not coming back. Â Save your Q for someplace better.
One flag. Â More flags, more fun!
Did you hear the one about the vegetarian who went to the barbeque joint? Â She had a surprisingly good meal!
Normally, I don't seek out such places, but I have married into a pork-loving family, so Father's Day Dinner found me at the Honky Tonk Barbeque seated at a table with several pounds of smoked meat. Â All in all the experience was not as traumatic as one would think.
They don't take reservations for parties smaller than ten, so we had a bit of a wait when we got there at five. Â That was okay. Â There was ample room at the bar. Â Their cocktail list is kinda fun. Â Nothing that blew me away, but I did enjoy the bourbon-soaked cherries that garnish many a drink. Â So we sat a bit, enjoying our drinks and listening to a fellow crooning cowboy music (quite a pleasant voice, by the way). Â And after about 20 minutes, they had a table for us.
In-laws ordered many great slabs of meat. Â I can't say too much about it. They seemed to enjoy it. Â Everyone was pretty happy when all was done. Â And I was happy, too. Â
The thing I like about Honky Tonk is that the vegetarian menu does not seem like an afterthought. Â There's some good stuff there! Â Most of the sides are veggie. Think traditional comfort food: Â Mac and Cheese, Candied Yams, Black-eyed peas... Â You get the picture. Â The salads are well done. Â I enjoyed the "Girlfriend Salad" - jicama, blueberries and goat cheese. Â I also enjoyed the fact that they had a menu item called the Girlfriend Salad! Â Corn bread muffins are warm and yummy. Â The "Green BLT" features a tasty fried green tomato, and vegetarians can substitute a Portobello mushroom for the bacon. Â Great sandwich! Â I recommend slathering on the garlic mustard sauce. Â For dessert we shared some peach cobbler and banana pudding - yes, with Nilla Wafers. Â Both quite good.
The place itself is kitschy-cool: Â amateur artist oil-paintings line the walls. Â There's live music. Â Service was a bit on the slow side, but very pleasant. Â Â I wouldn't hesitate to go back. Â
In summary: Â If you are a vegetarian looking to find areas of compromise with the carnivores you love, Â you'd do well to check out this place. Â Odds are you will all go home happy.
Candied bacon. Its good... but be careful how much you eat, or you may become full before the rest of your meal arrives!
I split ribs with my buddy. They were fall-off-the bone perfect. The crunch of the edges  made for a great texture. I barely even used the BBQ sauces!
My sides were just okay. The slaw was nothing to write home about, and the cornbread was alright. The atmosphere is great! We dug the fact that there was a live old-man-jazz band. It reminded us that we were in Chicago!
Great service. Great drinks. Decent BBQ. I would totally hang out here if I lived near!
Came here on a random, rainy Saturday night with the husband and it was, as they say, all that. Â Had to wait a bit but we grabbed some beers and listened to the live jazz duo. Â Decor is cool and vintage and farm-y and weird. Â Lots of portraits of awkward individuals.
Once we were seated we decided on the candy bacon as an appetizer. Â I mean, have you ever eaten bacon with a fork and knife before? Â You know it's going to kind of be good and make you want to throw up at the same time. Â The candy glaze and the salt fat made a good combo but holy mother that was like the equivalent of a whole package of bacon from the store. Â What a way to start it off.
We split their sampler platter since we figured it was the best of everything and oh, it was. Â Ribs, delicious. Â Pulled pork and brisket sliders, both delicious. Â Hot links, I don't even consider myself a big sausage fan and these too were delicious. Â BBQ chicken, yep. Â Corn bread muffins, hell yes. Â Skipped the beans because beans are gross. Â I asked my husband which was his favorite and he couldn't decide. Â I asked which was his least favorite and he couldn't decide. Â Hence, everything is awesome. Â Pretty cheap overall, about $70-ish with a couple drinks. Â Pretty great date night.
Twice I have come here in my search for the perfect beef brisket in Chicago. Twice I was compelled to send the brisket back to get it heated up. In this case, two strikes and you are out.
If I wanted cold beef I would go to the deli and order it. I am afraid this place will never live up to it's potential. I don't see it being around too much longer. Too bad. Chicago could have really used another decent place for beef brisket.
Honestly I hate to say it but not a fan of this place. Â We went on a Saturday right when it opened. Â My friends were dying to try and I think they enjoyed it a lot more then I did being they are big guys who love ribs.
The service was great, the review is def not based on that. Â
However, the restaurant smelled like a combination of BBQ & urine & there were full on drug (prob meth) addicts sitting across from us. Â It was really gross watching them. Â It's not the fault of Honky I guess but it ruined my dinner. Â
The brisket probably was the best thing & the cornbread. Â Ribs were okay. The decor is cool. Though, I would 100% say Chicago Q is better. Â Sorry Honky but I won't be back.
I was quite surprised to see that HKB had an average 3.5 star review. Â Whatever. Â I love it to bits.
I've been five times and haven't had a bad meal yet. Â Many reviewers commented on the hipster scene. Â Let's get something straight right now: I don't give a rat's mama's expletive-not-uttered who else is dining. Â No one has ever disturbed me to the point of caring. Â But I digress.
Me, man, man's parents, two sampler platters, tons of leftovers. Â Their ribs and brisket are lovely, but I'm truly impressed when the chicken leaves an impression. Â Delicious, delightful service from pretty, tatted gals, good selection of beers. Â Change back on a hundred. Â What's not to love? Â In any case, I also recommend the fried green tomatoes as a starter.
Dry rub.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
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