Although you may often catch me at the newest and trendiest restaurants in Chicago, I always love a good diner or local BBQ joint. So, as you can imagine, when I heard Smoque BBQ appeared on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, I decided to check it out and see if it really was the “Best BBQ” in Chicago like everyone says it is. (Spoiler Alert: It is!)

To start, the location is more convenient than people realize. It’s situated right between the Addison and Irving Park Blue Line stops. This may intimidate some of the Lincoln Park/Lakeview residents, but let me assure you that taking the bus west to this joint was well worth the trip. In fact, the owner of Smoque told me the location appeals to all audiences. It is right off the highway and has CTA bus and ‘L’ stops nearby. He often meets people from all over the world that have stopped by on trips through Chicago, and he regrets not creating a map of those who have traveled there.

Once inside (or sometimes outside) there will be a long line, but again, it’s worth the wait. That being said, I was impressed with how fast they turn over tables, and the line moves quickly. They had staff on hand waiting to clear tables the second people stood up, and they seat you after you order your delicious food.  Trust their process, it really works! The staff was friendly and helpful. In fact, I went up later in our meal to order dessert, and they instantly jumped up to help me. When my dessert was ready, they even brought it to our table. One of the owners is always around, and I was lucky enough to meet Barry. (He even gave me a private tour of the back and let us try food for free that we hadn’t already had. He takes pride in his work, and it shows.)

The food is delicious and nothing I say can truly explain the greatness of this BBQ joint. No matter what you order, it’s amazing. I was even impressed with the Peach Cobbler. (Try it.) They have GIANT smokers in the back and really focus on the basics of BBQ. You won’t find 10 different sauces like some other BBQ places, but you will find a few perfectly balanced ones. Combine that with the right rubs and cooking techniques, and you have the best BBQ restaurant in Chicago. The word has gotten out about this place, but don’t let that stop you from trying it out. Did I mention it is also BYOB? The tables are tightly squeezed together, but this only made for a better and more social experience. We even made friends (and shared beer) with friendly people sitting next to us that were visiting from out of town. I’ll be back many more times, and am looking forward to taking my parents here the next time they are in town. If you like meat, friendly service, great prices, and a good time, come here.  I promise you will love it.

Beer: Bell’s Brewery in MI; Beef Brisket; Mac & Cheese; Corn Bread; and BBQ Beans (We later sampled ribs, sausage, and peach cobbler.)

Dress Code: Casual

Plaid Flannel Shirt: Target (Similar); Jack Purcell Sneakers: Converse; Fedora: Mint Julep Boutique (Band and Feather Detail added by yours truly); Watch: Michael Kors; Necklace: Gift from a Boutique in the West Loop

After searching long and hard for the perfect fedora, I decided to create the one I was looking for by adding fabric around the brim, a button, and beautiful feathers to an existing fedora I bought on clearance at Mint Julep on Southport