We've been here several times now, both in the dining room and take out. We really enjoy it! We've tried the pork, brisket, chicken, and ribs. The chicken is actually my favorite, which is not typical for me. Their chicken is moist and tasty though. A close second is the pork. Tender and juicy, with plenty of smoke flavor. I'm not usually a huge fan of brisket or ribs, so while I do like Rub's versions they are certainly not the first thing I order. My husband loves them though and gets both! I also LOVE the cornbread. It's not your typical cornbread--it has this baked in creamy layer that adds moisture and yummy, yummy fat. It is rather plain as some other reviews mention, but something about the sweet, creamy layer is just awesome. I'm not joking when I say I would happily eat cornbread and nothing else for my meal. Two misses for me are the mac and cheese (I cannot stand truffle oil so this is out for me). I also didn't care for their smoked sausage--way too smokey for my taste. Otherwise, this place is a big hit!
Review Source:Im from the south, I know good BBQ and this joint is superb. Way more affordable then most BBQ restaurants here in Chicago. I got the combo platter with sliced Brisket (a little fatty but great flavor) and pulled pork. My husband and I split cornbread (it has custard and corn baked right in) and the truffle mac and cheese. Strangely one of my favorite aspects of the meal was the coleslaw. The meal was excellent. I will continue to visit this place.
Review Source:I really wanted to love this place because I love bbq and it's less than 10 minutes from my house, and I'm too lazy to fire up the smoker in winter. Â Â First of all, they've moved around the corner to 6954 N. Western. Â
I tried Rub right after they opened..  The ribs were okay, but served at room temperature.  The cole slaw was excellent -- creamy, cold, fresh.  Kettle chips were served because they didn't  have french fries which was not a plus.  Based on that meal, we never went back.  Last Saturday, we noticed that Rub had enough staying power to re-locate to bigger digs, so we decided to give it a second try.  It's a much nicer space than on Lunt -- rustic in a good way.  But, I can't say that I'll be back.  Although there were only two other tables of diners, the wait for food was ridiculously long.  There were three people in the kitchen, but they were inefficient in getting orders to the tables.  True, they were also doing takeout, but there needs to be some better organization to fill the table orders.  If they preceded the meal with some bread or chips, or something, it wouldn't seem like such an interminable wait for food.  The owner was there, so we thought he'd go in the kitchen and pitch in, but... . Â
The deal is that you order at the "desk" and pay in advance (tip jar on the desk), and a lot later, they brought the food. Â This system is odd in itself if for no other reason than we couldn't figure out who our wait person was or how you tip with this method. Â Do you put the tip in the jar? Â Why not just have someone take your order at the table and serve you start to finish? Â
They still don't have french fries. Â Instead, you get a miniscule serving of kettle chips. Â I mean teensy. Â The creamy cole slaw isn't creamy anymore and was served room temperature. Â Although the restaurant is called Rub, I could barely discern the rub[s] on any of the meats. Â There are three sauces on the table that are pretty good, but again with a name like Rub, you shouldn't need the sauce. Â Alas, you do. Â We had the brisket which was declared fatty and although smokey, rather bland. The pulled chicken which is tender, moist white meat was tasted and dismissed by one member of our party, although I thought it was the best of all the meats we had The ribs, again, were not even warm. Â I'm not a big pulled pork fan, but that was voted the best by my two companions. Â None of our party enjoyed the custard cornbread -- too mushy. Â
Thinking that part of the problem might be due to their recent move, I tried it again a few nights later. Slightly less wait time, but food hadn't improved. Â And, how can they send out that teensy, tiny amount of chips? Â Not even what a chip package would call a serving. Â Why not raise prices a dollar and send out a reasonable amount of chips if you're not going to have fries? Â Serve the meats hot, make the cole slaw creamy and cold. Â Get the serve time shortened, and maybe I'll come back.
And they have now MOVED! They are directly on Western Ave, taking over what was Dld Grill (which is too bad, they were rather good and I don't like to see small businesses close up).
For Rub BBQ though, it's bigger space with a bigger and now OPEN kitchen.
Decided to try the Brisket Burger.
We have a contender for the Battledome Of Burger Supremacy.
It's a MASSIVE 1/2lb of house ground fresh brisket AND their burnt ends (the burnt ends can be the BEST part of the Q), topped with a very thick slice of cheddar. Sturdy bakery bun that they grill quickly and the burger for sure FILLS up the bun's circumference. You can adorn your burger with: Pulled Pork, Sliced Brisket or Pulled Chicken.
I decided to go for the pulled pork topping. It was absolute overkill and it was phenomenal.
From what I understand they are now offering "homestyle" Old Fashioned Root Beer... And they were out of it so I had to have the iced tea instead. Iced tea is fine, but I wanted some tasty root beer to pair with my joygasm of a burger.
If I could fall in love with and marry a restaurant, this would be the place. I LOVE BBQ! We were having friends over for dinner and I didn't feel like cooking and we wanted something other than the same old, same old (you know, pizza, Thai, Chinese, etc). We ordered a slab of dry ribs, a pulled pork sandwich, the "big guy's meal", and sides of the spiral staircase of cheese and meaty beans. By the utter silence that ensued as we began to eat, I could tell we had found something good. All that could be heard was "pass the...." and "mmmmm" and "oh my god". The big guy's meal was INCREDIBLE! Chicken, pork, ribs, and the brisket, oh my, the brisket! The brisket basically melted in my mouth, and the ribs were dynamite! My friends were in heaven with their choices. Plus, the sauces! Mild, chipotle, and spicy, and each one was awesome! We ordered delivery and the woman who took the order was just a gem, so accommodating and sweet. I also don't like baked beans all that much, but their beans were really good. That spiral staircase of cheese is nothing short of genius, and my only very slight complaint was that it could have been a little warmer, but hey, what are microwaves for? Even the kettle chips were good, and plentiful. And for the amount and quality of food we got, I certainly think the prices are beyond fair. I am seriously excited to have another delivery option in the hood. Rock on, Rub!
Review Source:Love me some bbq, and Rub does it right!
Meat:
Ribs - delish (Ribfest winner in 2012!)
Pulled Pork - very good, not the best but still very good
Chicken - Decently flavored, tender, but just didn't compare to anything else
Brisket - Amazing, only issue is they keep the large amount of fat on it which detracts from your overall amount of meat portions :P
Sides:
Mac & Cheese - Very good, definitely an adult version of it
Kettle Chips - good, but they give you like 5 chips when you carry out
Dessert:
Texas Sheet Cake - moist, decent size slice, and tasty, a nice treat once in awhile.
Other:
BBQ Nachos - My roommate got this one time we were there, the $10 price may be a lot but then you get them and you realize $10 isn't enough. Â It's like 3 lbs of nachos: chips, cheese, coleslaw, beans, and choice of meat. Â
Sauces:
All are good to great, with the Jalapeno sauce being slightly worse than the other two.
If you're eating in, bring your favorite beer as it's BYOB!! Â Parking can be a hassle as well.
There are few things sillier than arguments about "the best" of some sort of food genre. Â We all have our favorites or that one place that we prefer to all others, but the idea that there is some sort of objective way to define a best of anything is just malarkey.
I say this because recently someone tried to disparage Rub BBQ by saying it wasn't as good as another BBQ restaurant in Chicago. Â I don't know if I agree with this, but if I had to go to only one place for one BBQ meal I might go to that other place.
And that means absolutely nothing when considering Rub BBQ. Â Because I really like eating at Rub. Â I like that they offer some cool spins on their meat with different sandwiches. The panini and the burger are two awesome choices, with the burger quickly becoming one of my staple burger choices in the city.
The double baked potato with meat is hefty. Â Almost too hefty. Â Really good, but unless you have no plans for the rest of the day (or week) probably best to split with someone. Â The truffled mac and cheese is an nice side dish, and not too redolent of truffle aroma/flavor as to overpower the reason for the season, the BBQ meat. Â The sauces compliment rather than smother the meat. Â I like the citrus chipotle myself, but all three types I've tried have been pretty quality.
By any measure Rub is a very good spot for lunch or dinner. Â But context is key. Â This part of Chicago isn't exactly smothered with interesting food choices, especially if you're in the mood for something "American" or "Southern". Â Having a place this good close enough that I can get takeout and still have the food be hot when I pull up to my front door is absolutely amazing.
So yeah, someone else can argue if this is "the best" or whatever. Â My mouth is going to be too full of tasty meat to take part in that discussion. Â
Also worth noting is they have a significant expansion coming soon. Â Having a slightly broader menu could move them into another level of excellence. Â I am looking forward to it drooling in anticipation the whole time.
My husband and I took the 3-hour BBQ Class this afternoon, and I have to say, it was a near-religious experience. Before even arriving to the class, the great customer service shone through; classes booked up extremely fast (likely due to their Living Social deal, which is how we found it), and we couldn't get in before March (when we will be moving out of the country). One email to Amanda, who I later found out is the wife of the owner, and we were able to get in to a class just three weeks away.
We got to the class and right away were greeted by Jared, the charismatic owner of Rub BBQ and the teacher of the class. He gave us a friendly hello and took our coats, and as we waited for the rest of the class to arrive we enjoyed chips and "cowboy caviar". The class is BYOB, but since the Mr. and i had a few drinks the night before, Jared made sure we had some pop from the restaurant next door. Right on time, he kicked off the class with a monologue on his own background and how he got in to the BBQ racket. This sounds boring but was actually incredibly interesting and has likely inspired my corporate-job husband to quit and buy a smoker.
After that, we got down to business. Jared has a "no secrets" policy (he even shares the "top secret" 14-ingredient rub recipe), and the class is very informative and comprehensive. There's opportunities for class participation, including trimming a brisket, applying rubs, etc., and Jared NEVER STOPS TALKING, sharing tips and tricks he's learned in the last 10 years of his BBQ journey. And the food... oh the food. During the course of the class you'll taste brisket, pulled pork, ribs, truffle mac & cheese and cornbread infused with custard. A nap is definitely required after this class.
I can't say enough about the food, the class or the experience as a whole. It would make an awesome bachelor/bachelorette party, work event, or just a night with friends. Â My only regret is that Rogers Park is no where close to our River North apartment... but the food is definitely worth the journey!
Rub BBQ came to our office this week through Fooda, and their pulled pork was incredible! Â Deep smokiness, moist, and plenty of it. Â The crust was equally amazing, you could taste a wonderful complement of flavors in the rub. Â I had a chipotle BBQ sauce to go with it, which had just the right amount of kick. Â I talked myself into also trying the meaty beans, and boy am I glad I did. Â Another winner! Â Look forward to seeing them again or heading to their restaurant soon!
Review Source:We tried almost everything...ribs, chicken, pork, brisket, sausage. Â Not to mention the beans and the mac. Â I'm originally from Texas, and I have had some amazing beef brisket. Â That said, the brisket was ok. Â Good in flavor, but very fatty and not tender. Â The chicken was good and the pork was the best. Â The pulled pork is very good. Â
The sauces were pretty good, but an unusual approach for a place called Rub. Â The sides were good, but nothing over the top.
I would probably get the pork again.
We've ordered take out twice. Every part of the experience was great... a very helpful, passionate and patient person took the phone order. My husband loved the decor (yes, its a funny location, but very convenient for Evanston-ites) and after talking with the owner, thinks the cooking classes here must be great.
Meats are amazing: ribs are my favorite, brisket is excellent too. Sauces are all complex and delicious... i usually use all 3... switching back and forth. Cornbread is crazy good with that savory custard filling.
Mac and cheese is garlicky with loads of Parmesan cheese... which I love (amazingly, its even good cold the next morning!!?!?!) Â but not a hit with our grade school kid.
if the double baked potatoes with the KICK ASS brisket is ever removed from the menu I will re-visit my review and have EXTREME troubles being objective.
this place has their shit together!!! this is what eating in Chicago is all about. if Guy F. ever comes here and ruin it I will ruin him next.
I suggest you grab the take out, if you eat in you may take my parking space and that will result in serious problems.
but go here! damn it's good. the owners TAKE PRIDE and that's the main selling point.
Best. BBQ. I have had the pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, ribs, coleslaw, and corn bread.
I've only picked up. Can't speak to delivery.
The BBQ brings me to a whole different place of wonderful. You really don't need the sauce. The sauce is amazing. All of it. So is the BBQ. All on its own. Have I mentioned that the BBQ is awesome? It is.
Coleslaw has a tang to it that I really like. Might not be for everyone.
I did not care for the cornbread. Just my personal taste. I can easily see how some might love it. I'd prefer a more traditional cornbread. That's just me.
Go to here for foodstuffs. Go now.
I had Rub BBQ after goggling for something more "American" than Indian and other ethnic fares that are plentiful in the area. I'd never heard of Rub before but decided to give it a try after a friend told me that a mutual friend had been raving about it recently.
The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because I thought it was a bit on the pricey side. $3.00 for a side of baked beans??? I love BBQ but $20 for a chicken sandwich and salad still seems slightly unreasonable. Â Turns out it was well worth the money though...
I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with a side of beans and it was FANTASTIC. The chicken sandwich was seasoned well, well portioned and slathered in their yummy BBQ sauce. It came with miniature sides of kettle chips and cole slaw that were just as good. (And I don't even like kettle chips!) The side of baked beans I ordered was a very nice size and worth every penny of the $3.00 I was charged. They were the perfect blend of sweet and smokey.
My friend got the slammin salad with pulled pork pieces on top. She loved her food as well.
I wouldn't eat at Rub BBQ Co. all the time because of the price but it's definitely one of the first places that will now come to mind when I'm craving BBQ!!!!
There is not too much I miss about Texas, but BBQ and Tex Mex cravings get me homesick like nothing else. Â I still can't get a proper Tex Mex fix but Rub BBQ is going to be my savior when I need Texas style brisket. Â I was pretty shocked to move here and find barely any true BBQ joints after working and living by some great Texas institutions my whole life. Â Great BBQ was never more than 5 minutes away from me, and though West Rogers Park is a 20 min drive, it beats 15 hours back to Texas by a longshot.
We took their BBQ class last weekend. Â I highly recommend the class to anyone who wants to understand a little more about BBQ history and regional styles since Chicago culture is lacking in this rich history. Â Several of the negative reviews I read below seem to suffer from understanding what this style of BBQ is supposed to be. Â You will be disappointed if you come here looking for meat drowning in sauce. Â This is smoked meat first and foremost, with sauce to be used lightly to enhance and not overwhelm. Â Some folks love the saucy stuff and Rub may disappoint them...but I'm the type of gal looking for meat plain and simple. Â Ron Swanson approved meat eating experiences if you will.
Before this review disintegrates into a bunch of "Ya'lls" and yummy noises, here's a rundown of our classroom eats: sliced brisket - perfectly cooked, with the kind of fat that melts in your mouth along with the meat; pork shoulder - not a big fan of pork in general but this was tender and flavorful; ribs - meaty and delicious, cooked to retain a bit of chewiness so they don't fall off the bone like "meat jello"; truffle mac and cheese - very delicious but not my go-to BBQ side, I'll save my mac adventures for other places and load up on their custard corn bread - delicious corn pudding inside of a piece of corn bread. Â If you've never had corn pudding then this may taste strange to you. Â Try it anyways but be prepared for something different.
And that's my final word of advice. Â Try it all, but come with an open mind because BBQ is like jazz. Â There are so many varieties and styles from region to region that BBQ covers a lot of territory. Â Certain styles will be more to your liking than others but it's a lot of fun to find out what's your favorite. Â In my opinion, Rub is top notch at what they do and the owner is a very passionate & knowledgeable addition to Chicago's growing BBQ scene.
Having had BBQ all over the country, this place is right on par with doing things right. Â The BBQ is great, not mind blowing, but still great.
The sides are also worth while, the truffle mac is a must have. Â The meaty beans, is well... meaty, but nothing special.
The BBQ sauce is at times best left on the side, but if you are a sauce person, then there are 3 to pick from, all great.
VERY SOLID addition to the BBQ in the city. Â I really wish they had a more "normal" location in a more active neighborhood. Â
Had the brisket sandwich. Â Came with slaw and potato chips. Â Could have done with out the chips, but more slaw would have been nice instead. Â Slaw was tasty and sweet. Â
There were three choices for sauce on the table. Â I chose the two spicier ones, the Smoked Jalapeno and the Citrus Habanero. Â Both nicely spicy, but not ones that would light you on fire. Â Brisket was solidly done with good smoke and moistness. Â Brioche bun was a nice soft add. Â Good, generous portions.
Will be back and like try the ribs and pulled pork.
I first tried Rub BBQ about a year and a half ago when my boss catered it in for a coworker's going away party. The spread was pretty good and included the meaty beans, the custard corn bread and two different kinds of meat. I really liked the meaty beans and the BBQ pork and chicken.
About a year ago I went back in and tried a slab of ribs to go with the meaty beans and the custard corn bread. I liked the ribs but have had better. I will say I liked them enough that I would get them again.
My wife and I went back last weekend because I really wanted to have some more meaty beans (they are above average and maybe even a notch better than that) and I wanted to try the Brisket. I REALLY liked the brisket and the meaty beans were excellent as usual. I also tried the mac 'n cheese which was different than any other mac 'n cheese I have had but I actually really liked it.
The service has always been excellent, the food has always been above average and the prices are about average to maybe a little better than average (for BBQ).
I am a fan and will be back to try the one or two things on the menu that I haven't tried yet. I like the location for Rub BBQ as well. I have parked right in front at a meter spot every time I have gone there.
Outstanding BBQ! If you love BBQ, you need to go eat here. Flavorful, moist, falling apart in all the right places beef and pork.
I had the beef brisket and my guy had the pulled pork panini. Both were great, and with drinks under $20, which is awesome. Kudos also to Rub BBQ Co for only charging $1 for soda and free refills. Right sized portions, excellent sauces. Cute outdoor seating in front, about 6 booths inside.
I wish their delivery area were bigger. I may have to move as a result. However, the super nice gal at the counter informed me they are planning to expand. I hope that means more locations around town, first one in Ravenswood.
If you love really good BBQ, do try Rub. Gooood stuff!
We go to Rub every time we get our oil changed a few blocks away, so we've been going for about 9000 miles (3 times). The ribs are great -- a little different from what some Chicago folks might be used to (no sauce added during prep). The meat pulls off the bone perfectly (not too easy, not too chewy), and the barky parts are special. But what we thought was really exceptional was the beef brisket -- skipped it the first time in favor of pulled pork (which is fine), but had it the past two times. Plenty of fat (in a good way), and the meat just melts in your mouth.
Three sauces on the table -- sweet and smoky, citrus chipotle, and jalapeno. They're all good, but I kept going back to the jalapeno. A bit of burn, but nothing most of us can't handle.
We haven't tried any of the optional sides or desserts, but I am fairly unforgiving of bad coleslaw at a BBQ joint. Theirs is very good, served nice and cold, and cuts the heat of the sauce perfectly.
It's nice inside, and there are some outdoor tables if the weather is pleasant. I suppose there were a couple sticky spots last time we ate inside, but it's still far cleaner than most of the BBQ places I've been to.
I LOVE that we have BBQ this good on the far north side. I'm looking now for distant errands to run so I can get to our next 3000 miles.
Yesterday was my first time at Rub BBQ. The staff was very friendly and informative. Great customer service! I had the brisket sandwich and my fiance had the texas cavier w/ the truffled mac. The food was decent, a little dry for my taste. The price was average, not bad at all.
I would recommend it if you're a meat lover, however I don't know if I would go back again.
I've been once to eat in and once for carryout. Â Really friendly, helpful staff. Â Meats are top notch, as are the meaty beans. Â Cornbread was meh, unfortunately. Â Mac and cheese has been hit or miss on our two trips. Â Really good place to bring some beers and hang out with friends, or to bring some friends and hang out with beers.
Review Source:Good grub. The meat is good and well seasoned (even without BBQ sauce). The cornbread leaves much to be desired but their Mac and cheese is usually pretty good. I don't like meaty beans, but the bf ordered one to go last time we were there so they must be good. I suggest testing in vs carry out.
Review Source:My first experience with Rub was getting pulled pork sammiches for my sweetie and me. Â They were awesome. Â The nice young lady at the counter was super friendly, and answered any and all questions I had.
We got take out, and the only reason they don't get 5 stars (consider this a four and half star rating) is the styrofoam containers the take out comes in. Â This is not unique to Rub, many restaurateurs are too friggin lazy to find an alternative to styrofoam. Â One more little pick, our coleslaw, while tasty, had to be thawed out to get rid of the ice crystals in it, and this was after a 5 minute walk home in 90 + degree heat.
I will certainly be coming back to Rub, and availing myself of their BYOB status when I eat in.
Only been here once, but it was impressive enough for me to write a review. This place can give Smoque BBQ a run for their money, and that's no small statement. Had the pulled pork, the meaty beans, and the truffled mac. All were fantastic. Favorite sauce was the chipotle one. I will definitely be back again. Nice job guys.
TIP: the taster sized portion is plenty of meat (but no bread), in case you don't think you can handle the full size sandwich.
I attended the BBQ class yesterday with Chef Jared and was blown away. Â
I always thought I was on the up and up with the Chicago food scene but never really heard of Rub BBQ til the living social deal came up a few months ago and I purchased it. Â
I've taken several cooking classes before and this by far was the best. Â Jared is down to earth and very laid back. Â He took the time to explain everything in great detail and when it was all said and done he backs everything up with damn good food. Â
We got to taste everything in generous portions as it came out...The brisket was good, the pulled pork was amazing and by the time we got to the ribs I had the meat sweats ..I'm not really a rib person but they were good. And we can't forget about the cornbread and mac and cheese which were fantastic. Â
Everything is made from scratch on site and never having a job in the restaurant industry by the time we walked out of there I got schooled in my meats and how a kitchen really works. Â
This really is a true hole in the wall experience -- and as we all know the hole in the wall restaurants are usually the best. Â
Thank you Jared for sharing your knowledge, the food was fantastic and what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Simple is best. Â Often times this is the case, and it is with Rub BBQ.
We went for Jared's BBQ cooking class. Jared is the owner, chef, waiter, dishwasher, and delivery driver for Rub BBQ. Â He's the real deal. He works his tail off. BBQ is his passion, and you can taste it.
Simple. Jared sticks to what true smoked BBQ is. Spice rubbed quality meats. Real wood fire smoking and no electric cooking aid other than a temperature gauge. Â
I don't claim to be a BBQ expert, but I know great food when I taste it and this is truly great BBQ. Â The brisket is really spectacular. The ribs are awesome. The pulled pork made my tongue wiggle with joy.
Don't forget the sides. Custard corn bread is ridiculously delicious. I've never liked baked beans, but these I love. Truffle macaroni and cheese, enough said.
The bonus of the cooking class is that he gives you all the recipes and with detailed instruction. Â Like, ALL the recipes except his rib rub, which no good Q'er will give out. The restaurant is small and no frills, and that's perfect. For some reason it's fitting for great BBQ to reside in a little corner place where it's okay to get a little messy.
I've also had Rub BBQ in the Loop! Â Fooda organizes restaurants to come into the lobby of 225 W Wash and Rub has been here a few times now. Â How lucky I am. Â But, if you don't catch Rub via Fooda for a festival make the trek up to Rogers Park. It's well worth it.
I went in last night to get a sandwich to go. It was the pulled pork. I also picked up the Texas Caviar.
When I got home with the bag(which honestly I should have checked when I got home), I found my sandwich was dry with no sauce at all. Â The meat was tender but lacking that BBQ sauce flavor.
The Texas caviar was pretty good.
A very competent and formidable newcomer to Chicago's BBQ scene.
Pluses -
- Big St. Louis slab for $17.00 (w/chips & slaw)
- Dry rub style
- Sides are creative and full of flavor (creamed cornbread!)
- Sauces has lots of depth
- Quirky divvy dining room
- Nice outdoor seating
Minuses-
- Only 1 type of rib offered
- Brisket was a little too well done and needed salt
- Need more entrees like smoked chicken
- Slabs need more char or defined bark
Rub BBQ is the kind of place that belongs on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It's a little whole in the wall place with all of 4 booths that challenges the common definition of BBQ.
Traditional BBQ is meat slathered in sauce (occasionally delicious meat and/or delicious sauce). Rub is, as the name suggests, dry rubbed meat slooooooow cooked. The meat is so tender, juicy and flavorful, there's no need for sauce. Just because you don't need it doesn't mean it's not available. They have three tasty sauces on the table that you can do with as you'd like. Personally, my tray is always a mess afterwards. I pour the sauce right on the tray (it has wax paper over it, so it's not sauce on metal) and take a bite with this, a bite with that. I will also mix up my own concotions (1 part Smoked Jalapeno to 2 parts Rub's namesake sauce is my favorite).
Their cornbread is topped with a corn-custard layer and is probably 2-3 inches thick. Up here in the North, cornbread is typically sweeter in flavor. And when you see custard and cornbread, you immediately think sweet. However, Rub's cornbread is very much on the savory side.
The meaty beans are the same way. When I think baked beans, I think lots of beans in a sweeter sauce with a little bit of fatty bacon. Rub's Meaty Beans are 50% meat, 50% beans, and have a wonderful smoky flavor (my favorite side).
Rub BBQ's pulled pork has become my measuring stick for all pulled pork I eat. When I see it on the menu I think to myself, "Do I want their pulled pork, or should I just head to Rub tomorrow." When I venture forth and try other pulled porks I think, "Is this as good as Rub?" Thus far, everything has come up short.
At this point, I've tried almost everything on the menu, and I'm constantly torn between the pulled pork and the BBQ burger. Fortunately, even the burger fills my craving for the  pork (The burger is topped with cheese and pulled pork). The delicious, juicy pork keeps the burger moist without needing ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, mayo, or any other sauce. It's perfect just the way it is.
That's what you need to know before you come in the door. You're not going to get what you would normally expect when you hear BBQ. You're going to get something different and absolutely, jaw-droppingly delicious.
I really think it's unfair to consistently compare one restaurant to another. Â In all these yelp reviews, the air is thick with Smoque, which is too bad. Â Yes, Smoque is delicious, but that's another neighborhood and another vibe. Â Since moving to Rogers Park, it's less convenient to make the trek down to Old Irving. Â I was delighted to find that Rub was a short 3 minute drive away and decided to give it a shot.
Being a Texas boy, I've had my fair share of barbecue. Â Rub is not all the way at the top, but it definitely satisfies. Â The brisket was a little dry and lacked a bit of flavor, and the chicken was a bit better seasoned (maybe a bit salty), and the variety of sauces was welcome. Â There was a sweet, a citrus and a jalapeno -- a nice, and somewhat unusual option compared to your typical red sauces. Â The truffle mac was pretty tasty and the meaty beans hand a hearty bite. Â Food was a pretty solid 3 stars.
The extra star comes from the service. Â Rub BBQ really are some genuinely nice folks. Â Not in an over-the-top, saccharine way, but they are just really nice to you, make you feel welcome, and do their very best to serve you. Â In this day and age, indifferent customer service is all too common. Â
Kudos to you, Rub, for being a friendly smokehouse joint on the far northside.
Friendliest BBQ place in Chicago. Â The atmosphere is down home and you are treated like a VIP guest. Â I usually get the pulled pork because it is excellent - moist and flavorfull. Â You can even pretend like this is healthy eating by getting the pulled pork salad which comes on a spring mix type salad. Â The sides are awesome, but be careful, you get a lot of food for your dollar so you may not need a side. Â
The menu changes frequently so there is always something new to try. Â It is awesome to go to a restaurant where the owner is the chef and is passionate about what he is doing. Â
Another hidden treasure in Rogers Park. Â Take a walk in Indian Boundary Park afterwards - you may even see some zoo animals. Â This park is another hidden treasure in Rogers Park.
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