The food was better than expected (for the most part), but there are some areas for improvement. We walked in on a Friday night and there were only three other seated tables in the whole restaurant. Pretty empty. The feel of the place was kind of dark and disjointed (blues posters on one side; The Starry Night print on the other - what?). I tried the pulled chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries - the fries were great, and the chx sandwich was pretty good but I got a couple of bad bites (one with small bones, which is the. worst.). I was grossed out after that. I know it can happen, especially when pulling a large / restaurant-size container of chicken, but still... The man's "dinosaur bone" (huge beef bone with meat) and mashed potatoes were thoroughly enjoyed.
(2)
Erika G.
Bar area only. I was a giant fan of Cafe 28, and on first glance, this place seems to not have as much character. My review is only for a visit to have one glass of wine - they close too early! The BBQ smelled GREAT, and I could see myself sampling that on a future visit. Friendly staff, good pour on the wine.
(3)
Christopher H.
The bbq sauce was good but our ribs were way overdone. The beef ribs were like eating jerky. Had the Mac n cheese which was pretty good and the cornbread was ok. I would say find a different place that knows not to overcook their ribs
(1)
Rob W.
Been by here a few times but never went in - a Groupon tipped the scale. Kind of a mixed bag at lunch. I was there on a Tuesday from 11:30 - 12:15... I was the only person other than employees and delivery people at that time. Sat at a two top on the restaurant side - I noticed that although it looked ok, the table was kind of sticky in spots. I went to order and asked my server about what sides were good - she sort of headed in the "everything is good" direction. So I ended up with the mac and cheese, just to try something I don't ordinarily order. It was pretty good, though there's a $1 upcharge on it. I also ordered some brisket chili; one of the two "soup" offerings for the day. The downside was that a cup of soup is the size of a cup that one might see in a set of children's dishes. It was small, albeit filled to the top, which didn't leave a lot of room for the oyster crackers. Now, for the main dish - I went with the BBQ Brisket sandwich. That was pretty darn good on a lightly toasted bun with a decent portion of meat - and hardly any fat. Other than the side order recommendations, my server was really pretty good - friendly and prompt as well... brought a second soda out in anticipation - always a plus in my book. As for the restaurant, while the BBQ was good, with competition like Smoque and Fat Willy's not all that far away, RavenswoodQ isn't super high on my list for a return. Glad I tried it though.
(3)
Bruce J.
Great burgers, I had it to go. Friendly service.
(5)
Colleen P.
Work across the street from this here and its a great place to go for lunch! Pulled pork is delicious and there is a good beer selection. Would recommend!
(4)
Scott O.
What happened to this place???? We went for dinner tonight. Oh, my!!! Let me start by saying the cole slaw is still terrific and the fries are 100 times better. But, we waited at the host stand while the bartender said she'll be right there to seat you. And we waited and we waited. He went and poked his head in the dining room and came back and said she'll be here shortly. And we waited and we waited and he finally went ahead and sat us. And now for the horrid part of the evening-the slab of ribs. We both had them. We both sawed through them because they were tough and dry and just awful. It doesn't feel like the same place we were at a year ago and, if that is the new standard of their food, I doubt it will even be here a year from now.
(1)
Daniel C.
I ordered delivery from here on one cold night I didn't want to leave the haus via Grubhub. The delivery time stated was 60-70 minutes however I received my food in less than 45. I got the pulled pork sandwich and french fries as well as the buffalo chicken egg roll appetizers. The pulled pork sandwich was adequate, a little too much sauce but that's an easy modification. The fries were just right. The egg rolls were not up my alley but they were just fine. Overall I may try again not soon tho.
(3)
Miranda B.
I have relatives in TX and lots of BBQ favorites there. Walking in, tasting the smoke lingering in the air, I got a good feeling about the 'que, but the smell was simply a teaser. Brisket egg rolls sound better than they taste, with little meat flavor and too much oil. The fries were hot and crisp, the coleslaw average. The chicken was the best of the barbecued meat, coming out with a deep mahogany skin that still managed to have fairly moist flavorful meat. I found the brisket to be the most disappointing thing we had. I expect long slow smoked brisket, with the fat melted down and a nice smoky deep taste. This brisket tasted as though they'd braised it in some kind of liquid ... more of a pot roast texture and taste to it, with a bit of flavor coming through from the sauce it had cooked in. Very disappointing. Small staff worked hard to accommodate a very large group, but though they'd been given advance notice, they struggled to bring out food in a timely manner. They were all friendly and eager to please though.
(3)
Nicholas V.
First time here and purchased their signature sandwich and fries. The fries were spectacular!!!! Well seasoned, a little peppery kick to them. Very, very good. The burger was above average. I, personally, think it could have used a bit more flavor or seasoning, but not terrible either. I will probably go back to give something else a shot before I say Yay or Nay for good.
(3)
Andrew d.
Don't advertise that you are open until 10pm when you have customers walking in at 9:23pm and tell them that you are closing. Thanks for wasting my time.
(1)
Debbi R.
My boyfriend and I came here with a groupon last night (Thursday at around 7pm). The moment we walked in you can the smell the bbq. It was kind of empty which made my boyfriend a little hesitant about it. We were greeted and seated by their friendly staff. We both ordered a beer (they are no longer BYOB and they have a great selection of beers and other drinks) and then ordered a full slam of baby back ribs each. Boyfriend ordered the hush puppies as his side, which I have never had, and I ordered the Mac & cheese. We also ordered the sweet potato fries to share. Baby back ribs: ABSOLUTELY AH-MAZING. FRESH. And the meat was so tender and came off the bone so smoothly. It was delicious. The bbq on it had a zing of spice which I love! Hush puppies: Boyfriend said they were the best hush puppies he has had thus far! I had them for the first time ever and I loved them! Made me wonder what else I have been missing!! Mac and cheese: I love mac and cheese BUT this wasn't the greatest I've had. Idk something was missing. Boyfriend said that the cheese was too strong but I honestly don't know what it was that made it not so great. (Sorry :(..) (still ate it though) Sweet potato fries: they were good!! I actually really really really really liked them!! Overall experience, I would go back in a heart beat. Server was so friendly and attentive. Ribs were amazing and the place is pretty!
(5)
Jen Y.
Two words: Sewer Smell. Yes, that is right. The smell of sewer permeated the restaurant. Nauseating. And when asked if there was a problem that was being serviced, the waitress stated, "No. It''s just something that the businesses up and down Irving Park have to deal with." Umm...So why was that plumber's truck parked right outside with plumbers leaving the restaurant's side entrance when we left after our meal? Hmmm...Coincidence? I think not. As for the food, it was over-priced and mediocre. The collard greens had a weird after taste, the mac and cheese overcooked, and the brisket dry. The pork ribs were ok. We won't be back.
(1)
Tavi J.
I'll preference this by saying I'm not a huge BBQ fan to begin with, but my cheap a$$ can't past up a groupon :) We went last night and it wasn't crowded at all. The hostess/waitress sat us right away. I'll skip over the ambience part (cause there wasn't any...lol) and skip straight to the food. We both ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Really good and the 3 sauces you had to choose from at the table were good. You can choose one side and we both went with the fries, which were just okay. They were season though so that's a plus. The biggest let down would have to be the Mac and cheese. I prefer my Mac and cheese to be really cheesy and I didn't get that. I actually had to add a little salt and pepper to give it more flavor. This is an okay place, but I probably won't be making a special trip to come back and visit.
(3)
Nick S.
Smoked wings with naked Cajun seasoning were some of the best I'd ever had. Bleu cheese sauce on the side was great, so was the mustard based barbecue sauce. After these upsides, things went downhill. The rib sandwich was tasty but had two tiny unexpected chunks of bone in it, hope somebody doesn't chip a tooth or cut the inside of their mouth. I always go for the brisket at barbecue joints, but I was thoroughly disappointed here. It tasted and looked like something that would be served in a high school cafeteria.
(2)
Lorelei C.
Gotta Love the Smell of Barbecue:) Today was my first visit to Ravenswood Q, and honestly I can say I was pretty impressed from the moment I entered the door, I was greeted by Anna, a truly phenominal server and I was seated in their lovely dining room/area, a room with a sufficient amount of tables and lovely exposed brick walls, somewhat of a loft type feeling. I liked it, I felt comfortable and warm. Now, okay, I was here because I had another Groupon where I only paid $12.00 for $25.00 worth of food at Ravenswood Q so I thought I would have been foolish to pass up this sweet little deal.. And, I was told that I would have to spend the entire amount of $25.00 during todays visit, not very hard to do! Actually, it worked out very well, I ordered a Caesar Salad, Barbecued Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Cornbread. Now, gotta be honest and say I did'nt finish my mashed potatoes cause they tasted kind of funky, they had chives and I was tasting like sour cream in them.. Yuck!!! So. I shoved those suckers to the side.. But, The Barbecue Chicken was quite delicious, very tender and the sauce was tangy, just right! The cornbread was a little dry, which I think is normal for cornbread but Anna did suggest I apply some of this honey butter stuff to it which I did'nt do.. So, the thing is.. most of the side items are charged separately, and that can add up.. The piece of cornbread alone was listed on the menu for $4.00. But, honestly, The attentive service I received from Anna, the pretty great tasting Barbecue Chicken and the lovely interior is worthy of my 4 star rating. Also, FYI, It is BYOB, I know this because this couple came in and asked if they served Beer at Ravenswood Q, The reply was negative but they were told there was a liquor store nearby.. So, if you want to indulge in alchoholic beverages with your meal best to stop at a liquor store first! So, if you have'nt been to Ravenswood Q you should give them a try.. A nice place with good food and great service! And thats a pretty good start....
(4)
Angelica P.
The food was just terrible. Chicken wings were extremely salty! Beef brisket was sooooo dry and just poor quality meat. Pulled pork sandwich was not tasty.. the pork was dry despite being drenched in sauce. Chicago combo- Ribs were gross and the chicken was dry. Side of beans were gross and just felt reheated. It was all gross, dry and just felt reheated.
(1)
Michael A.
Went on a weekend night with some friends and had NO problem getting a table last minute. Place was pretty quiet. Not much atmosphere. Was told to try the Hush Pups and they were definitely really tasty. I could go for an order of them now. The Brisket was tender and the sauces were great. The service was good. Its a BYOB so how can you go wrong. It didn't really stand out as an amazing place though. Great value and food so be sure to hit it up.
(3)
Sam R.
DINER BEWARE!!!! BAD FOOD BAD SERVICE First off, I live for st Louis or Texas BBQ all day every day. This has to be one of the worst BBQ places I have tried in Chicago, will not be returning. This is of course ignoring the horrendous service me and the rest of my party received. Bad BBQ + Horrible service = Never returning, never recommending.
(1)
David R.
I was prepared to rate two stars after my first visit, based on what I guess we could call "restaurant administration" or maybe just "management." The service itself was fine--our waitress was prompt, attentive and courteous. But I'm talking about things like tables remaining unbussed for looong stretches of time, not to mention a cart overflowing with bussed dishes sitting in the dining room for our entire visit; noone being available to greet and seat customers when they first enter; only one server being staffed for Saturday lunch; a smelly men's room; and the entire place being out of Coca-Cola (which I don't drink, but what the hell?? it's Coke for heaven's sake). So basically what I mean is that it just did not seem as if the people running this place are trying very hard. However, since the food was pretty solid I will go with three stars. The best thing that I tried was the pulled turkey sandwich; I would order that again for sure. My pulled pork was decent but the meat had a funny taste that I could not place. The side of cole slaw was fresh but standard; the macaroni and cheese came in an enormous portion, piping hot and pretty good. The sweet potato fries were satisfactory. I really enjoyed two of the three table sauces but I can't recall exactly how they were different. After eating pork and turkey I decided that I would like to give their brisket a whirl before reaching a final verdict, so I got a takeout sandwich and a side of hush puppies. The brisket was so-so; it tasted good but was tough, almost rubbery. The hush puppies, though, were giant and super. In general they tended slightly towards the sugary side--and in fact come with a little cup of sweetened butter--but danced well enough on the border between sweet and savory that I dipped a few in barbecue sauce as a side for my sandwich and slathered the rest with fig preserves for dessert (note: fig preserves not provided by restaurant). So after two meals, "A-OK" seems like the right rating. They need to improve if they want to compete in the approaching-oversaturated pool of north side barbecueries. Not even close to being a destination, they are barely adequate for the immediate neighborhood.
(3)
Patrick and Jes D.
We ordered a 'boatload' for birthday dinner and between the two of us tried brisket (meh), baby back ribs (good rub, but tough), pulled pork (great rub and great with the sauces), and chicken (mouth-watering and great with the house sauce). Sides - get the hush puppies. Right now. We can wait.... Ok, also eat the coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. Collards were ok, too. Service was good and the place was busy enough to be loud but not crowded - which we didn't expect because they weren't seating anyone in the section near the door so we thought it was going to be pretty empty when we walked in.
(3)
Joel S.
At 12:30pm this place should be packed. I came in sat at the bar and almost 5 minutes later a guy from the other side came over and said sorry for the wait. I was the only one in the place. I think my food was Microwaved . Wont be returning.
(2)
Candace M.
They had excellent service with some amazing menu choices I have never seen before. Their wings are smoked rather fried and their BBQ egg rolls were awesome.
(4)
Justin B.
Hush puppies are great...and, that's about it. Dropped by last night with a Groupon in hand. My wife and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with cornbread, the Q burger with hush puppies, and a piece of blueberry pie a la mode. Those puppies were solid; large, moist, chewy, nice butter on the side. If I only had that and left, definitely a four-star review. But unfortunately the RavenswoodQ team just seemed to have a lot of problems last night; first, they were completely out of brisket. I don't know how this happens at an open BBQ restaurant, but it happened last night. They were also out of chocolate cake; you're out of your most basic dessert at 6 PM on a Monday? Anyway, the sandwiches arrived about 20 minutes after ordering (strangely slow given that we were one of two couples in the restaurant, but it was a semi-date night for the wife and I, so we weren't complaining), and the pulled pork was crunchy, a little dry, but on a pretty tasty bun. The sandwich was saved by the BBQ sauces left on the table, and two of them were not bad (St. Louis and the other non-vinegar sauce). The burger was a bust; it wasn't ten ounces like the menu said, it wasn't served with onion straws like the menu said, and it wasn't cooked medium like we asked. The cornbread was okay, but not memorable. The dessert round was interesting--I blame myself for not asking if the pie had nuts (it does), it wasn't served warm, and the vanilla ice cream wasn't that great. We thought about sending it back, but we were afraid it wouldn't be any better, so kudos to the restaurant for recognizing our dissatisfaction and taking 10% off the bill, but by this point, the damage was done. Our server was attentive and friendly but the food portion of the evening was essentially a disaster. I'm not going back to try out the brisket we missed out on, but I have a feeling that won't be the worst decision I make this week!
(2)
Caitlin U.
We went last night on a groupon. The place was completely empty, which may be awkward but it was actually fine. The decor and overall atmosphere is great. There's a bar right when you walk in, which is confusing since the restaurant is, in fact, BYOB. I think they're waiting on their license, because the waitress said they'd be serving alcohol soon. Anyway, BYOB is a huge plus in my book! We ordered the chicken wings and the ribs and brisket platter to split for two of us, with sides of mac and cheese and hush puppies Chicken wings - AMAZING. Seriously some of the best ever. They did not taste deep fried (though i have no idea how they were actually prepared) and the skin was perfectly crispy. There was a smokiness to them that was incredible. I'm normally a drench-in-sauce person, and these were NOT, but I loved them anyway. We got the buffalo and the bbq chipotle. Not too spicy, but delicious. RIbs - the waitress recommended the baby back, saying they had just made some. They were good! They also had some kind of smokey-spicy sauce on them, but not too much. There is sauce on your table to add your own (which I did). Nice and charred on the outside and meaty. Brisket - I liked it. Melted in your mouth, even better with sauce. The man-friend was meh about it but couldn't explain why. Hush puppies - really good, served with a side of honey butter Mac and cheese - meh. This was the one big misstep for me. There was just... something missing (man friend claimed it was bacon). Overall, I'd definitely go back! I love that it's BYOB. Oh and they're going to start serving brunch on the weekends so I'll probably check that out too. I just won't order the mac and cheese again.
(4)
Ev S.
We went to lunch on a Groupon. A man identifying himself as the owner waited on us, saying that his waitress hadn't showed up and wasn't answering her phone. His service left a lot to be desired. It was OK at first, but then he got involved in some carry-out orders and never came back. He served my husband's food about 5 minutes before he served mine. We even had to go looking for him to pay the bill. More about that later. The food was nothing special, and I don't think it was fresh either, it appeared to have been microwaved. The brisket egg rolls had possibilities, but the shell was soggy. My husband had the brisket sandwich with beans, and I had the sliders with collard greens. He liked his brisket sandwich, but it looked dry to me. The beans had a skin on them, obviously not fresh. The sliders were brisket, pulled chicken, and pulled pork. The brisket was dry and not very tasty, and I couldn't eat the chicken and pork, which were full of hard, burned bits. The buns were gummy. The collard greens were tasty, but were served with about 1/2 cup of braising liquid. The Carolina sauce was way too mustardy, and the other two sauces were unremarkable. There was just one other table, and they waited at least 20 minutes for their food. A cook finally brought it out. The bussing station was right out in the dining area, and the kitchen cooler was just adjacent to it, so when they opened the door you could look in. We had to look for the owner to get our bill and pay it. He was processing carry outs, and didn't know how to use his system to accept payment. We waited at least 15 minutes before he started our bill. Again, he didn't know how to handle the Groupon and had to call someone (again) to walk him through the process. While this was going on, Park Chicago app beeped in my purse and our parking ran out. I went out to the car. While we were waiting, another man came out of the kitchen, and he too, told us about the waitress who didn't show up.. When he finally presented the bill to my husband (by now it's about 25 minutes that we've been trying to pay our bill) , it didn't deduct for the Groupon. He had to do that manually. My husband told him our parking had run out, he waited so long to pay. The guy told him not to complain because he'd saved money using the Groupon. He was also muttering something about he shouldn't have opened up that day as my husband left. There are lots of BBQ places in the city, with better food and much better service. We won't be going back to Ravenswood Q and I don't recommend it, either.
(1)
Lysa C.
Some of the best wings I have had !! Delicious. The hush puppies OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!! Great customer service , there was an error with the food that was delivered( probably a Grub Hub error) and the restaurant promptly corrected the error, sent new food and took it off our charge . Will most definitely order from here again and recommend this restaurant !!
(4)
Anthony H.
I had some take out from Ravenswood Q last night. I ordered a pulled chicken sandwich with collard greens and mac and cheese. Delivery from Grub Hub was fast and courteous. The collard greens were on point and flavored with smoked turkey. The pulled chicken sandwich was OK. The flavor of the sauce kind of threw me a bit, but all in all it was OK. The Mac and cheese I was very disappointed in. It was if someone cooked some noodles in butter, sprinkled some cheese across the top and microwaved it. A 4 year old can do that. I suggest make it correctly by making a sauce and baking it or don't offer on the menu at all. Food was just ok. I want to give this place another chance though.
(2)
Matt T.
Our dinner experience began with me catching an unpleasant whiff but first dismissing it as impossible. Could it be? I had to confirm with my companions just to be sure I wasn't imagining it. It actually smelled like sewage near our table, which was along the west-most wall. The smell would alternate between being strong and then barely noticeable, as if it was being affected by the airflow system. Fortunately, the smell of my friend's coffee helped mask the scent, so I remained optimistic and looked forward to my barbeque. The food was terrible, unfortunately. I had the beef brisket plate. It was dry and mostly flavorless. The worst part, though, was that it was served barely warm, with many cold spots. The temperature made it seem as if it had been sitting out for a long time. My friend ordered the bbq chicken sandwich, and some of its meat was cold. As for the cornbread, it was the most flavorless I have ever had. Even if this place fixes whatever was causing part of its dining room to smell like sewage, I still can't recommend it. The food was poorly prepared and overpriced relative to its quality. Don't eat here, there are plenty of better places.
(1)
Caroline J.
We went to Ravenswood Q after purchasing the Groupon. I was very into the idea of a BYOB barbecue place so I was pretty excited to try it out. We went around 8:00 on a Thursday evening and to be honest, we thought the place was closed. The front room was dead, but we were seated in the space next door, where there were a few other groups and couples. The server showed up immediately and asked if we needed glasses for our beer - nice! We took a couple minutes to decide and ended up ordering the pulled pork sandwich (for me), the rib sandwich (for him) and a side of cornbread as an appetizer. Service was a little slow given how few people were in the place, but we were enjoying our beer so no rush. The cornbread showed up and was a massive slab - definitely enough to justify paying the $4 for it. It was sweet and moist and overall just delicious. Our food finally came out and was SO. GOOD. My pork was definitely different from your standard barbecue - it seemed to have some sort of cajun rub on it in addition to the sauce. Whatever they did to it, I'm a fan. The bun was toasted perfectly, crunchy on the inside and fluffy on the outside. I tried some of his sandwich, which had off-the-bone rib meat and crunchy onions. Again, so tasty. The hush puppies were good, but I've had better. The only thing keeping me from giving this place 5 stars is the slower than average service, but with the BYOB policy I'm probably trying to take my time anyways. Also, props to them for not flinching when I whipped out the Groupon.
(4)
Sarah D.
Service was just okay - they did not bring the food out at the same time and there was quite a lag between my dish and my boyfriends food. The food was very good - better than we expected. We are big fans of Smoque in Irving Park and this place came close. It was very quiet for a Friday night at 8pm but overall we would probably go back. Be warned - they are no longer BYOB (contrary to Groupon and their website)
(4)
Bryn G.
I cannot speak highly enough about this restaurant. The atmosphere is pleasant, good music, nice bar. The food is utterly delicious. The brisket is moist, the bbq sauce is spicy but sweet, and the pulled pork and pulled ribs are to die for. I had brunch here last week and was thrilled at the live jazz and the obscenely delicious bananas foster pancakes. I've only been here a few times and the bartender remembered my face and my drink. It has never been crowded here which makes me nervous-- I want this place to stay!! For improvements, what can I say? Hang your beer signs in the window so there is more room at the bar, and put more signage on those windows. Also, the "Q" is reminiscent of quizno's... Change it up to represent the neighborhood a little bit!
(5)
Erica I.
This town needs more BBQ places, so I was excited when I heard about this new place opening. We had gone to Cafe 28 a few times, and it definitely did not have the same decor and was pretty plain looking on the inside. I know they just opened though, so maybe they will spruce it up soon. It's also much smaller than Cafe 28, it looks like they closed off one of the other rooms, so the tables are very close together. The hostess and our server was very friendly. We ordered the chicken wings with buffalo sauce as a starter, and they were somewhat fatty on the outside, but had a really good smokey flavor. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich, and it had the same smokey flavor, which was great with the St. Louis bbq sauce they had on the table. My date said his pulled pork sandwich was a little on the dry side. The best part about Ravenswood Q were the sides! The sandwiches came with fries and coleslaw, but we were able to sub them for $1 extra. So I got the mac and cheese and sweet potato fries with mine. The mac and cheese was good! It almost had a burnt cheese taste like Pequod's pizza has, and it was yummy. I also liked the sweet potato fries, but they needed some dipping sauce or brown sugar on top. My date got the mashed potatoes and hush puppies for his sides, but they were out of hush puppies :( So he got cornbread instead. I REALLY liked the mashed potatoes. I think they had cheese or sour cream mixed in, and I liked the flavor that gave it. The cornbread was nothing special, so I asked if they had butter and the server brought some honey butter that made it much better. We will definitely come back because I want to try the hush puppies, and I also want to try the buffalo chicken egg rolls appetizer.
(4)
Steven P.
The service from start to finish to include the hostess was pleasant, professional, and timely. This place used to be BYOB but now have selections of beers and wine. They even have PBR drafts for $2 which was a nice price point. I ordered a brisket sandwich, hush puppies and brisket chili. The chili could have been warmer, the hush puppies were good and the butter they provided with those was delicious. The brisket on the sandwich was a bit cold and tough. Grand total to include tip was $20. Apps were half off on the Friday I went. I'd give this place a 2nd chance probably. The reviews for this place are certainly mixed so you might be pleasantly surprised or disappointed. It's hard to say
(4)
Cam M.
For the bulk of my review, look at my old review. I'm updating my take on them since they JOINED GRUB HUB FOR DELIVERY!!!! Yes, I added a whole star because they started delivery (at least thru Grub Hub). Considering that the noise/space was my biggest fault with the place, that is huge. I ordered a Brisket Sandwich w/sweet potato fries, as well as the Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. The food arrived hot, and tasted great. I can see myself adding them into my "go to" delivery places. I have my favorite pizza places for whenever I'm craving whatever style of pizza, I have my favorite diner style places that deliver, and this place gets added into my favorite pulled pork/brisket/chicken places that deliver.
(4)
David W.
to preface, I don't think it's fair when yelpers complain about "slow service" with a large group at 8pm on a Saturday.... with that said, my setting: a small group of friends here at 4:30pm on a Saturday. It took an hour for our food to come out. When it did, one person got a sandwich, another got a side. Looking at my watch, over 10 minutes went by before more food came out. Our appetizer came out near the end. Other tables were receiving their food while we waited. BBQ is the type of food that is being smoked all day, it's strange how the food wasn't ready. Also, coleslaw should already be ready. That even took time to come out and one person in our party never received his. Service was not good. Angie (manager) apologized and took responsibility. She gave us 10% off our bill, which to be honest, is not an incentive to come back when there are so many good restaurants in the area. Even though Smoque & Fat Willy's are driving distance, you are better off heading there. FOOD REVIEW Pulled pork: salty, but very good Hushpuppies: incredible side dish Mac & Cheese: good Coleslaw: nothing great, but solid Pulled chicken: there seemed to be bones in it Brisket: more like roast beef, pass on this dish
(2)
Mitchell A.
I thought Quiznos opened a BBQ chain when I first saw the sign to be honest. The Q is almost the same. I hope they didn't do that on purpose hahahahahaha. Well if they did or they didn't both are not good. To me it shows the lack of thoroughness. This also translate to the food and decor. not much else to say. bland all the way through. Lot of BBQ in this city as of late and you need to stand out and according to almost all 17 reviews they just don't and I agree. neighborhood needs them to do better. I feel the same as everyone else....it is early so hope they come through. They have time I guess. PS North Center is the home of the cities biggest BBQ event soooooooo if you are going to open a BBQ place in this Hood you might ohhhh I don't know NOT want to suck.
(2)
louis S.
Loved the food and the passion of the pit master. Great Brisket, ribs and fresh moist huge side of corn bread with honey butter (YUM) Oh and he also makes everything in house. Cole Slaw alone was worth the trip. The higher quality of the products and the right amount of smoking comes through. Even makes three types of sauces. You can tell when the owner is passionate about the product and as I have often said, I never trust a skinny pit master. Not a problem here. Loved it! Next up on the weekend are beef short ribs, can not wait. One of the best BBQ joints I have been to in along time and I am just back from Kansas City.
(5)
Beth M.
I'm still full from their food as I write this review. Let me start with I was very hesitant on going here. I live nearby so at first I was so excited - I love supporting any North Center business. But then the bad Yelp reviews started rolling in. And months later it didn't seem to get much better. Well, we went for it anyways. I did my homework and made notes of what other reviews complained about so I could see if it held true for my experience. I can say it didn't at all. We got there about 8 p.m. on a Wednesday night and half of the back room was full - pretty busy for most restaurants in North Center. We were seated immediately and given glasses for our wine (yay BYOB). I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mac 'n' cheese and my husband ordered half a rack of ribs along with hush puppies and sweet potato fries. 1) Our food was served in the right amount of time. Actually, I didn't even finish my first glass of wine before it was out. 2) Our server- Alex - was extremely attentive and very, very nice, and 3) Everything was delicious. Pulled pork sandwiches are my go-to on judging a bbq place. The thing that really stood out for this one was the garlic taste to the bun. I added their house sauce to it, which was delicious. They also have a Carolina sauce and a St. Louis sauce, and the waiter pointed out each is great for a certain kind of meat. Mac 'n' cheese was good - I did add a bit of pepper but was very happy with it. I also noted it's the first mac 'n' cheese I've had in the city in awhile that wasn't oily. My husband loved the ribs, fries, and hush puppies. The ribs have a bit of a kick - maybe it's a pepper rub? And holy crap serving size - you will definitely get your money's worth. You know how you get sides of stuff and it usually all fits on one plate? Every single food item had it's own basket because there was so much. We could barely fit it all on the table. All in all it was great. I'm really, really happy I went and made my own decision, which I hope everyone else does too.
(5)
Rafal P.
Food was descent. Waitress was very attentive since we were the only ones there at the time.
(4)
Sleepless-In S.
This is an updated review, because my first experience at this place was a mess and a half. However, I had a Groupon left over and felt the need to use it. I'm glad I did, and it seemed Ravenswood Q got itself together. On my second visit, I found this place to be better decorated, better staffed and a tremendously improved experience. Our waitress was very attentive and provided great insight to the menu. After a brutal overpriced first experience, I went in avoiding anything like a full rack of ribs. Instead I chose a brisket sandwich and their brisket chili. Both were incredible. I enjoyed the chili so much, our waitress actually gave a cup of it to my friend with me for free! Their portion sizes are great - it was a phenomenal meal After a 1 star first visit and a 5 star second experience, I'll roll this place a 3 average. They came a long way, and hopefully things continue in this direction.
(5)
William K.
Also went on the Groupon deal. Very delicious and glad I went, I will definitely return. We ordered the hush puppies which were absolutely amazing. They were served with honey butter, but you really did not need any addition to these delicious sweets. The BBQ was also excellent, both the ribs and brisket were perfect. My girlfriend ordered the pulled pork and thought it was very good. Definitely a great addition to north center.
(4)
Ron T.
I wanted to like this place. We live near another nearby BBQ place in the area, but were hoping for another option for some variety. Sadly this is not that place. Usually the issue is something frustrating like bad service or carelessness. The issue here is the food....It just wasn't good! There were a couple of good things, but they are outweighed by the bad. Good: French Onion Soup, great flavor . Hush puppies, crunchy exterior soft inside, good flavor. The not so good: This is a BBQ place, so I expected the proteins to be pretty good, since this is "what they do". That just is not true. The ribs were tough, almost like the membrane was not pulled off. They were essentially inedible. The brisket was absurdly fatty and chewy as well. I ended up leaving a pretty large pile of partially chewed fat on a side plate. It was actually disgusting. The mac and cheese was bland as could be. We had to add BBQ sauce to it just to give it some flavor and the coleslaw was pretty much just cabbage. Again, it was bland and tasteless. All in all, the meal was disappointing and unenjoyable and there isn't much more I can say about it. As for the place itself, I hope that they will eventually invest is some decor. It is super plain and not inviting or comfortable. I will say the server we had was sweet and attentive. It looks like they are trying, I just can't overcome bad food and I am really sorry to say that. We will stick to the other nearby BBQ place on Lincoln, it is MUCH better.
(2)
Casey B.
I'll start by acknowledging that the BBQ bar is pretty high with other Northside gems like Smoque, Pork Shoppe, and Fat Willy's. Plus Ravenswood Q opened recently so they may just need to work out some kinks. Service was a 4- very nice staff and my sandwich (to go) came up quickly. Food was a 2 unfortunately. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it had almost no sauce- a tablespoon maybe- so I had to go to the fridge for an old bottle of Sweet Baby Rays. The pork had decent flavor but a somewhat dry, gummy texture. At $9.99 for the sandwich and side ($2 more than both Porke Shoppe and Fat Willy's) Ravenswood Q really needs to step it up. The neighborhood shouldn't justify that much of a price difference.
(3)
magic g.
Great food, great service. I'm not sure what the other reviewers are talking about. It's BYOB (there's a bit pricey liquor store across the street). ATt: manager. The name is a bit unfortunate from the search point of view. Neither google nor yelp finds "RavenswoodQ", they only do under "BBQ"
(4)
John A.
I've had the food from Ravenswood Q twice. Good size portions, good flavor, I like it. I read the reviews on here and I think that some of the reviewers are a bit rough on this place. They haven't been open that long and they're trying to perfect the place. The people are nice, the service is great, and the food is good. I'm sure when they first opened, the service wasn't perfect...c'mon folks, give these guys a break. I noticed that the 3 chefs were eating at the bar watching a movie. They were eating what looked like pulled pork on tortillas. It gave me an idea: I would recommend having brisket, pulled pork, or possibly chicken tacos on the menu. Keep up the good work.
(4)
Daniel G.
Decided to try a new BBQ place. I had the rib and beef brisket combo with a side of corn bread and French fries. The reason my review is so low is mostly because of the corn bread, it tasted off somehow, I could not eat more than a third of the bread. I felt like I could taste the milk used in the corn bread and it did not taste good, I think it had gone bad to be perfectly honest. I also have a complaint about the lack of signage on the sauces that are on the table, I just did not know what was what. The fries where decent, slightly seasoned but maybe a little more salty than I am used to, they seemed like store bought and not fresh cut fries but they where crispy which is a big plus, (advice to any restaurant that decides to use fresh cut fries, always blanch them so they do not taste saturated and disgusting). Now onto the main course. The brisket was a bit flavorless. But, that is not necessarily a bad thing, it seemed low on sodium and with the right sauces it is pretty epic. I would love to eat it with some steak sauce but they did not have any, my alternative would have been balsamic vinegar but before I asked I tried the three sauces on the table. I found one which I later learned from the waitress was a mustard and vinegar sauce that gave the brisket a very nice flavor, it was not overpowering that you could not tell it was beef, and not so weak that you not sense the flavor. The BBQ ribs, I consider myself a strict person on BBQ ribs, I always attempt to try them in any restaurant I go to so tend to have a high bar. The ribs where not fall of the bone, but they where unique. I've been getting tired if going to restaurants and ordering BBQ ribs which where nothing more than simple ribs smothered in BBQ sauce, that is not BBQ, there is a process of cooking that makes it a BBQ dish. While the ribs where not fall of the bone, they where indeed BBQ ribs. First of all, they where not smothered in sauce, you could tell the ribs where cooked with the sauce how they should be, the meat was very flavorful and I could sense the snap of fresh crushed pepper which gave it a pretty epic taste. One of the sauces on the table which did not have any signage went real great with the ribs. You do not need to add a lot and the sauce had a thick but also slightly spicy flavor that complemented the ribs perfectly. I don't like my ribs smothered so I thought this was nice, to have the control over how much sauce to add. I ended up enjoying that the ribs where not fall of the bone and cherished the parts that where a bit crispy, which I was not expecting. I will probably go back to this place just for the ribs, they where great. This would have been a 5 star review had it not been for the unoriginal fries which I would deduct half a star and the awful corn bread which I would deduce 1.5-2 stars. Avoid the cornbread for now and try the ribs for something different, would be my advice.
(3)
Naomi S.
The man was craving some BBQ so we bundled in our boots and coats and braved the winter weather. Q was pretty empty, we were sat immediately. Plain furnishings, but appeared cleaned. Our waitress, Hannah, was great! Very friendly and informative. We got tiny soup samples. Try the roasted red pepper!! Mmmm. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. The house BBQ sauce was good, but the pork was dry and chewy. :/ Hence the 3 stars instead of 4. Fries were good, I like the seasoning, but they were a little limp.
(3)
Brian W.
This place is a nice BBQ joint in the old Cafe 28 spot. Four of us went for lunch were among some of the first patrons there. Service: The staff was extremely nice and attentive. While it's obvious that they're still trying to get into the flow of the place we didn't have any problems with service. Everyone had smiles on and thanked us on the way out too. Environment: The space was overall was decent. It's nice inside but I didn't get a ton of character from the decor. You do get hit with a great smoky smell when walking in. We were seated close to the window and there was a lot of cold air coming off it, in retrospect we should have asked to move. Food: I ordered the Pulled Pork sandwich; for lunch it comes with some fries and a drink at a reasonable price. My pork was a little on the dry side and didn't really come through with a ton of flavor. The bun was pretty good and had a slight sweetness to it and a good toasting. We had all wished they had made the fries in house, as they were a little plain. My coworkers had the slider trio and a pulled chicken sandwich. Those went over pretty well with them, the brisket apparently being the winner. They have three sauces at the table, a house, Carolina, and St. Louis one. The house sauce is good but doesn't stand out much on it's own. The Carolina is intensely vinegary and I found it a but overpowering but tasty. The definite winner for all of us was the St. Louis sauce that had a great balance to it. It was mentioned that they don't have ribs on the lunch menu, only dinner. They're trying to see if there is a demand that would warrant putting it on. My coworker and myself are totally behind adding it. Overall: I'll come back here again and expect that they'll probably work out some minor kinks that any new space has to overcome soon. I'd recommend checking it out if you're in the area. Three stars with the expectation of upgrading it with future visits and checking out the ribs at dinner.
(3)
Jon K.
Ive been here twice. First time I got the rib sandwich; second time pulled pork. Both platters were fabulous! It's reasonably priced and my server both times was polite and helpful. Try the cornbread!
(5)
Tyler C.
I'm pretty much always craving BBQ so when I heard about this place opening up nearby, I figured I better try it out. After braving the wintry weather, my girlfriend and I were greeted and sat quickly. There were a couple patrons at the bar and a mid-sized group a couple tables from us, but other than that, the place was empty on a Saturday at lunch time. Service was solid, no complaints there. I'm a sucker for brisket so I ordered the brisket sandwich. It arrived in a timely manner and was delicious. Another slice or two of beef on the sandwich would have made it perfect, but I still got stuffed between the sandwich and fries. Bonus points for the 2 soup samples that were brought out for us to try while we were waiting. As others have mentioned, there are 3 BBQ sauces to choose from: a St. Louis, a Carolina, and a house specialty (somewhat similar to the St. Louis). The waitress informed us that they just revamped the house recipe despite them only being open for a short while. Maybe they haven't hit their groove or perhaps continuous sauce experimentation is part of their game plan. I'm still searching for a go-to BBQ place in Chicago but I'll more than likely make another trip to Ravenswood Q sometime in the future.
(4)
Eric R.
Just had lunch there today around 1:30 pm. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were great. The waitress behind the bar is friendly and the food was great. I will definitely come back for dinner some time!
The brisket sandwich was really bad. It should be sold as "fatty roast beef sandwich". They might have other good things here, but the brisket sandwich was not good and it was extremely expensive. I recommend going to Wrigley BBQ if you're looking for real (at least for Chicago) BBQ food. Otherwise, try Texas. This stuff is not what you're looking for.
(1)
Betsy P.
Quite possibly the worst BBQ I've ever had. The only thing edible from the combo platter was the chicken. The brisket was fatty and tough; the burned, dry, brontosaurus ribs should only be served on top of the Flintstone-mobile. Sides of Mac and cheese, greens, and baked beans were mediocre to bad. On a brighter note, the house-made sauce is pretty good; the other two not-so-much.
(1)
Cj J.
This place is okay. I have tried to like it but its disappointing every time. I've tried the Beef Brisket which had a lot of fat on it. The food was cold when it was delivered to me and I only live a few blocks away. The Mac and cheese was dry the last time I had it, which is surprising because it has received a lot of good reviews. The sad thing is there are many of BBQ places and this place might not last unless they do a bit better.
(2)
Shannon J.
I've ordered threw grub hub a few times from here and it's always been great. Tonight my boyfriend went in and ordered the food to go, well that was a mistake. He got a burger well done, a salad, and a brisket. Took 45 minutes and the burger was bleeding. Maybe step up your actual customer service and stop worrying about grub hub so much
(3)
Fred P.
Brisket sandwich was REALLY fatty and was that bottled sauce? Cole slaw just ok. Overall, not worth the price.
(2)
Steven G.
In the crowded field of BBQ in chicago, this quite spot is dead on w the smoker. Pulled pork, the burger, brisket,smoked chicken were all enjoyed w a true Americana trio of sauces. Thanks Matt and Andre
(4)
Trice T.
Came here with a friend to share a combo platter and fell in love with their Q... and the sides are the epitome of comfort food and yumminess. .. Their hush puppies are too die for. .. Now I'm trying them for carryout and the smell is heavenly in my car. .. Great also to know now that they've partnered with grub hub... here's crossing fingers they deliver in my area :)
(4)
Kozby K.
Bad...bad....bad, bad, bad! The sides were bland, the meat was undercooked and cut the wrong way making it tough and stringy and the ambiance was unwelcoming with loud music and cold surroundings. When we brought the problems with our meal to the manager's attention, we were basically told that other people love it so it just must be our problem. Judging by the lack of many diners on a Sunday evening, I'm thinking that isn't the case. The one plus was our waitress was friendly. Never going back!
(1)
Kevin K.
At first I was going to give this place 2 stars as I liked our server and thought she did a decent job. Then after giving it a second thought there is no way that I could give Ravenswood Q more than one star as most of the meat here was inedible. I got the brisket which was so fatty and chewy that I was only able to eat the bun. My partner had a combination plate and didn't finish a thing. The hush puppies were ok, but I can go across the street to Snappy's and have better. I wanted to like this place, I really did. But with so many great bbq places in the city these days, I can say that I will never be back. Both Smalls and Smoque are a short drive west on Irving and offer much better (edible) bbq.
(1)
Miranda B.
Meh. Food? It was Ok. My pulled pork was actually crispy? My husband liked it but I thought it was kind of weird. My husband had the brisket which was pretty good. Everything looked really sad coming out on the "vintage-ish" plates. Absolutely no sides, no garnish, nothing on the plate. Just a lonely sandwich on my big ol' plate and a pile of brisket on my hubby's. Our server was good - He refilled our drinks like a million times. Though - considering we were the only people in the place on a Saturday afternoon - we didn't have much competition for his attention. What wasn't even OK was the decor/cleanliness. We walked in on a Sat. afternoon and it seemed like the whole staff was sitting in the bar area watching a game on tv. That's fine. There was no one in the restaurant to wait on. BUT - the floors were filthy. Dirty and covered in food. French fries, used napkins, etc. on the floor under a bunch of the tables. No one watching the game could be bothered to sweep or mop? Kind of grossed me out. and the Decor? what decor? some random IKEA frames/pictures hung crookedly on the wall - the before mentioned "vintage"-looking plates were chipped and didn't look too clean. Maybe I'm just comparing it to Smoque (its not even close!) and that's why I wasn't thrilled by this place. But IMHO - no decor, just ok food, filthy floor? Don't think I'll be back.
(2)
MARISOL P.
Ugh, my brisket and mashed potatoes were cold. It took a while for the waitress to come around. Eventually I did get a nice plate of hot food.
(2)
Oscar L.
I hate writing bad reviews, but this place has mediocre food. Nothing special. Cold food. Dirty dishes. Not too long til this place closes down. I asked fir something and was waiting because a manager was being very rude.
(1)
Cindy B.
The mark of a good restaurant is not necessarily its size, but the quality of its food and the generosity of its staff. Along that line, some of the finest dining experiences I've had throughout my life have been in the small diners and dives scattered throughout the city of Chicago, RAVENSWOOD Q is not among these gems. I only noticed two other customers. Since it was dinnertime on a Thursday evening, this should have been my second warning signal, but I still continued on in my culinary adventure. I told my waitress several times I have a Groupon Fifteen minutes after we sat down, our waitress finally arrived to take our order. we began with an "Appetizers BBQ Chicken flatbread,Brisket & Rib Combo Platter and 1/2 BBQ Chicken platter" After another 25 minutes passed, our appetizer had arrived I had already begun to expect as much, especially considering the fact that, in the 40 minutes I had been there thus far, the only other customers I had spotted were the original two patrons I saw when I first came. I decided to give the hasty waiter one final chance to redeem herself to by asking her about what exactly Groupon special I will take the blame for my disappointment at its ordinariness, though, seeing as how I did not inquire about the restriction. What I will not take the blame for, however, is the fact that the food ,services and staff was Unfortunately, the sub-standard quality in your restaurant really dampened our spirits. To the staff's attitude and lack of communication which have spoiled the evening. The dinner started off in a very disappointing way when we were served some tasteless lukewarm and The Main Course tasted equally bad. We decide enough is enough, we was ready to checkout well RAVENSWOOD Q did not honor Groupon We were VERY VERY disappointed and complain to the manager at once. But the manger seemed ignorant about the whole episode and called the POLICE,REALLY. To our astonishment the manager nor his staff apology to us.
(1)
Carrie M.
Went for lunch on a groupon.....thank God. We ordered rib brisket combo and ceasar salad. When the meats came out the brisket was cool to luke warm. When I think of brisket I think of a thick piece of tender juicybeef. This was 4 really thin slices. We are talking like almost shaved...and then cool. The 4 baby backs were meaty and good. 3 different sauces....ice cold from fridge. Waiter forgot ceasar so when it came after we were finished, he compted it. Won't be back.
(2)
M G.
Went with a group of 6 and had a negative experience. While I understand they have been open only a week there is no excuse for being served cold and fatty food. When we vocalized our dissatisfaction the manager was a bit reluctant. The management should have gone out of their way to comp our bill or to find a way to leave us with a good feeling. We will not be returning which is a shame because I like to support local businesses. They were also out of hush puppies which is crazy since it's on their menu and they have only been open a week.
(1)
Gold B.
If you're looking for delicious barbecue, this place is the REAL DEAL! Absolutely delicious! Meats smoked to perfection, house sauce is to kill for! Restaurant is renovated and very clean. Everything is tasty, and the portions are huge. Found this spot on Groupon. Wish I had found it sooner!!!! Will definitely be back again and again!
(5)
elizabeth s.
I hope this place just needs more time... My husband and I took our son there last weekend and had wonderful service. The food was not great. Not good even. We had the buffalo chicken rolls to start and they were OK but could have used maybe some blue cheese in the roll? I had a chicken sandwich which was rubbery and the fries were a little bland. My husband had a cold pulled pork sandwich. Even my 3 year old woudnt eat his mac and cheese. Again, the service was great and I hope that the food gets better with time!
(2)
Stephanie C.
For the food itself, I would give Ravenswood Q more stars--3 or 4--because it was pretty tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich and I enjoyed trying all 3 of the offered BBQ sauces (all good, the Carolina was my favorite). And the sides were awesome, I would highly recommend the mashed potatoes. They're cheesy with green onions mixed in. The sweet potato fries and hush puppies were really good, too. And very reasonably priced! You get a lot for your money with the sandwiches. I also did not experience any of the issues other reviewers have mentioned with the wait-staff, everyone was friendly and helpful enough. The reason I'm only giving 2 stars is that the dining experience was noisy to the point of being stressful and uncomfortable. We were there on a Friday night around 7, so I expected it to be busy, but it was SO LOUD. SO LOUD! We ate and left as quickly as we could, and ended up having a quieter experience in a very crowded bar. And it doesn't make sense... The restaurant isn't cramped, there were a lot of kids that evening but I didn't hear any temper tantrums--I think everything echoes too much. People were just talking/clinking silverware, but it sounds like a roar, you can hear everything except the person right across the table from you. I think all they need to do is put something on the walls to absorb the sound (right now it's very bare) or whatever else other restaurants do to avoid this problem. Until then, I'd love to go back for take out, but I just can't handle the volume. EDIT: Our waitress said they are working on getting their liquor license, but for now it is BYOB.
(2)
Chris A.
Oh my goodness the food is GOOD!!! I ordered the 1/2 bbq chicken with mashed potatoes and cornbread. Oh my the food is so good. I definitely recommend this place. I will be here again .
(5)
Jodi M.
First dining experience here and it will not be repeated. We had a party of 6 and we were all disappointed. Every dish except the collard greens was cold; meat was extremely tough; sides were not particularly good either. We fairly discussed the situation with the waiter and then to the manager. While we were offered a sandwich and a side to "make things better", there wasn't any other effort to rectify the situation. The bill came and while 3 of the main dinners were inedible, we were fully charged. Really??? After an escalation to the manager, how could any inkling of a percentage not be proactively taken off the bill? It wasn't until one of us stepped aside with the manager to further discuss that 2 items were comp'd. Unbelievable. Food: poor Service: poor Recommend: absolutely not Honestly - we understood it was opening week and there was AMPLE opportunity to make this situation right... every opportunity and yet it was not taken. Believe me, THAT would have made the difference. Own it, take responsibility and put your client first.
(1)
Charles R.
My fiance and I ate here late on a Friday night and were the only ones in the restaurant. Our server was extremely friendly and helpful, and we ordered quite a bit of food. It's not the best barbeque I've ever had, but it was good for someplace in my neighborhood. I liked that the meat was unadorned so I could add my choice of different sauces to it, and the sides and appetizer were quite good. All in all, we had a good experience and we hope this place does well.
(4)
Sean R.
Food was decent. Beef ribs were a little chewy but not tough. Sliced brisket was a touch on the bland side but their (presumably house-made) sauces added a nice kick. But Sweet Holy Jesus is this place expensive. 25 bucks for a few slices of brisket and four ribs?? For that kind of dough I expected something closer to a Fred Flintstone slab.
(3)
Kitty R.
I really, really wanted to love Ravenswood Q. We were longtime patrons of NN Smokehouse and excited to have the new restaurant in our neighborhood. If I could give 2.5 stars, that's where I would have settled. On the plus side, the buffalo chicken egg rolls were interesting and tasty. The pulled pork sandwich had a nice, smoky flavor - but could have used more sauce (we did carry out and were given only 2 miniature cups of sauce). Also enjoyed the hush puppies and the sweet potato fries. Portions were generous, too. The negative - the brisket was so terrible that my husband refused to eat more than a third of it. It was dry and tasteless. With time, I'm sure they'll get their act together. But for now, we aren't going to rush to return.
(3)
Burton D.
Do not get the brisket. It is dry and cannot be rescued by any of the sauces. In addition, do not get the brisket. Or the brisket. Now, with that out of the way, this is not a top BBQ place, but it's pretty good. The hushpuppies are served with honey butter, which is fine but they are better with BBQ sauce in my view. The cornbread, OTOH, comes without honey butter, and would benefit from it - so ask for it. The sweet potato fries are as good as any I've had. The mac & cheese struck me as nothing special. I really liked the buffalo egg rolls. Very tasty. The pulled pork sandwich did not seem to me to really involve pulled pork, although it was pleasant enough. The baby back ribs were quite good, both with & without the sauce. The service was attentive and the general experience was positive. The place is BYO, and as I walked in with my bottle, I was asked "red or white?" and the server brought the proper glasses to the table. I'd be happy to eat here again.
(4)
Mark L.
I just finished half of my BBQ rib dinner from Ravenswood Q. I only ate half, because it was practically inedible. The pork was very tough, and the dry rub was too thickly layered on. I enjoy a good rub, but this one was extremely salty and overpowering, not to mention spicy as hell. It tasted like paprika was on sale somewhere and they loaded up the RQ shopping cart.....Most dry rubs are neutral, and let you dial up the heat by using sauce. These ribs were terrible. Very strange, since the only other time we had theirs, they were pretty decent. I don't know what happened in the meantime, but I'm going to go back to another Q house for my rib fix. Sorry Ravenswood, I hoped you would be good cuz you're close to our house. But close doesn't cut it here. Also, they messed up our order by putting the wrong sides in the order and skipped one altogether. Bye bye RQ, hope you get better.....
(1)
Nick S.
Had takeout from here before ribs and brisket were good. Ate there tonight and disappointed with fatty brisket, whole place had the feel of inexperienced owners. Just an opinion! Servers not really well trained and condiments in boxes they were shipped in. You. Couldsee the kitchen but I did not want to look. I would give them another shot on the ribs however. If you actually get the coleslaw through grub hub ( we did not) I would be surprised as we did not get it in the restaurant either.... Irony .... Yes
My boyfriend and I went to Ravenswood Q for the first time last night (Friday) because we live in the area and had a Groupon. After reading mixed reviews on here, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I have to say that we thought it was really good. The service was great. We didn't have to wait long for a table, our server was attentive and made helpful suggestions, and our food came out quickly. Especially for a Friday night. The prices were also quite reasonable. The food was good and we were surprised by how generous the portions were. I had the cheeseburger. It wasn't amazing, but it was good, and it was pretty big (a half pound, I believe). It came with coleslaw and one side. I chose the hush puppies. I would have expected a few small hush puppies, but we got a separate basket of 6 golf-ball sized hush puppies with a side of honey butter. They were tasty, and my boyfriend loved the honey butter. He got the rib sandwich, which he said was really good. He also enjoyed the choice of 3 bbq sauces that are on every table. He chose the fries for his side, which were more of a seasoned fry, and we really liked them. We also ordered an extra side of mac & cheese, and we liked that as well. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience at Ravenswood Q. We liked the food, and there are a few more things on the menu that we'll probably be back to try. Also, we really appreciated the amount of food you get for the money.
(4)
Keith O.
The food is really good. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were one of the best I've had. I do have two issues which are totally correctable with good management. #1 Decorate somehow, I believe they have same paint and decorations from the Cuban place that had good food , and didn't make it. #2 Assume anyone that comes in for lunch may be on 30 minute window, I was 15 minutes late back from lunch because check was 15 minutes late. Bring the check shortly after the food at lunch , or I can't eat at your restaurant at lunch on any sort of regular basis. BBQ is a quick & dirty experience normally not fine dining. If those two things change this could be a 5, food is good.
(3)
Michelle M.
I really liked this place! I had the brisket, it was a little fatty, but good. My BF had the half chicken and he liked it. The best part was the sides. The hush puppies were delicious. The corn bread was great. I tried the BF's mac and cheese and it was good too. The portions were huge and the prices were good. Plus it is BYOB, for now at least.
(4)
Shaun C.
Great BBQ sauce, but the pulled pork was very dry. Good atmosphere, and a new place. Hopefully quality will pick up a bit!
(3)
Seven N.
First of all, if you can't make good ribs, don't open a rib joint! We had the dinner with ribs, chicken & brisket. It included 2 sides. The fries? Yummy! The mac 'n cheese? Very good. Brisket was ok but a bit fatty. The chicken was good but not tender enough for my taste. The ribs however were terrible. They were tough, very dry with barely any meat on them. The bones were wide (never seen that before) and next to no meat. The smokey flavor wasn't bad, it's just that they were sooo dry. The amount of food that comes on that dinner plate was also not worth $25. A few thinly sliced strips of brisket, a 1/4 piece of chicken and a piece of rib that had a total of a tablespoon of meat on it! NEVER AGAIN! As far as the service goes, our waitress was polite. When we first walked in, there was a woman on her cell phone who turned out to be the hostess. She looked at us, asked us how many?- then sat us. She sat on her phone the entire time we were there which was another thing. It took nearly an hour to get our food and there were only 8 people there including us two. Don't bother with this place. There are way better BBQ places in the city.
(2)
Star F.
A++ great service and great food. Pulled pork was scrumptious and the BBQ sauces on the table were a huge hit among our group.
(5)
Dan N.
This place gets two stars because (1) they forgot one of my sides, (2) the mashed potatoes were truly terrible (yes, I too was surprised that's even possible), and (3) the hostess/manager was rude to the staff and made me uncomfortable. Perhaps this place will turn around, but, for now, two stars is all I can give it. I ordered the BBQ pulled pork to go tonight. After waiting 10-15 minutes for my order, I got home and discovered that they forgot to include the cole slaw. Annoying, but I'll live. I was disappointed again though when I saw the mashed potatoes. They had the consistency of kneaded bread dough. The potatoes were overly oily and were sort of gelatinous. If a place manages to screw up something as easy as mashed potatoes or french fries, their Yelp rating is going to take a hit. Instant potatoes out of a box are literally twice as fluffy, and taste way better. I have no idea how they made their potatoes like this, but they should fix this or good luck! As for the BBQ, the pulled pork was good. I really enjoyed the sauce. I would certainly go back to have it again had it not been for the above, and the fact that while I was waiting for my order, the hostess (who apparently is also manager?) was very rude and bossy to the person who took my order. She sort of berated this employee in front of me which was uncomfortable.
(2)
Tiffany G.
Maybe it was the complimentary tortilla soup on an EXTREMELY cold, winter night in Chicago, or maybe it was the Prime Rib sandwich that melted in my mouth (it was the special...I've been dreaming of it since. I would give anything for them to make it permanent!!). But I credit the 5 stars to the fact that my dinner party of 5 ordered enough food to fill our entire table (and then some), and ate every last bit of it. We just couldn't stop ourselves. The prime rib sandwich was definitely the highlight, and favorite at our table. It was just so tasty and tender. I had the same reaction to this, as I always do with Au Cheval's burger (I dream about that burger, and now this sandwich). OK, enough with the prime rib sammie...the other favorite items we ordered were the trio of sliders (nice option to trial before deciding entree), the pulled chicken sandwich, the brisket sandwich, the mashed potatoes, hush puppies, the seasoned fries (and the sweet potato fries for that matter), and the baby back ribs. We also enjoyed the mac and cheese, that complimentary tortilla soup, the St. Louis sauce and the House sauce (the Carolina sauce also received thumbs up). Great location, right off the Irving Park brown line stop. Stop in and get your meat fix!
(5)
John S.
Normally I would not write a review for a restaurant that is clearly on its last legs, but it was so awful that others need to warned. We went there an a thursday night at 7. The first clue should have been that there was't a single person in the restaurant and none would come in later even for carry out. We were clearly the only customers they had all night. We came because of a groupon, so the only customer for the whole night was on a groupon. But we decided to give it a try.. What a mistake!! My wife order beef ribs and hush puppies. The beef ribs were unedible tough all fat and gristle just so disgusting that I had to send them back. The hush puppies were raw and had to be sent back also. I ordered the brisket and babybacks. The babybacks were ok but was still disgusted from looking at my wifes raw runny hush puppies and gristle ribs. My brisket some how managed to be as dry as cardboard and mostly fat like it was sitting under a heat lamp for hours.I would be amazed if this restaurant lasts the month.
(1)
J M.
Very disappointed ! Seems like a lot of inexperience . Went on a Monday eve , only 4 tables filled . Very blah atmosphere . Ribs and meat in rib sandwich very tasty . Rib sandwich was supposed to be topped with crispy onion strings , they were soggy breaded onions . Coleslaw tasteless. Small house salad served in a warm bowl ! Staff very nice but the place is just missing the mark
(2)
Emily L.
The food was alright but the service was absolutely awful. It took twenty minutes to even get someone to take a drink order. The dishes were dirty and the waitstaff seemed rushed. I won't be returning.
(1)
Kevin S.
service was fine, the waitress was nice; food...meh; price not even close to what it is. sit down restaurant prices with uninspired flavor. you are new, you are a neighbor, for th reason only i will try another day.
(2)
Amanda B.
Gross. I've eaten here twice and both times, I left feeling this wave of sickness. The food isn't bad going down, but you will regret it a few minutes later. The brisket is really fatty and the prices are way too high. Also, the service is terrible. Unless you have 2 hours to kill, this is not an ideal lunch place.
(1)
C S.
Love the red pepper soup and hush puppies. Service was fabulous, our server Danny was professional, fun and knew the menu very well. Will go back again and again.
(4)
Brian R.
OK, truth time. I'm giving this place a 5 star review only based on the fact that so many other people have rated it poorly and it has a 3 star rating, while the nearby "Smokin Woodys" has a 3.5 star rating. Everything was alright. Brisket was sliced too thin and a little tough, but it had a great smokey flavor. The babyback ribs were on point. The pulled pork was alright too. Nothing blew me away, but if you want to get some decent bbq in this neighborhood, this, or Smalls BBQ would be your 2 choices.
(5)
Stefanie H.
Brisket sliced like lunch meat. Ribs are pretty good, but dry. The Mac n cheese is basically buttered noodles mixed with Parmesan cheese and topped will melted cheddar. Not terrible, but I'm glad I had a groupon.
(3)
christine a.
It's no Fat Willy's, but.... Had a pretty good lunch today. Pulled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. The chicken was lightly smoked, moist and a good enough sized serving for lunch. The sweet fries were the best I've had in a long time. Super crispy on the outside and perfectly done on the inside. They looked house made. Husband had burger and regular fries. He said it was tasty. Service was pleasant. They have 3 different sauces, sweet, vinegar spicy and vinegar. My suggestion, serve a little free slaw on the side. $3 for side of slaw is too much when the sandwich and fries is $9.95. The environment is fine, don't know what others are crabbing about. It's Cafe 28 minus artwork. One small minus. The music was good, Ray Charles vibe, then the owner? turned it off to watch tv in the bar area. Customers make a connection through the environment you present. Staff sitting around doing nothing, watching tv doesn't add anything. Watch tv at home. Despite that little personal pet peeve, we'll probably be back to try other offerings because we live close.
(4)
JJ H.
I'm really sorry to write a bad review but this place not even get 1 star. The food was bad but the service even worst. The waiter didn't know what on the menu but when he asked the owner a question and he was very route to the waiter. I said the waiter job should know all the answer. I will NEVER come back this place again.
(1)
Marlo D.
I am all about giving new places in Chicago a chance. Places come and go around here so fast. I appreciate this joint. Right off the train. Currently BYOB. Mac and cheese and barbecue. Can't go wrong!! Good work Q.
(4)
A W.
This place is AMAZING!!! the service was friendly and super fast, and it is byob (for now i believe). There was a group of us so we were able to try many different things. The pulled pork was absolutely perfect-3 of us got it and there wasn't a single scrap left by the end of the meal. The sliders are amazing for tasting the variety of the meats but was also big enough to be a meal on its own. We also tried the spare ribs and will definitely be getting them again-so juicy and perfectly seasoned! The sides are both filling and absolutely delicious. The mac n cheese was so cheesy and amazing, and the cole slaw was the perfect balance to all of the main dishes. On top of all the amazing food, each table has 4 different bbq sauce options that i can honestly say are some of the best I have tried in a long time. The house bbq sauce is particularly amazing! The portions are very generous for the price as well- we left completely stuffed and not feeling like we had to spend a fortune. All in all, I highly recommend Ravenswood Q- I will definitely be back soon!
(5)
Ninah R.
Went here because they had a Groupon, The layout of the restaurant is kinda odd. Its separated into two rooms and you can pretty much see straight into the kitchen. My biggest disappointment with this place was that as soon as I walked in, the smell of cheap cleaning supplies overpowered any food smell. Ah...kinda gross. The food wasn't terrible and with the groupon and an appetizer special from the restaurant, we only paid about $13 for two. But I've made a better turkey burger at home. The mac and cheese was over-buttered noodles with cheese sprinkled on top with no seasoning. We were only one of two tables and service was super slow (not the waitresses fault, I could tell she was trying), only one guy in the kitchen and two other random people just sitting around eating, watching tv and micro-managing (the owner probably and a hostess, I guess--really? a hostess when there is no one there?). Wont go back
(2)
Rollie H.
I live in the neighborhood, so was excited to see someone occupy the old Cafe 28 space, and BBQ on top of it. I was pretty disappointed. First off, the website should indicate it is BYOB, thinking it was Cafe 28 and maybe they bought the liquor license, I expected a bar and cocktails. So off we go across the street to a very cosmic liquor store, but that's another story. It was very cold inside the restaurant. Everyone at the other tables had coats, scarves and/or gloves on. It smelled very smoky, like the ventilation was not what it should be. And what happened to the other room when Cafe 28 was there? The lighting is awful, most of them blinking. The decor is dreadful. And those bare large glass windows may be fine in Summer, but not now. The people running the place are very nice. The food, well. The 1/4 chicken is a tiny thigh and tiny drumstick. The hush puppies aren't anything like real hush puppies, but I guess it's what you expect up north. Get the hush puppies at Brown's chicken, those are very close to real. And as others have said, food was almost cold. My partner's brisket was not brisket, but fat roast beef, and it was very fatty and sliced too thick. Should have gotten the pulled brisket, maybe that would have worked better. The topper was when the waiter came to our table when we were finished and asked us to repeat our order. He had never written it down. Oh, and the quesadilla appetizer, you can add chicken for $1.00, but the waiter said it was a chicken quesadilla. But when we got the bill, the dollar was added to the quesadilla. It matters not, but they need to agree on what it's gonna be, with or without chicken. The woman at the table next to ours said, "Did he just ask you to repeat your order?" We, regretfully had to concur, and regretfully, will probably not be back, sigh. How anyone can give this place five stars boggles my mind.
(2)
r a.
used Groupon on sat night at 615 to try this place,order of wings two pulled pork and a beef brisket sandwich . wings juicy added sauce from selection at table, pulled pork good, beef brisket not fatty or stringie, some might say the beef was on the dry side i did not think so , i prefer to add ammount and type of sauce myself . i don't care for places that drown food in sauce to where you can't taste the meat. the fries were seasoned and crisp. we will go back. service was good pop and water glasses refilled without us having to ask waitress.
(4)
Carmen G.
I have been to this place a few times now and have ordered the Brisket, cornbread, macaroni & cheese as well as their Turkey Burger. I have to say that the Turkey Burger is delicious!!! The cornbread could be a little sweeter, but than again not everyone makes cornbread the same. I enjoyed their brisket but didn't like the fact that they were whole slices. The Mac & Cheese was very good. They also have great drink specials. Enjoy.
(3)
Eryn G.
Grubhub messed up our order and never placed it. We called Ravenswood Q and they completely took care of us and delivered quickly. The wings and mac n cheese was delish!
(5)
Geoff M.
Had a craving for barbeque and this happened to be the closest spot. Being a native Kansas Citian, I am admittedly a barbeque snob and this is the sort of place that passes for barbeque outside of well known barbeque regions such as KC, Texas, Memphis and the Carolinas. Just not that great, Famous Dave's is better than this place. I had the pulled pork which was already mixed with sauce, which in my mind immediately raises questions about the quality of the meat...barbeque sauce can be amazing, but the meat should always be able to stand on its own merits right out of the smoker. Plus they offer two sauces on the table, so which am I supposed to choose when they'd already doused it before it reached the table. The cole slaw was bland and devoid of any flavor. Service was nice, no complaint there. Atmosphere was good too, with a great blues soundtrack going on overhead. Regardless, any bbq is better than no bbq, but I'll be looking elsewhere the next time my craving hits.
(2)
Jacob J.
Solid 2.5 stars. I cannot see myself coming back. We came because of a Groupon offer that was expiring. I really have to check reviews before buying Groupons or any other offer for that matter. The barbecue and other items we ordered were disappointing. I'm not sure what's going on here. Is it old food or poor preparation? None of it tasted fresh. Let's run through our dining menu. P.s., when using an offer or Groupon, I always spend a percentage more. For instance, on a $20 dollar offer, I may choose to spend $20 - $30 more as a kind of "thank you" for offering a meal deal. (I've often heard that Grouponers can be "cheap ass customers") I digress. Back to my menu. The smoked wings were decent. The brisket egg rolls were terrible, the stuffing tasted off and I couldn't tell whether it was made that day or some other time. The pulled pork sandwich was all sauce, I hate it when meat is grossly, doused in sauce. Any appreciation for the meat flies out of the window. Got a combination platter consisting of the ribs and brisket. ... ..... ..... Not a fan. Their bbq sauce is tasty as was their cornbread. Our waiter that night was a rockstar but she was the only person waiting tables. So, drink orders and food, dragged. Also, other reviewers mention a "sewer smell." That shit is repugnant to put it lightly. It is an off-putting odor that exists mainly around the dining area. Our waiter insisted that it's not related to their restaurant but something affecting the whole area. (I walked down the street and into other businesses and didn't smell that funky odor. They have to have some sewer problem they aren't treating properly. Heck, run ventilation fans all the time. Customers should not be enveloped in a stinky odor while trying to eat food.) Something off-putting that we noticed; full slabs of ribs swimming in their sink. A quick method to defrosting slabs of ribs; is to do so by water bath. But, any good website or cookbook will tell you to cover the meats in a zip tight bag throughout the water bath process. We wondered whether the sink gets cleaned before and after each water bath since the meat is wafting in water. Also, are they changing out the water every 30 minutes like the directions call for?
(3)
Malek G.
Family owned place with Great food! Everything I have tried here has been really good! Mac and cheese and greens are very good. The brisket is awesome! The wings are Unique and soo good! They also have a great happy hour deal!
(5)
Ron T.
I wanted to like this place. We live near another nearby BBQ place in the area, but were hoping for another option for some variety. Sadly this is not that place. Usually the issue is something frustrating like bad service or carelessness. The issue here is the food....It just wasn't good! There were a couple of good things, but they are outweighed by the bad. Good: French Onion Soup, great flavor . Hush puppies, crunchy exterior soft inside, good flavor. The not so good: This is a BBQ place, so I expected the proteins to be pretty good, since this is "what they do". That just is not true. The ribs were tough, almost like the membrane was not pulled off. They were essentially inedible. The brisket was absurdly fatty and chewy as well. I ended up leaving a pretty large pile of partially chewed fat on a side plate. It was actually disgusting. The mac and cheese was bland as could be. We had to add BBQ sauce to it just to give it some flavor and the coleslaw was pretty much just cabbage. Again, it was bland and tasteless. All in all, the meal was disappointing and unenjoyable and there isn't much more I can say about it. As for the place itself, I hope that they will eventually invest is some decor. It is super plain and not inviting or comfortable. I will say the server we had was sweet and attentive. It looks like they are trying, I just can't overcome bad food and I am really sorry to say that. We will stick to the other nearby BBQ place on Lincoln, it is MUCH better.
(2)
Casey B.
I'll start by acknowledging that the BBQ bar is pretty high with other Northside gems like Smoque, Pork Shoppe, and Fat Willy's. Plus Ravenswood Q opened recently so they may just need to work out some kinks. Service was a 4- very nice staff and my sandwich (to go) came up quickly. Food was a 2 unfortunately. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it had almost no sauce- a tablespoon maybe- so I had to go to the fridge for an old bottle of Sweet Baby Rays. The pork had decent flavor but a somewhat dry, gummy texture. At $9.99 for the sandwich and side ($2 more than both Porke Shoppe and Fat Willy's) Ravenswood Q really needs to step it up. The neighborhood shouldn't justify that much of a price difference.
(3)
magic g.
Great food, great service. I'm not sure what the other reviewers are talking about. It's BYOB (there's a bit pricey liquor store across the street). ATt: manager. The name is a bit unfortunate from the search point of view. Neither google nor yelp finds "RavenswoodQ", they only do under "BBQ"
(4)
John A.
I've had the food from Ravenswood Q twice. Good size portions, good flavor, I like it. I read the reviews on here and I think that some of the reviewers are a bit rough on this place. They haven't been open that long and they're trying to perfect the place. The people are nice, the service is great, and the food is good. I'm sure when they first opened, the service wasn't perfect...c'mon folks, give these guys a break. I noticed that the 3 chefs were eating at the bar watching a movie. They were eating what looked like pulled pork on tortillas. It gave me an idea: I would recommend having brisket, pulled pork, or possibly chicken tacos on the menu. Keep up the good work.
(4)
Daniel G.
Decided to try a new BBQ place. I had the rib and beef brisket combo with a side of corn bread and French fries. The reason my review is so low is mostly because of the corn bread, it tasted off somehow, I could not eat more than a third of the bread. I felt like I could taste the milk used in the corn bread and it did not taste good, I think it had gone bad to be perfectly honest. I also have a complaint about the lack of signage on the sauces that are on the table, I just did not know what was what. The fries where decent, slightly seasoned but maybe a little more salty than I am used to, they seemed like store bought and not fresh cut fries but they where crispy which is a big plus, (advice to any restaurant that decides to use fresh cut fries, always blanch them so they do not taste saturated and disgusting). Now onto the main course. The brisket was a bit flavorless. But, that is not necessarily a bad thing, it seemed low on sodium and with the right sauces it is pretty epic. I would love to eat it with some steak sauce but they did not have any, my alternative would have been balsamic vinegar but before I asked I tried the three sauces on the table. I found one which I later learned from the waitress was a mustard and vinegar sauce that gave the brisket a very nice flavor, it was not overpowering that you could not tell it was beef, and not so weak that you not sense the flavor. The BBQ ribs, I consider myself a strict person on BBQ ribs, I always attempt to try them in any restaurant I go to so tend to have a high bar. The ribs where not fall of the bone, but they where unique. I've been getting tired if going to restaurants and ordering BBQ ribs which where nothing more than simple ribs smothered in BBQ sauce, that is not BBQ, there is a process of cooking that makes it a BBQ dish. While the ribs where not fall of the bone, they where indeed BBQ ribs. First of all, they where not smothered in sauce, you could tell the ribs where cooked with the sauce how they should be, the meat was very flavorful and I could sense the snap of fresh crushed pepper which gave it a pretty epic taste. One of the sauces on the table which did not have any signage went real great with the ribs. You do not need to add a lot and the sauce had a thick but also slightly spicy flavor that complemented the ribs perfectly. I don't like my ribs smothered so I thought this was nice, to have the control over how much sauce to add. I ended up enjoying that the ribs where not fall of the bone and cherished the parts that where a bit crispy, which I was not expecting. I will probably go back to this place just for the ribs, they where great. This would have been a 5 star review had it not been for the unoriginal fries which I would deduct half a star and the awful corn bread which I would deduce 1.5-2 stars. Avoid the cornbread for now and try the ribs for something different, would be my advice.
(3)
Naomi S.
The man was craving some BBQ so we bundled in our boots and coats and braved the winter weather. Q was pretty empty, we were sat immediately. Plain furnishings, but appeared cleaned. Our waitress, Hannah, was great! Very friendly and informative. We got tiny soup samples. Try the roasted red pepper!! Mmmm. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. The house BBQ sauce was good, but the pork was dry and chewy. :/ Hence the 3 stars instead of 4. Fries were good, I like the seasoning, but they were a little limp.
(3)
Brian W.
This place is a nice BBQ joint in the old Cafe 28 spot. Four of us went for lunch were among some of the first patrons there. Service: The staff was extremely nice and attentive. While it's obvious that they're still trying to get into the flow of the place we didn't have any problems with service. Everyone had smiles on and thanked us on the way out too. Environment: The space was overall was decent. It's nice inside but I didn't get a ton of character from the decor. You do get hit with a great smoky smell when walking in. We were seated close to the window and there was a lot of cold air coming off it, in retrospect we should have asked to move. Food: I ordered the Pulled Pork sandwich; for lunch it comes with some fries and a drink at a reasonable price. My pork was a little on the dry side and didn't really come through with a ton of flavor. The bun was pretty good and had a slight sweetness to it and a good toasting. We had all wished they had made the fries in house, as they were a little plain. My coworkers had the slider trio and a pulled chicken sandwich. Those went over pretty well with them, the brisket apparently being the winner. They have three sauces at the table, a house, Carolina, and St. Louis one. The house sauce is good but doesn't stand out much on it's own. The Carolina is intensely vinegary and I found it a but overpowering but tasty. The definite winner for all of us was the St. Louis sauce that had a great balance to it. It was mentioned that they don't have ribs on the lunch menu, only dinner. They're trying to see if there is a demand that would warrant putting it on. My coworker and myself are totally behind adding it. Overall: I'll come back here again and expect that they'll probably work out some minor kinks that any new space has to overcome soon. I'd recommend checking it out if you're in the area. Three stars with the expectation of upgrading it with future visits and checking out the ribs at dinner.
(3)
Jon K.
Ive been here twice. First time I got the rib sandwich; second time pulled pork. Both platters were fabulous! It's reasonably priced and my server both times was polite and helpful. Try the cornbread!
(5)
Tyler C.
I'm pretty much always craving BBQ so when I heard about this place opening up nearby, I figured I better try it out. After braving the wintry weather, my girlfriend and I were greeted and sat quickly. There were a couple patrons at the bar and a mid-sized group a couple tables from us, but other than that, the place was empty on a Saturday at lunch time. Service was solid, no complaints there. I'm a sucker for brisket so I ordered the brisket sandwich. It arrived in a timely manner and was delicious. Another slice or two of beef on the sandwich would have made it perfect, but I still got stuffed between the sandwich and fries. Bonus points for the 2 soup samples that were brought out for us to try while we were waiting. As others have mentioned, there are 3 BBQ sauces to choose from: a St. Louis, a Carolina, and a house specialty (somewhat similar to the St. Louis). The waitress informed us that they just revamped the house recipe despite them only being open for a short while. Maybe they haven't hit their groove or perhaps continuous sauce experimentation is part of their game plan. I'm still searching for a go-to BBQ place in Chicago but I'll more than likely make another trip to Ravenswood Q sometime in the future.
(4)
Eric R.
Just had lunch there today around 1:30 pm. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were great. The waitress behind the bar is friendly and the food was great. I will definitely come back for dinner some time!
The brisket sandwich was really bad. It should be sold as "fatty roast beef sandwich". They might have other good things here, but the brisket sandwich was not good and it was extremely expensive. I recommend going to Wrigley BBQ if you're looking for real (at least for Chicago) BBQ food. Otherwise, try Texas. This stuff is not what you're looking for.
(1)
Betsy P.
Quite possibly the worst BBQ I've ever had. The only thing edible from the combo platter was the chicken. The brisket was fatty and tough; the burned, dry, brontosaurus ribs should only be served on top of the Flintstone-mobile. Sides of Mac and cheese, greens, and baked beans were mediocre to bad. On a brighter note, the house-made sauce is pretty good; the other two not-so-much.
(1)
Cj J.
This place is okay. I have tried to like it but its disappointing every time. I've tried the Beef Brisket which had a lot of fat on it. The food was cold when it was delivered to me and I only live a few blocks away. The Mac and cheese was dry the last time I had it, which is surprising because it has received a lot of good reviews. The sad thing is there are many of BBQ places and this place might not last unless they do a bit better.
(2)
Shannon J.
I've ordered threw grub hub a few times from here and it's always been great. Tonight my boyfriend went in and ordered the food to go, well that was a mistake. He got a burger well done, a salad, and a brisket. Took 45 minutes and the burger was bleeding. Maybe step up your actual customer service and stop worrying about grub hub so much
(3)
Fred P.
Brisket sandwich was REALLY fatty and was that bottled sauce? Cole slaw just ok. Overall, not worth the price.
(2)
Steven G.
In the crowded field of BBQ in chicago, this quite spot is dead on w the smoker. Pulled pork, the burger, brisket,smoked chicken were all enjoyed w a true Americana trio of sauces. Thanks Matt and Andre
(4)
Trice T.
Came here with a friend to share a combo platter and fell in love with their Q... and the sides are the epitome of comfort food and yumminess. .. Their hush puppies are too die for. .. Now I'm trying them for carryout and the smell is heavenly in my car. .. Great also to know now that they've partnered with grub hub... here's crossing fingers they deliver in my area :)
(4)
Kozby K.
Bad...bad....bad, bad, bad! The sides were bland, the meat was undercooked and cut the wrong way making it tough and stringy and the ambiance was unwelcoming with loud music and cold surroundings. When we brought the problems with our meal to the manager's attention, we were basically told that other people love it so it just must be our problem. Judging by the lack of many diners on a Sunday evening, I'm thinking that isn't the case. The one plus was our waitress was friendly. Never going back!
(1)
Kevin K.
At first I was going to give this place 2 stars as I liked our server and thought she did a decent job. Then after giving it a second thought there is no way that I could give Ravenswood Q more than one star as most of the meat here was inedible. I got the brisket which was so fatty and chewy that I was only able to eat the bun. My partner had a combination plate and didn't finish a thing. The hush puppies were ok, but I can go across the street to Snappy's and have better. I wanted to like this place, I really did. But with so many great bbq places in the city these days, I can say that I will never be back. Both Smalls and Smoque are a short drive west on Irving and offer much better (edible) bbq.
(1)
Miranda B.
Meh. Food? It was Ok. My pulled pork was actually crispy? My husband liked it but I thought it was kind of weird. My husband had the brisket which was pretty good. Everything looked really sad coming out on the "vintage-ish" plates. Absolutely no sides, no garnish, nothing on the plate. Just a lonely sandwich on my big ol' plate and a pile of brisket on my hubby's. Our server was good - He refilled our drinks like a million times. Though - considering we were the only people in the place on a Saturday afternoon - we didn't have much competition for his attention. What wasn't even OK was the decor/cleanliness. We walked in on a Sat. afternoon and it seemed like the whole staff was sitting in the bar area watching a game on tv. That's fine. There was no one in the restaurant to wait on. BUT - the floors were filthy. Dirty and covered in food. French fries, used napkins, etc. on the floor under a bunch of the tables. No one watching the game could be bothered to sweep or mop? Kind of grossed me out. and the Decor? what decor? some random IKEA frames/pictures hung crookedly on the wall - the before mentioned "vintage"-looking plates were chipped and didn't look too clean. Maybe I'm just comparing it to Smoque (its not even close!) and that's why I wasn't thrilled by this place. But IMHO - no decor, just ok food, filthy floor? Don't think I'll be back.
(2)
MARISOL P.
Ugh, my brisket and mashed potatoes were cold. It took a while for the waitress to come around. Eventually I did get a nice plate of hot food.
(2)
Oscar L.
I hate writing bad reviews, but this place has mediocre food. Nothing special. Cold food. Dirty dishes. Not too long til this place closes down. I asked fir something and was waiting because a manager was being very rude.
(1)
Cindy B.
The mark of a good restaurant is not necessarily its size, but the quality of its food and the generosity of its staff. Along that line, some of the finest dining experiences I've had throughout my life have been in the small diners and dives scattered throughout the city of Chicago, RAVENSWOOD Q is not among these gems. I only noticed two other customers. Since it was dinnertime on a Thursday evening, this should have been my second warning signal, but I still continued on in my culinary adventure. I told my waitress several times I have a Groupon Fifteen minutes after we sat down, our waitress finally arrived to take our order. we began with an "Appetizers BBQ Chicken flatbread,Brisket & Rib Combo Platter and 1/2 BBQ Chicken platter" After another 25 minutes passed, our appetizer had arrived I had already begun to expect as much, especially considering the fact that, in the 40 minutes I had been there thus far, the only other customers I had spotted were the original two patrons I saw when I first came. I decided to give the hasty waiter one final chance to redeem herself to by asking her about what exactly Groupon special I will take the blame for my disappointment at its ordinariness, though, seeing as how I did not inquire about the restriction. What I will not take the blame for, however, is the fact that the food ,services and staff was Unfortunately, the sub-standard quality in your restaurant really dampened our spirits. To the staff's attitude and lack of communication which have spoiled the evening. The dinner started off in a very disappointing way when we were served some tasteless lukewarm and The Main Course tasted equally bad. We decide enough is enough, we was ready to checkout well RAVENSWOOD Q did not honor Groupon We were VERY VERY disappointed and complain to the manager at once. But the manger seemed ignorant about the whole episode and called the POLICE,REALLY. To our astonishment the manager nor his staff apology to us.
(1)
Carrie M.
Went for lunch on a groupon.....thank God. We ordered rib brisket combo and ceasar salad. When the meats came out the brisket was cool to luke warm. When I think of brisket I think of a thick piece of tender juicybeef. This was 4 really thin slices. We are talking like almost shaved...and then cool. The 4 baby backs were meaty and good. 3 different sauces....ice cold from fridge. Waiter forgot ceasar so when it came after we were finished, he compted it. Won't be back.
(2)
M G.
Went with a group of 6 and had a negative experience. While I understand they have been open only a week there is no excuse for being served cold and fatty food. When we vocalized our dissatisfaction the manager was a bit reluctant. The management should have gone out of their way to comp our bill or to find a way to leave us with a good feeling. We will not be returning which is a shame because I like to support local businesses. They were also out of hush puppies which is crazy since it's on their menu and they have only been open a week.
(1)
Gold B.
If you're looking for delicious barbecue, this place is the REAL DEAL! Absolutely delicious! Meats smoked to perfection, house sauce is to kill for! Restaurant is renovated and very clean. Everything is tasty, and the portions are huge. Found this spot on Groupon. Wish I had found it sooner!!!! Will definitely be back again and again!
(5)
elizabeth s.
I hope this place just needs more time... My husband and I took our son there last weekend and had wonderful service. The food was not great. Not good even. We had the buffalo chicken rolls to start and they were OK but could have used maybe some blue cheese in the roll? I had a chicken sandwich which was rubbery and the fries were a little bland. My husband had a cold pulled pork sandwich. Even my 3 year old woudnt eat his mac and cheese. Again, the service was great and I hope that the food gets better with time!
(2)
Stephanie C.
For the food itself, I would give Ravenswood Q more stars--3 or 4--because it was pretty tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich and I enjoyed trying all 3 of the offered BBQ sauces (all good, the Carolina was my favorite). And the sides were awesome, I would highly recommend the mashed potatoes. They're cheesy with green onions mixed in. The sweet potato fries and hush puppies were really good, too. And very reasonably priced! You get a lot for your money with the sandwiches. I also did not experience any of the issues other reviewers have mentioned with the wait-staff, everyone was friendly and helpful enough. The reason I'm only giving 2 stars is that the dining experience was noisy to the point of being stressful and uncomfortable. We were there on a Friday night around 7, so I expected it to be busy, but it was SO LOUD. SO LOUD! We ate and left as quickly as we could, and ended up having a quieter experience in a very crowded bar. And it doesn't make sense... The restaurant isn't cramped, there were a lot of kids that evening but I didn't hear any temper tantrums--I think everything echoes too much. People were just talking/clinking silverware, but it sounds like a roar, you can hear everything except the person right across the table from you. I think all they need to do is put something on the walls to absorb the sound (right now it's very bare) or whatever else other restaurants do to avoid this problem. Until then, I'd love to go back for take out, but I just can't handle the volume. EDIT: Our waitress said they are working on getting their liquor license, but for now it is BYOB.
(2)
Chris A.
Oh my goodness the food is GOOD!!! I ordered the 1/2 bbq chicken with mashed potatoes and cornbread. Oh my the food is so good. I definitely recommend this place. I will be here again .
(5)
Jodi M.
First dining experience here and it will not be repeated. We had a party of 6 and we were all disappointed. Every dish except the collard greens was cold; meat was extremely tough; sides were not particularly good either. We fairly discussed the situation with the waiter and then to the manager. While we were offered a sandwich and a side to "make things better", there wasn't any other effort to rectify the situation. The bill came and while 3 of the main dinners were inedible, we were fully charged. Really??? After an escalation to the manager, how could any inkling of a percentage not be proactively taken off the bill? It wasn't until one of us stepped aside with the manager to further discuss that 2 items were comp'd. Unbelievable. Food: poor Service: poor Recommend: absolutely not Honestly - we understood it was opening week and there was AMPLE opportunity to make this situation right... every opportunity and yet it was not taken. Believe me, THAT would have made the difference. Own it, take responsibility and put your client first.
(1)
Charles R.
My fiance and I ate here late on a Friday night and were the only ones in the restaurant. Our server was extremely friendly and helpful, and we ordered quite a bit of food. It's not the best barbeque I've ever had, but it was good for someplace in my neighborhood. I liked that the meat was unadorned so I could add my choice of different sauces to it, and the sides and appetizer were quite good. All in all, we had a good experience and we hope this place does well.
(4)
Sean R.
Food was decent. Beef ribs were a little chewy but not tough. Sliced brisket was a touch on the bland side but their (presumably house-made) sauces added a nice kick. But Sweet Holy Jesus is this place expensive. 25 bucks for a few slices of brisket and four ribs?? For that kind of dough I expected something closer to a Fred Flintstone slab.
(3)
Kitty R.
I really, really wanted to love Ravenswood Q. We were longtime patrons of NN Smokehouse and excited to have the new restaurant in our neighborhood. If I could give 2.5 stars, that's where I would have settled. On the plus side, the buffalo chicken egg rolls were interesting and tasty. The pulled pork sandwich had a nice, smoky flavor - but could have used more sauce (we did carry out and were given only 2 miniature cups of sauce). Also enjoyed the hush puppies and the sweet potato fries. Portions were generous, too. The negative - the brisket was so terrible that my husband refused to eat more than a third of it. It was dry and tasteless. With time, I'm sure they'll get their act together. But for now, we aren't going to rush to return.
(3)
Burton D.
Do not get the brisket. It is dry and cannot be rescued by any of the sauces. In addition, do not get the brisket. Or the brisket. Now, with that out of the way, this is not a top BBQ place, but it's pretty good. The hushpuppies are served with honey butter, which is fine but they are better with BBQ sauce in my view. The cornbread, OTOH, comes without honey butter, and would benefit from it - so ask for it. The sweet potato fries are as good as any I've had. The mac & cheese struck me as nothing special. I really liked the buffalo egg rolls. Very tasty. The pulled pork sandwich did not seem to me to really involve pulled pork, although it was pleasant enough. The baby back ribs were quite good, both with & without the sauce. The service was attentive and the general experience was positive. The place is BYO, and as I walked in with my bottle, I was asked "red or white?" and the server brought the proper glasses to the table. I'd be happy to eat here again.
(4)
Mark L.
I just finished half of my BBQ rib dinner from Ravenswood Q. I only ate half, because it was practically inedible. The pork was very tough, and the dry rub was too thickly layered on. I enjoy a good rub, but this one was extremely salty and overpowering, not to mention spicy as hell. It tasted like paprika was on sale somewhere and they loaded up the RQ shopping cart.....Most dry rubs are neutral, and let you dial up the heat by using sauce. These ribs were terrible. Very strange, since the only other time we had theirs, they were pretty decent. I don't know what happened in the meantime, but I'm going to go back to another Q house for my rib fix. Sorry Ravenswood, I hoped you would be good cuz you're close to our house. But close doesn't cut it here. Also, they messed up our order by putting the wrong sides in the order and skipped one altogether. Bye bye RQ, hope you get better.....
(1)
Nick S.
Had takeout from here before ribs and brisket were good. Ate there tonight and disappointed with fatty brisket, whole place had the feel of inexperienced owners. Just an opinion! Servers not really well trained and condiments in boxes they were shipped in. You. Couldsee the kitchen but I did not want to look. I would give them another shot on the ribs however. If you actually get the coleslaw through grub hub ( we did not) I would be surprised as we did not get it in the restaurant either.... Irony .... Yes
My boyfriend and I went to Ravenswood Q for the first time last night (Friday) because we live in the area and had a Groupon. After reading mixed reviews on here, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I have to say that we thought it was really good. The service was great. We didn't have to wait long for a table, our server was attentive and made helpful suggestions, and our food came out quickly. Especially for a Friday night. The prices were also quite reasonable. The food was good and we were surprised by how generous the portions were. I had the cheeseburger. It wasn't amazing, but it was good, and it was pretty big (a half pound, I believe). It came with coleslaw and one side. I chose the hush puppies. I would have expected a few small hush puppies, but we got a separate basket of 6 golf-ball sized hush puppies with a side of honey butter. They were tasty, and my boyfriend loved the honey butter. He got the rib sandwich, which he said was really good. He also enjoyed the choice of 3 bbq sauces that are on every table. He chose the fries for his side, which were more of a seasoned fry, and we really liked them. We also ordered an extra side of mac & cheese, and we liked that as well. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience at Ravenswood Q. We liked the food, and there are a few more things on the menu that we'll probably be back to try. Also, we really appreciated the amount of food you get for the money.
(4)
Keith O.
The food is really good. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were one of the best I've had. I do have two issues which are totally correctable with good management. #1 Decorate somehow, I believe they have same paint and decorations from the Cuban place that had good food , and didn't make it. #2 Assume anyone that comes in for lunch may be on 30 minute window, I was 15 minutes late back from lunch because check was 15 minutes late. Bring the check shortly after the food at lunch , or I can't eat at your restaurant at lunch on any sort of regular basis. BBQ is a quick & dirty experience normally not fine dining. If those two things change this could be a 5, food is good.
(3)
Michelle M.
I really liked this place! I had the brisket, it was a little fatty, but good. My BF had the half chicken and he liked it. The best part was the sides. The hush puppies were delicious. The corn bread was great. I tried the BF's mac and cheese and it was good too. The portions were huge and the prices were good. Plus it is BYOB, for now at least.
(4)
Shaun C.
Great BBQ sauce, but the pulled pork was very dry. Good atmosphere, and a new place. Hopefully quality will pick up a bit!
(3)
Seven N.
First of all, if you can't make good ribs, don't open a rib joint! We had the dinner with ribs, chicken & brisket. It included 2 sides. The fries? Yummy! The mac 'n cheese? Very good. Brisket was ok but a bit fatty. The chicken was good but not tender enough for my taste. The ribs however were terrible. They were tough, very dry with barely any meat on them. The bones were wide (never seen that before) and next to no meat. The smokey flavor wasn't bad, it's just that they were sooo dry. The amount of food that comes on that dinner plate was also not worth $25. A few thinly sliced strips of brisket, a 1/4 piece of chicken and a piece of rib that had a total of a tablespoon of meat on it! NEVER AGAIN! As far as the service goes, our waitress was polite. When we first walked in, there was a woman on her cell phone who turned out to be the hostess. She looked at us, asked us how many?- then sat us. She sat on her phone the entire time we were there which was another thing. It took nearly an hour to get our food and there were only 8 people there including us two. Don't bother with this place. There are way better BBQ places in the city.
(2)
Star F.
A++ great service and great food. Pulled pork was scrumptious and the BBQ sauces on the table were a huge hit among our group.
(5)
Dan N.
This place gets two stars because (1) they forgot one of my sides, (2) the mashed potatoes were truly terrible (yes, I too was surprised that's even possible), and (3) the hostess/manager was rude to the staff and made me uncomfortable. Perhaps this place will turn around, but, for now, two stars is all I can give it. I ordered the BBQ pulled pork to go tonight. After waiting 10-15 minutes for my order, I got home and discovered that they forgot to include the cole slaw. Annoying, but I'll live. I was disappointed again though when I saw the mashed potatoes. They had the consistency of kneaded bread dough. The potatoes were overly oily and were sort of gelatinous. If a place manages to screw up something as easy as mashed potatoes or french fries, their Yelp rating is going to take a hit. Instant potatoes out of a box are literally twice as fluffy, and taste way better. I have no idea how they made their potatoes like this, but they should fix this or good luck! As for the BBQ, the pulled pork was good. I really enjoyed the sauce. I would certainly go back to have it again had it not been for the above, and the fact that while I was waiting for my order, the hostess (who apparently is also manager?) was very rude and bossy to the person who took my order. She sort of berated this employee in front of me which was uncomfortable.
(2)
Tiffany G.
Maybe it was the complimentary tortilla soup on an EXTREMELY cold, winter night in Chicago, or maybe it was the Prime Rib sandwich that melted in my mouth (it was the special...I've been dreaming of it since. I would give anything for them to make it permanent!!). But I credit the 5 stars to the fact that my dinner party of 5 ordered enough food to fill our entire table (and then some), and ate every last bit of it. We just couldn't stop ourselves. The prime rib sandwich was definitely the highlight, and favorite at our table. It was just so tasty and tender. I had the same reaction to this, as I always do with Au Cheval's burger (I dream about that burger, and now this sandwich). OK, enough with the prime rib sammie...the other favorite items we ordered were the trio of sliders (nice option to trial before deciding entree), the pulled chicken sandwich, the brisket sandwich, the mashed potatoes, hush puppies, the seasoned fries (and the sweet potato fries for that matter), and the baby back ribs. We also enjoyed the mac and cheese, that complimentary tortilla soup, the St. Louis sauce and the House sauce (the Carolina sauce also received thumbs up). Great location, right off the Irving Park brown line stop. Stop in and get your meat fix!
(5)
John S.
Normally I would not write a review for a restaurant that is clearly on its last legs, but it was so awful that others need to warned. We went there an a thursday night at 7. The first clue should have been that there was't a single person in the restaurant and none would come in later even for carry out. We were clearly the only customers they had all night. We came because of a groupon, so the only customer for the whole night was on a groupon. But we decided to give it a try.. What a mistake!! My wife order beef ribs and hush puppies. The beef ribs were unedible tough all fat and gristle just so disgusting that I had to send them back. The hush puppies were raw and had to be sent back also. I ordered the brisket and babybacks. The babybacks were ok but was still disgusted from looking at my wifes raw runny hush puppies and gristle ribs. My brisket some how managed to be as dry as cardboard and mostly fat like it was sitting under a heat lamp for hours.I would be amazed if this restaurant lasts the month.
(1)
J M.
Very disappointed ! Seems like a lot of inexperience . Went on a Monday eve , only 4 tables filled . Very blah atmosphere . Ribs and meat in rib sandwich very tasty . Rib sandwich was supposed to be topped with crispy onion strings , they were soggy breaded onions . Coleslaw tasteless. Small house salad served in a warm bowl ! Staff very nice but the place is just missing the mark
(2)
Emily L.
The food was alright but the service was absolutely awful. It took twenty minutes to even get someone to take a drink order. The dishes were dirty and the waitstaff seemed rushed. I won't be returning.
(1)
Kevin S.
service was fine, the waitress was nice; food...meh; price not even close to what it is. sit down restaurant prices with uninspired flavor. you are new, you are a neighbor, for th reason only i will try another day.
(2)
Amanda B.
Gross. I've eaten here twice and both times, I left feeling this wave of sickness. The food isn't bad going down, but you will regret it a few minutes later. The brisket is really fatty and the prices are way too high. Also, the service is terrible. Unless you have 2 hours to kill, this is not an ideal lunch place.
(1)
C S.
Love the red pepper soup and hush puppies. Service was fabulous, our server Danny was professional, fun and knew the menu very well. Will go back again and again.
(4)
Brian R.
OK, truth time. I'm giving this place a 5 star review only based on the fact that so many other people have rated it poorly and it has a 3 star rating, while the nearby "Smokin Woodys" has a 3.5 star rating. Everything was alright. Brisket was sliced too thin and a little tough, but it had a great smokey flavor. The babyback ribs were on point. The pulled pork was alright too. Nothing blew me away, but if you want to get some decent bbq in this neighborhood, this, or Smalls BBQ would be your 2 choices.
(5)
Stefanie H.
Brisket sliced like lunch meat. Ribs are pretty good, but dry. The Mac n cheese is basically buttered noodles mixed with Parmesan cheese and topped will melted cheddar. Not terrible, but I'm glad I had a groupon.
(3)
christine a.
It's no Fat Willy's, but.... Had a pretty good lunch today. Pulled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. The chicken was lightly smoked, moist and a good enough sized serving for lunch. The sweet fries were the best I've had in a long time. Super crispy on the outside and perfectly done on the inside. They looked house made. Husband had burger and regular fries. He said it was tasty. Service was pleasant. They have 3 different sauces, sweet, vinegar spicy and vinegar. My suggestion, serve a little free slaw on the side. $3 for side of slaw is too much when the sandwich and fries is $9.95. The environment is fine, don't know what others are crabbing about. It's Cafe 28 minus artwork. One small minus. The music was good, Ray Charles vibe, then the owner? turned it off to watch tv in the bar area. Customers make a connection through the environment you present. Staff sitting around doing nothing, watching tv doesn't add anything. Watch tv at home. Despite that little personal pet peeve, we'll probably be back to try other offerings because we live close.
(4)
JJ H.
I'm really sorry to write a bad review but this place not even get 1 star. The food was bad but the service even worst. The waiter didn't know what on the menu but when he asked the owner a question and he was very route to the waiter. I said the waiter job should know all the answer. I will NEVER come back this place again.
(1)
Marlo D.
I am all about giving new places in Chicago a chance. Places come and go around here so fast. I appreciate this joint. Right off the train. Currently BYOB. Mac and cheese and barbecue. Can't go wrong!! Good work Q.
(4)
A W.
This place is AMAZING!!! the service was friendly and super fast, and it is byob (for now i believe). There was a group of us so we were able to try many different things. The pulled pork was absolutely perfect-3 of us got it and there wasn't a single scrap left by the end of the meal. The sliders are amazing for tasting the variety of the meats but was also big enough to be a meal on its own. We also tried the spare ribs and will definitely be getting them again-so juicy and perfectly seasoned! The sides are both filling and absolutely delicious. The mac n cheese was so cheesy and amazing, and the cole slaw was the perfect balance to all of the main dishes. On top of all the amazing food, each table has 4 different bbq sauce options that i can honestly say are some of the best I have tried in a long time. The house bbq sauce is particularly amazing! The portions are very generous for the price as well- we left completely stuffed and not feeling like we had to spend a fortune. All in all, I highly recommend Ravenswood Q- I will definitely be back soon!
(5)
Ninah R.
Went here because they had a Groupon, The layout of the restaurant is kinda odd. Its separated into two rooms and you can pretty much see straight into the kitchen. My biggest disappointment with this place was that as soon as I walked in, the smell of cheap cleaning supplies overpowered any food smell. Ah...kinda gross. The food wasn't terrible and with the groupon and an appetizer special from the restaurant, we only paid about $13 for two. But I've made a better turkey burger at home. The mac and cheese was over-buttered noodles with cheese sprinkled on top with no seasoning. We were only one of two tables and service was super slow (not the waitresses fault, I could tell she was trying), only one guy in the kitchen and two other random people just sitting around eating, watching tv and micro-managing (the owner probably and a hostess, I guess--really? a hostess when there is no one there?). Wont go back
(2)
Rollie H.
I live in the neighborhood, so was excited to see someone occupy the old Cafe 28 space, and BBQ on top of it. I was pretty disappointed. First off, the website should indicate it is BYOB, thinking it was Cafe 28 and maybe they bought the liquor license, I expected a bar and cocktails. So off we go across the street to a very cosmic liquor store, but that's another story. It was very cold inside the restaurant. Everyone at the other tables had coats, scarves and/or gloves on. It smelled very smoky, like the ventilation was not what it should be. And what happened to the other room when Cafe 28 was there? The lighting is awful, most of them blinking. The decor is dreadful. And those bare large glass windows may be fine in Summer, but not now. The people running the place are very nice. The food, well. The 1/4 chicken is a tiny thigh and tiny drumstick. The hush puppies aren't anything like real hush puppies, but I guess it's what you expect up north. Get the hush puppies at Brown's chicken, those are very close to real. And as others have said, food was almost cold. My partner's brisket was not brisket, but fat roast beef, and it was very fatty and sliced too thick. Should have gotten the pulled brisket, maybe that would have worked better. The topper was when the waiter came to our table when we were finished and asked us to repeat our order. He had never written it down. Oh, and the quesadilla appetizer, you can add chicken for $1.00, but the waiter said it was a chicken quesadilla. But when we got the bill, the dollar was added to the quesadilla. It matters not, but they need to agree on what it's gonna be, with or without chicken. The woman at the table next to ours said, "Did he just ask you to repeat your order?" We, regretfully had to concur, and regretfully, will probably not be back, sigh. How anyone can give this place five stars boggles my mind.
(2)
r a.
used Groupon on sat night at 615 to try this place,order of wings two pulled pork and a beef brisket sandwich . wings juicy added sauce from selection at table, pulled pork good, beef brisket not fatty or stringie, some might say the beef was on the dry side i did not think so , i prefer to add ammount and type of sauce myself . i don't care for places that drown food in sauce to where you can't taste the meat. the fries were seasoned and crisp. we will go back. service was good pop and water glasses refilled without us having to ask waitress.
(4)
Carmen G.
I have been to this place a few times now and have ordered the Brisket, cornbread, macaroni & cheese as well as their Turkey Burger. I have to say that the Turkey Burger is delicious!!! The cornbread could be a little sweeter, but than again not everyone makes cornbread the same. I enjoyed their brisket but didn't like the fact that they were whole slices. The Mac & Cheese was very good. They also have great drink specials. Enjoy.
(3)
Eryn G.
Grubhub messed up our order and never placed it. We called Ravenswood Q and they completely took care of us and delivered quickly. The wings and mac n cheese was delish!
(5)
Geoff M.
Had a craving for barbeque and this happened to be the closest spot. Being a native Kansas Citian, I am admittedly a barbeque snob and this is the sort of place that passes for barbeque outside of well known barbeque regions such as KC, Texas, Memphis and the Carolinas. Just not that great, Famous Dave's is better than this place. I had the pulled pork which was already mixed with sauce, which in my mind immediately raises questions about the quality of the meat...barbeque sauce can be amazing, but the meat should always be able to stand on its own merits right out of the smoker. Plus they offer two sauces on the table, so which am I supposed to choose when they'd already doused it before it reached the table. The cole slaw was bland and devoid of any flavor. Service was nice, no complaint there. Atmosphere was good too, with a great blues soundtrack going on overhead. Regardless, any bbq is better than no bbq, but I'll be looking elsewhere the next time my craving hits.
(2)
Jacob J.
Solid 2.5 stars. I cannot see myself coming back. We came because of a Groupon offer that was expiring. I really have to check reviews before buying Groupons or any other offer for that matter. The barbecue and other items we ordered were disappointing. I'm not sure what's going on here. Is it old food or poor preparation? None of it tasted fresh. Let's run through our dining menu. P.s., when using an offer or Groupon, I always spend a percentage more. For instance, on a $20 dollar offer, I may choose to spend $20 - $30 more as a kind of "thank you" for offering a meal deal. (I've often heard that Grouponers can be "cheap ass customers") I digress. Back to my menu. The smoked wings were decent. The brisket egg rolls were terrible, the stuffing tasted off and I couldn't tell whether it was made that day or some other time. The pulled pork sandwich was all sauce, I hate it when meat is grossly, doused in sauce. Any appreciation for the meat flies out of the window. Got a combination platter consisting of the ribs and brisket. ... ..... ..... Not a fan. Their bbq sauce is tasty as was their cornbread. Our waiter that night was a rockstar but she was the only person waiting tables. So, drink orders and food, dragged. Also, other reviewers mention a "sewer smell." That shit is repugnant to put it lightly. It is an off-putting odor that exists mainly around the dining area. Our waiter insisted that it's not related to their restaurant but something affecting the whole area. (I walked down the street and into other businesses and didn't smell that funky odor. They have to have some sewer problem they aren't treating properly. Heck, run ventilation fans all the time. Customers should not be enveloped in a stinky odor while trying to eat food.) Something off-putting that we noticed; full slabs of ribs swimming in their sink. A quick method to defrosting slabs of ribs; is to do so by water bath. But, any good website or cookbook will tell you to cover the meats in a zip tight bag throughout the water bath process. We wondered whether the sink gets cleaned before and after each water bath since the meat is wafting in water. Also, are they changing out the water every 30 minutes like the directions call for?
(3)
Malek G.
Family owned place with Great food! Everything I have tried here has been really good! Mac and cheese and greens are very good. The brisket is awesome! The wings are Unique and soo good! They also have a great happy hour deal!
(5)
Anne M.
The food was better than expected (for the most part), but there are some areas for improvement. We walked in on a Friday night and there were only three other seated tables in the whole restaurant. Pretty empty. The feel of the place was kind of dark and disjointed (blues posters on one side; The Starry Night print on the other - what?). I tried the pulled chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries - the fries were great, and the chx sandwich was pretty good but I got a couple of bad bites (one with small bones, which is the. worst.). I was grossed out after that. I know it can happen, especially when pulling a large / restaurant-size container of chicken, but still... The man's "dinosaur bone" (huge beef bone with meat) and mashed potatoes were thoroughly enjoyed.
(2)
Erika G.
Bar area only. I was a giant fan of Cafe 28, and on first glance, this place seems to not have as much character. My review is only for a visit to have one glass of wine - they close too early! The BBQ smelled GREAT, and I could see myself sampling that on a future visit. Friendly staff, good pour on the wine.
(3)
Christopher H.
The bbq sauce was good but our ribs were way overdone. The beef ribs were like eating jerky. Had the Mac n cheese which was pretty good and the cornbread was ok. I would say find a different place that knows not to overcook their ribs
(1)
Rob W.
Been by here a few times but never went in - a Groupon tipped the scale. Kind of a mixed bag at lunch. I was there on a Tuesday from 11:30 - 12:15... I was the only person other than employees and delivery people at that time. Sat at a two top on the restaurant side - I noticed that although it looked ok, the table was kind of sticky in spots. I went to order and asked my server about what sides were good - she sort of headed in the "everything is good" direction. So I ended up with the mac and cheese, just to try something I don't ordinarily order. It was pretty good, though there's a $1 upcharge on it. I also ordered some brisket chili; one of the two "soup" offerings for the day. The downside was that a cup of soup is the size of a cup that one might see in a set of children's dishes. It was small, albeit filled to the top, which didn't leave a lot of room for the oyster crackers. Now, for the main dish - I went with the BBQ Brisket sandwich. That was pretty darn good on a lightly toasted bun with a decent portion of meat - and hardly any fat. Other than the side order recommendations, my server was really pretty good - friendly and prompt as well... brought a second soda out in anticipation - always a plus in my book. As for the restaurant, while the BBQ was good, with competition like Smoque and Fat Willy's not all that far away, RavenswoodQ isn't super high on my list for a return. Glad I tried it though.
(3)
Scott O.
What happened to this place???? We went for dinner tonight. Oh, my!!! Let me start by saying the cole slaw is still terrific and the fries are 100 times better. But, we waited at the host stand while the bartender said she'll be right there to seat you. And we waited and we waited. He went and poked his head in the dining room and came back and said she'll be here shortly. And we waited and we waited and he finally went ahead and sat us. And now for the horrid part of the evening-the slab of ribs. We both had them. We both sawed through them because they were tough and dry and just awful. It doesn't feel like the same place we were at a year ago and, if that is the new standard of their food, I doubt it will even be here a year from now.
(1)
Daniel C.
I ordered delivery from here on one cold night I didn't want to leave the haus via Grubhub. The delivery time stated was 60-70 minutes however I received my food in less than 45. I got the pulled pork sandwich and french fries as well as the buffalo chicken egg roll appetizers. The pulled pork sandwich was adequate, a little too much sauce but that's an easy modification. The fries were just right. The egg rolls were not up my alley but they were just fine. Overall I may try again not soon tho.
(3)
Miranda B.
I have relatives in TX and lots of BBQ favorites there. Walking in, tasting the smoke lingering in the air, I got a good feeling about the 'que, but the smell was simply a teaser. Brisket egg rolls sound better than they taste, with little meat flavor and too much oil. The fries were hot and crisp, the coleslaw average. The chicken was the best of the barbecued meat, coming out with a deep mahogany skin that still managed to have fairly moist flavorful meat. I found the brisket to be the most disappointing thing we had. I expect long slow smoked brisket, with the fat melted down and a nice smoky deep taste. This brisket tasted as though they'd braised it in some kind of liquid ... more of a pot roast texture and taste to it, with a bit of flavor coming through from the sauce it had cooked in. Very disappointing. Small staff worked hard to accommodate a very large group, but though they'd been given advance notice, they struggled to bring out food in a timely manner. They were all friendly and eager to please though.
(3)
Nicholas V.
First time here and purchased their signature sandwich and fries. The fries were spectacular!!!! Well seasoned, a little peppery kick to them. Very, very good. The burger was above average. I, personally, think it could have used a bit more flavor or seasoning, but not terrible either. I will probably go back to give something else a shot before I say Yay or Nay for good.
(3)
Bruce J.
Great burgers, I had it to go. Friendly service.
(5)
Colleen P.
Work across the street from this here and its a great place to go for lunch! Pulled pork is delicious and there is a good beer selection. Would recommend!
(4)
Andrew d.
Don't advertise that you are open until 10pm when you have customers walking in at 9:23pm and tell them that you are closing. Thanks for wasting my time.
(1)
Debbi R.
My boyfriend and I came here with a groupon last night (Thursday at around 7pm). The moment we walked in you can the smell the bbq. It was kind of empty which made my boyfriend a little hesitant about it. We were greeted and seated by their friendly staff. We both ordered a beer (they are no longer BYOB and they have a great selection of beers and other drinks) and then ordered a full slam of baby back ribs each. Boyfriend ordered the hush puppies as his side, which I have never had, and I ordered the Mac & cheese. We also ordered the sweet potato fries to share. Baby back ribs: ABSOLUTELY AH-MAZING. FRESH. And the meat was so tender and came off the bone so smoothly. It was delicious. The bbq on it had a zing of spice which I love! Hush puppies: Boyfriend said they were the best hush puppies he has had thus far! I had them for the first time ever and I loved them! Made me wonder what else I have been missing!! Mac and cheese: I love mac and cheese BUT this wasn't the greatest I've had. Idk something was missing. Boyfriend said that the cheese was too strong but I honestly don't know what it was that made it not so great. (Sorry :(..) (still ate it though) Sweet potato fries: they were good!! I actually really really really really liked them!! Overall experience, I would go back in a heart beat. Server was so friendly and attentive. Ribs were amazing and the place is pretty!
(5)
Jen Y.
Two words: Sewer Smell. Yes, that is right. The smell of sewer permeated the restaurant. Nauseating. And when asked if there was a problem that was being serviced, the waitress stated, "No. It''s just something that the businesses up and down Irving Park have to deal with." Umm...So why was that plumber's truck parked right outside with plumbers leaving the restaurant's side entrance when we left after our meal? Hmmm...Coincidence? I think not. As for the food, it was over-priced and mediocre. The collard greens had a weird after taste, the mac and cheese overcooked, and the brisket dry. The pork ribs were ok. We won't be back.
(1)
Tavi J.
I'll preference this by saying I'm not a huge BBQ fan to begin with, but my cheap a$$ can't past up a groupon :) We went last night and it wasn't crowded at all. The hostess/waitress sat us right away. I'll skip over the ambience part (cause there wasn't any...lol) and skip straight to the food. We both ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Really good and the 3 sauces you had to choose from at the table were good. You can choose one side and we both went with the fries, which were just okay. They were season though so that's a plus. The biggest let down would have to be the Mac and cheese. I prefer my Mac and cheese to be really cheesy and I didn't get that. I actually had to add a little salt and pepper to give it more flavor. This is an okay place, but I probably won't be making a special trip to come back and visit.
(3)
Nick S.
Smoked wings with naked Cajun seasoning were some of the best I'd ever had. Bleu cheese sauce on the side was great, so was the mustard based barbecue sauce. After these upsides, things went downhill. The rib sandwich was tasty but had two tiny unexpected chunks of bone in it, hope somebody doesn't chip a tooth or cut the inside of their mouth. I always go for the brisket at barbecue joints, but I was thoroughly disappointed here. It tasted and looked like something that would be served in a high school cafeteria.
(2)
Lorelei C.
Gotta Love the Smell of Barbecue:) Today was my first visit to Ravenswood Q, and honestly I can say I was pretty impressed from the moment I entered the door, I was greeted by Anna, a truly phenominal server and I was seated in their lovely dining room/area, a room with a sufficient amount of tables and lovely exposed brick walls, somewhat of a loft type feeling. I liked it, I felt comfortable and warm. Now, okay, I was here because I had another Groupon where I only paid $12.00 for $25.00 worth of food at Ravenswood Q so I thought I would have been foolish to pass up this sweet little deal.. And, I was told that I would have to spend the entire amount of $25.00 during todays visit, not very hard to do! Actually, it worked out very well, I ordered a Caesar Salad, Barbecued Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Cornbread. Now, gotta be honest and say I did'nt finish my mashed potatoes cause they tasted kind of funky, they had chives and I was tasting like sour cream in them.. Yuck!!! So. I shoved those suckers to the side.. But, The Barbecue Chicken was quite delicious, very tender and the sauce was tangy, just right! The cornbread was a little dry, which I think is normal for cornbread but Anna did suggest I apply some of this honey butter stuff to it which I did'nt do.. So, the thing is.. most of the side items are charged separately, and that can add up.. The piece of cornbread alone was listed on the menu for $4.00. But, honestly, The attentive service I received from Anna, the pretty great tasting Barbecue Chicken and the lovely interior is worthy of my 4 star rating. Also, FYI, It is BYOB, I know this because this couple came in and asked if they served Beer at Ravenswood Q, The reply was negative but they were told there was a liquor store nearby.. So, if you want to indulge in alchoholic beverages with your meal best to stop at a liquor store first! So, if you have'nt been to Ravenswood Q you should give them a try.. A nice place with good food and great service! And thats a pretty good start....
(4)
Angelica P.
The food was just terrible. Chicken wings were extremely salty! Beef brisket was sooooo dry and just poor quality meat. Pulled pork sandwich was not tasty.. the pork was dry despite being drenched in sauce. Chicago combo- Ribs were gross and the chicken was dry. Side of beans were gross and just felt reheated. It was all gross, dry and just felt reheated.
(1)
Michael A.
Went on a weekend night with some friends and had NO problem getting a table last minute. Place was pretty quiet. Not much atmosphere. Was told to try the Hush Pups and they were definitely really tasty. I could go for an order of them now. The Brisket was tender and the sauces were great. The service was good. Its a BYOB so how can you go wrong. It didn't really stand out as an amazing place though. Great value and food so be sure to hit it up.
(3)
Sam R.
DINER BEWARE!!!! BAD FOOD BAD SERVICE First off, I live for st Louis or Texas BBQ all day every day. This has to be one of the worst BBQ places I have tried in Chicago, will not be returning. This is of course ignoring the horrendous service me and the rest of my party received. Bad BBQ + Horrible service = Never returning, never recommending.
(1)
David R.
I was prepared to rate two stars after my first visit, based on what I guess we could call "restaurant administration" or maybe just "management." The service itself was fine--our waitress was prompt, attentive and courteous. But I'm talking about things like tables remaining unbussed for looong stretches of time, not to mention a cart overflowing with bussed dishes sitting in the dining room for our entire visit; noone being available to greet and seat customers when they first enter; only one server being staffed for Saturday lunch; a smelly men's room; and the entire place being out of Coca-Cola (which I don't drink, but what the hell?? it's Coke for heaven's sake). So basically what I mean is that it just did not seem as if the people running this place are trying very hard. However, since the food was pretty solid I will go with three stars. The best thing that I tried was the pulled turkey sandwich; I would order that again for sure. My pulled pork was decent but the meat had a funny taste that I could not place. The side of cole slaw was fresh but standard; the macaroni and cheese came in an enormous portion, piping hot and pretty good. The sweet potato fries were satisfactory. I really enjoyed two of the three table sauces but I can't recall exactly how they were different. After eating pork and turkey I decided that I would like to give their brisket a whirl before reaching a final verdict, so I got a takeout sandwich and a side of hush puppies. The brisket was so-so; it tasted good but was tough, almost rubbery. The hush puppies, though, were giant and super. In general they tended slightly towards the sugary side--and in fact come with a little cup of sweetened butter--but danced well enough on the border between sweet and savory that I dipped a few in barbecue sauce as a side for my sandwich and slathered the rest with fig preserves for dessert (note: fig preserves not provided by restaurant). So after two meals, "A-OK" seems like the right rating. They need to improve if they want to compete in the approaching-oversaturated pool of north side barbecueries. Not even close to being a destination, they are barely adequate for the immediate neighborhood.
(3)
Patrick and Jes D.
We ordered a 'boatload' for birthday dinner and between the two of us tried brisket (meh), baby back ribs (good rub, but tough), pulled pork (great rub and great with the sauces), and chicken (mouth-watering and great with the house sauce). Sides - get the hush puppies. Right now. We can wait.... Ok, also eat the coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. Collards were ok, too. Service was good and the place was busy enough to be loud but not crowded - which we didn't expect because they weren't seating anyone in the section near the door so we thought it was going to be pretty empty when we walked in.
(3)
Joel S.
At 12:30pm this place should be packed. I came in sat at the bar and almost 5 minutes later a guy from the other side came over and said sorry for the wait. I was the only one in the place. I think my food was Microwaved . Wont be returning.
(2)
Candace M.
They had excellent service with some amazing menu choices I have never seen before. Their wings are smoked rather fried and their BBQ egg rolls were awesome.
(4)
Justin B.
Hush puppies are great...and, that's about it. Dropped by last night with a Groupon in hand. My wife and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with cornbread, the Q burger with hush puppies, and a piece of blueberry pie a la mode. Those puppies were solid; large, moist, chewy, nice butter on the side. If I only had that and left, definitely a four-star review. But unfortunately the RavenswoodQ team just seemed to have a lot of problems last night; first, they were completely out of brisket. I don't know how this happens at an open BBQ restaurant, but it happened last night. They were also out of chocolate cake; you're out of your most basic dessert at 6 PM on a Monday? Anyway, the sandwiches arrived about 20 minutes after ordering (strangely slow given that we were one of two couples in the restaurant, but it was a semi-date night for the wife and I, so we weren't complaining), and the pulled pork was crunchy, a little dry, but on a pretty tasty bun. The sandwich was saved by the BBQ sauces left on the table, and two of them were not bad (St. Louis and the other non-vinegar sauce). The burger was a bust; it wasn't ten ounces like the menu said, it wasn't served with onion straws like the menu said, and it wasn't cooked medium like we asked. The cornbread was okay, but not memorable. The dessert round was interesting--I blame myself for not asking if the pie had nuts (it does), it wasn't served warm, and the vanilla ice cream wasn't that great. We thought about sending it back, but we were afraid it wouldn't be any better, so kudos to the restaurant for recognizing our dissatisfaction and taking 10% off the bill, but by this point, the damage was done. Our server was attentive and friendly but the food portion of the evening was essentially a disaster. I'm not going back to try out the brisket we missed out on, but I have a feeling that won't be the worst decision I make this week!
(2)
Caitlin U.
We went last night on a groupon. The place was completely empty, which may be awkward but it was actually fine. The decor and overall atmosphere is great. There's a bar right when you walk in, which is confusing since the restaurant is, in fact, BYOB. I think they're waiting on their license, because the waitress said they'd be serving alcohol soon. Anyway, BYOB is a huge plus in my book! We ordered the chicken wings and the ribs and brisket platter to split for two of us, with sides of mac and cheese and hush puppies Chicken wings - AMAZING. Seriously some of the best ever. They did not taste deep fried (though i have no idea how they were actually prepared) and the skin was perfectly crispy. There was a smokiness to them that was incredible. I'm normally a drench-in-sauce person, and these were NOT, but I loved them anyway. We got the buffalo and the bbq chipotle. Not too spicy, but delicious. RIbs - the waitress recommended the baby back, saying they had just made some. They were good! They also had some kind of smokey-spicy sauce on them, but not too much. There is sauce on your table to add your own (which I did). Nice and charred on the outside and meaty. Brisket - I liked it. Melted in your mouth, even better with sauce. The man-friend was meh about it but couldn't explain why. Hush puppies - really good, served with a side of honey butter Mac and cheese - meh. This was the one big misstep for me. There was just... something missing (man friend claimed it was bacon). Overall, I'd definitely go back! I love that it's BYOB. Oh and they're going to start serving brunch on the weekends so I'll probably check that out too. I just won't order the mac and cheese again.
(4)
Ev S.
We went to lunch on a Groupon. A man identifying himself as the owner waited on us, saying that his waitress hadn't showed up and wasn't answering her phone. His service left a lot to be desired. It was OK at first, but then he got involved in some carry-out orders and never came back. He served my husband's food about 5 minutes before he served mine. We even had to go looking for him to pay the bill. More about that later. The food was nothing special, and I don't think it was fresh either, it appeared to have been microwaved. The brisket egg rolls had possibilities, but the shell was soggy. My husband had the brisket sandwich with beans, and I had the sliders with collard greens. He liked his brisket sandwich, but it looked dry to me. The beans had a skin on them, obviously not fresh. The sliders were brisket, pulled chicken, and pulled pork. The brisket was dry and not very tasty, and I couldn't eat the chicken and pork, which were full of hard, burned bits. The buns were gummy. The collard greens were tasty, but were served with about 1/2 cup of braising liquid. The Carolina sauce was way too mustardy, and the other two sauces were unremarkable. There was just one other table, and they waited at least 20 minutes for their food. A cook finally brought it out. The bussing station was right out in the dining area, and the kitchen cooler was just adjacent to it, so when they opened the door you could look in. We had to look for the owner to get our bill and pay it. He was processing carry outs, and didn't know how to use his system to accept payment. We waited at least 15 minutes before he started our bill. Again, he didn't know how to handle the Groupon and had to call someone (again) to walk him through the process. While this was going on, Park Chicago app beeped in my purse and our parking ran out. I went out to the car. While we were waiting, another man came out of the kitchen, and he too, told us about the waitress who didn't show up.. When he finally presented the bill to my husband (by now it's about 25 minutes that we've been trying to pay our bill) , it didn't deduct for the Groupon. He had to do that manually. My husband told him our parking had run out, he waited so long to pay. The guy told him not to complain because he'd saved money using the Groupon. He was also muttering something about he shouldn't have opened up that day as my husband left. There are lots of BBQ places in the city, with better food and much better service. We won't be going back to Ravenswood Q and I don't recommend it, either.
(1)
Lysa C.
Some of the best wings I have had !! Delicious. The hush puppies OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!! Great customer service , there was an error with the food that was delivered( probably a Grub Hub error) and the restaurant promptly corrected the error, sent new food and took it off our charge . Will most definitely order from here again and recommend this restaurant !!
(4)
Anthony H.
I had some take out from Ravenswood Q last night. I ordered a pulled chicken sandwich with collard greens and mac and cheese. Delivery from Grub Hub was fast and courteous. The collard greens were on point and flavored with smoked turkey. The pulled chicken sandwich was OK. The flavor of the sauce kind of threw me a bit, but all in all it was OK. The Mac and cheese I was very disappointed in. It was if someone cooked some noodles in butter, sprinkled some cheese across the top and microwaved it. A 4 year old can do that. I suggest make it correctly by making a sauce and baking it or don't offer on the menu at all. Food was just ok. I want to give this place another chance though.
(2)
Matt T.
Our dinner experience began with me catching an unpleasant whiff but first dismissing it as impossible. Could it be? I had to confirm with my companions just to be sure I wasn't imagining it. It actually smelled like sewage near our table, which was along the west-most wall. The smell would alternate between being strong and then barely noticeable, as if it was being affected by the airflow system. Fortunately, the smell of my friend's coffee helped mask the scent, so I remained optimistic and looked forward to my barbeque. The food was terrible, unfortunately. I had the beef brisket plate. It was dry and mostly flavorless. The worst part, though, was that it was served barely warm, with many cold spots. The temperature made it seem as if it had been sitting out for a long time. My friend ordered the bbq chicken sandwich, and some of its meat was cold. As for the cornbread, it was the most flavorless I have ever had. Even if this place fixes whatever was causing part of its dining room to smell like sewage, I still can't recommend it. The food was poorly prepared and overpriced relative to its quality. Don't eat here, there are plenty of better places.
(1)
Caroline J.
We went to Ravenswood Q after purchasing the Groupon. I was very into the idea of a BYOB barbecue place so I was pretty excited to try it out. We went around 8:00 on a Thursday evening and to be honest, we thought the place was closed. The front room was dead, but we were seated in the space next door, where there were a few other groups and couples. The server showed up immediately and asked if we needed glasses for our beer - nice! We took a couple minutes to decide and ended up ordering the pulled pork sandwich (for me), the rib sandwich (for him) and a side of cornbread as an appetizer. Service was a little slow given how few people were in the place, but we were enjoying our beer so no rush. The cornbread showed up and was a massive slab - definitely enough to justify paying the $4 for it. It was sweet and moist and overall just delicious. Our food finally came out and was SO. GOOD. My pork was definitely different from your standard barbecue - it seemed to have some sort of cajun rub on it in addition to the sauce. Whatever they did to it, I'm a fan. The bun was toasted perfectly, crunchy on the inside and fluffy on the outside. I tried some of his sandwich, which had off-the-bone rib meat and crunchy onions. Again, so tasty. The hush puppies were good, but I've had better. The only thing keeping me from giving this place 5 stars is the slower than average service, but with the BYOB policy I'm probably trying to take my time anyways. Also, props to them for not flinching when I whipped out the Groupon.
(4)
Sarah D.
Service was just okay - they did not bring the food out at the same time and there was quite a lag between my dish and my boyfriends food. The food was very good - better than we expected. We are big fans of Smoque in Irving Park and this place came close. It was very quiet for a Friday night at 8pm but overall we would probably go back. Be warned - they are no longer BYOB (contrary to Groupon and their website)
(4)
Bryn G.
I cannot speak highly enough about this restaurant. The atmosphere is pleasant, good music, nice bar. The food is utterly delicious. The brisket is moist, the bbq sauce is spicy but sweet, and the pulled pork and pulled ribs are to die for. I had brunch here last week and was thrilled at the live jazz and the obscenely delicious bananas foster pancakes. I've only been here a few times and the bartender remembered my face and my drink. It has never been crowded here which makes me nervous-- I want this place to stay!! For improvements, what can I say? Hang your beer signs in the window so there is more room at the bar, and put more signage on those windows. Also, the "Q" is reminiscent of quizno's... Change it up to represent the neighborhood a little bit!
(5)
Erica I.
This town needs more BBQ places, so I was excited when I heard about this new place opening. We had gone to Cafe 28 a few times, and it definitely did not have the same decor and was pretty plain looking on the inside. I know they just opened though, so maybe they will spruce it up soon. It's also much smaller than Cafe 28, it looks like they closed off one of the other rooms, so the tables are very close together. The hostess and our server was very friendly. We ordered the chicken wings with buffalo sauce as a starter, and they were somewhat fatty on the outside, but had a really good smokey flavor. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich, and it had the same smokey flavor, which was great with the St. Louis bbq sauce they had on the table. My date said his pulled pork sandwich was a little on the dry side. The best part about Ravenswood Q were the sides! The sandwiches came with fries and coleslaw, but we were able to sub them for $1 extra. So I got the mac and cheese and sweet potato fries with mine. The mac and cheese was good! It almost had a burnt cheese taste like Pequod's pizza has, and it was yummy. I also liked the sweet potato fries, but they needed some dipping sauce or brown sugar on top. My date got the mashed potatoes and hush puppies for his sides, but they were out of hush puppies :( So he got cornbread instead. I REALLY liked the mashed potatoes. I think they had cheese or sour cream mixed in, and I liked the flavor that gave it. The cornbread was nothing special, so I asked if they had butter and the server brought some honey butter that made it much better. We will definitely come back because I want to try the hush puppies, and I also want to try the buffalo chicken egg rolls appetizer.
(4)
Steven P.
The service from start to finish to include the hostess was pleasant, professional, and timely. This place used to be BYOB but now have selections of beers and wine. They even have PBR drafts for $2 which was a nice price point. I ordered a brisket sandwich, hush puppies and brisket chili. The chili could have been warmer, the hush puppies were good and the butter they provided with those was delicious. The brisket on the sandwich was a bit cold and tough. Grand total to include tip was $20. Apps were half off on the Friday I went. I'd give this place a 2nd chance probably. The reviews for this place are certainly mixed so you might be pleasantly surprised or disappointed. It's hard to say
(4)
Cam M.
For the bulk of my review, look at my old review. I'm updating my take on them since they JOINED GRUB HUB FOR DELIVERY!!!! Yes, I added a whole star because they started delivery (at least thru Grub Hub). Considering that the noise/space was my biggest fault with the place, that is huge. I ordered a Brisket Sandwich w/sweet potato fries, as well as the Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. The food arrived hot, and tasted great. I can see myself adding them into my "go to" delivery places. I have my favorite pizza places for whenever I'm craving whatever style of pizza, I have my favorite diner style places that deliver, and this place gets added into my favorite pulled pork/brisket/chicken places that deliver.
(4)
David W.
to preface, I don't think it's fair when yelpers complain about "slow service" with a large group at 8pm on a Saturday.... with that said, my setting: a small group of friends here at 4:30pm on a Saturday. It took an hour for our food to come out. When it did, one person got a sandwich, another got a side. Looking at my watch, over 10 minutes went by before more food came out. Our appetizer came out near the end. Other tables were receiving their food while we waited. BBQ is the type of food that is being smoked all day, it's strange how the food wasn't ready. Also, coleslaw should already be ready. That even took time to come out and one person in our party never received his. Service was not good. Angie (manager) apologized and took responsibility. She gave us 10% off our bill, which to be honest, is not an incentive to come back when there are so many good restaurants in the area. Even though Smoque & Fat Willy's are driving distance, you are better off heading there. FOOD REVIEW Pulled pork: salty, but very good Hushpuppies: incredible side dish Mac & Cheese: good Coleslaw: nothing great, but solid Pulled chicken: there seemed to be bones in it Brisket: more like roast beef, pass on this dish
(2)
Mitchell A.
I thought Quiznos opened a BBQ chain when I first saw the sign to be honest. The Q is almost the same. I hope they didn't do that on purpose hahahahahaha. Well if they did or they didn't both are not good. To me it shows the lack of thoroughness. This also translate to the food and decor. not much else to say. bland all the way through. Lot of BBQ in this city as of late and you need to stand out and according to almost all 17 reviews they just don't and I agree. neighborhood needs them to do better. I feel the same as everyone else....it is early so hope they come through. They have time I guess. PS North Center is the home of the cities biggest BBQ event soooooooo if you are going to open a BBQ place in this Hood you might ohhhh I don't know NOT want to suck.
(2)
louis S.
Loved the food and the passion of the pit master. Great Brisket, ribs and fresh moist huge side of corn bread with honey butter (YUM) Oh and he also makes everything in house. Cole Slaw alone was worth the trip. The higher quality of the products and the right amount of smoking comes through. Even makes three types of sauces. You can tell when the owner is passionate about the product and as I have often said, I never trust a skinny pit master. Not a problem here. Loved it! Next up on the weekend are beef short ribs, can not wait. One of the best BBQ joints I have been to in along time and I am just back from Kansas City.
(5)
Beth M.
I'm still full from their food as I write this review. Let me start with I was very hesitant on going here. I live nearby so at first I was so excited - I love supporting any North Center business. But then the bad Yelp reviews started rolling in. And months later it didn't seem to get much better. Well, we went for it anyways. I did my homework and made notes of what other reviews complained about so I could see if it held true for my experience. I can say it didn't at all. We got there about 8 p.m. on a Wednesday night and half of the back room was full - pretty busy for most restaurants in North Center. We were seated immediately and given glasses for our wine (yay BYOB). I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mac 'n' cheese and my husband ordered half a rack of ribs along with hush puppies and sweet potato fries. 1) Our food was served in the right amount of time. Actually, I didn't even finish my first glass of wine before it was out. 2) Our server- Alex - was extremely attentive and very, very nice, and 3) Everything was delicious. Pulled pork sandwiches are my go-to on judging a bbq place. The thing that really stood out for this one was the garlic taste to the bun. I added their house sauce to it, which was delicious. They also have a Carolina sauce and a St. Louis sauce, and the waiter pointed out each is great for a certain kind of meat. Mac 'n' cheese was good - I did add a bit of pepper but was very happy with it. I also noted it's the first mac 'n' cheese I've had in the city in awhile that wasn't oily. My husband loved the ribs, fries, and hush puppies. The ribs have a bit of a kick - maybe it's a pepper rub? And holy crap serving size - you will definitely get your money's worth. You know how you get sides of stuff and it usually all fits on one plate? Every single food item had it's own basket because there was so much. We could barely fit it all on the table. All in all it was great. I'm really, really happy I went and made my own decision, which I hope everyone else does too.
(5)
Rafal P.
Food was descent. Waitress was very attentive since we were the only ones there at the time.
(4)
Sleepless-In S.
This is an updated review, because my first experience at this place was a mess and a half. However, I had a Groupon left over and felt the need to use it. I'm glad I did, and it seemed Ravenswood Q got itself together. On my second visit, I found this place to be better decorated, better staffed and a tremendously improved experience. Our waitress was very attentive and provided great insight to the menu. After a brutal overpriced first experience, I went in avoiding anything like a full rack of ribs. Instead I chose a brisket sandwich and their brisket chili. Both were incredible. I enjoyed the chili so much, our waitress actually gave a cup of it to my friend with me for free! Their portion sizes are great - it was a phenomenal meal After a 1 star first visit and a 5 star second experience, I'll roll this place a 3 average. They came a long way, and hopefully things continue in this direction.
(5)
William K.
Also went on the Groupon deal. Very delicious and glad I went, I will definitely return. We ordered the hush puppies which were absolutely amazing. They were served with honey butter, but you really did not need any addition to these delicious sweets. The BBQ was also excellent, both the ribs and brisket were perfect. My girlfriend ordered the pulled pork and thought it was very good. Definitely a great addition to north center.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : No Happy Hour : Yes Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Anne M.
The food was better than expected (for the most part), but there are some areas for improvement. We walked in on a Friday night and there were only three other seated tables in the whole restaurant. Pretty empty. The feel of the place was kind of dark and disjointed (blues posters on one side; The Starry Night print on the other - what?). I tried the pulled chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries - the fries were great, and the chx sandwich was pretty good but I got a couple of bad bites (one with small bones, which is the. worst.). I was grossed out after that. I know it can happen, especially when pulling a large / restaurant-size container of chicken, but still... The man's "dinosaur bone" (huge beef bone with meat) and mashed potatoes were thoroughly enjoyed.
(2)Erika G.
Bar area only. I was a giant fan of Cafe 28, and on first glance, this place seems to not have as much character. My review is only for a visit to have one glass of wine - they close too early! The BBQ smelled GREAT, and I could see myself sampling that on a future visit. Friendly staff, good pour on the wine.
(3)Christopher H.
The bbq sauce was good but our ribs were way overdone. The beef ribs were like eating jerky. Had the Mac n cheese which was pretty good and the cornbread was ok. I would say find a different place that knows not to overcook their ribs
(1)Rob W.
Been by here a few times but never went in - a Groupon tipped the scale. Kind of a mixed bag at lunch. I was there on a Tuesday from 11:30 - 12:15... I was the only person other than employees and delivery people at that time. Sat at a two top on the restaurant side - I noticed that although it looked ok, the table was kind of sticky in spots. I went to order and asked my server about what sides were good - she sort of headed in the "everything is good" direction. So I ended up with the mac and cheese, just to try something I don't ordinarily order. It was pretty good, though there's a $1 upcharge on it. I also ordered some brisket chili; one of the two "soup" offerings for the day. The downside was that a cup of soup is the size of a cup that one might see in a set of children's dishes. It was small, albeit filled to the top, which didn't leave a lot of room for the oyster crackers. Now, for the main dish - I went with the BBQ Brisket sandwich. That was pretty darn good on a lightly toasted bun with a decent portion of meat - and hardly any fat. Other than the side order recommendations, my server was really pretty good - friendly and prompt as well... brought a second soda out in anticipation - always a plus in my book. As for the restaurant, while the BBQ was good, with competition like Smoque and Fat Willy's not all that far away, RavenswoodQ isn't super high on my list for a return. Glad I tried it though.
(3)Bruce J.
Great burgers, I had it to go. Friendly service.
(5)Colleen P.
Work across the street from this here and its a great place to go for lunch! Pulled pork is delicious and there is a good beer selection. Would recommend!
(4)Scott O.
What happened to this place???? We went for dinner tonight. Oh, my!!! Let me start by saying the cole slaw is still terrific and the fries are 100 times better. But, we waited at the host stand while the bartender said she'll be right there to seat you. And we waited and we waited. He went and poked his head in the dining room and came back and said she'll be here shortly. And we waited and we waited and he finally went ahead and sat us. And now for the horrid part of the evening-the slab of ribs. We both had them. We both sawed through them because they were tough and dry and just awful. It doesn't feel like the same place we were at a year ago and, if that is the new standard of their food, I doubt it will even be here a year from now.
(1)Daniel C.
I ordered delivery from here on one cold night I didn't want to leave the haus via Grubhub. The delivery time stated was 60-70 minutes however I received my food in less than 45. I got the pulled pork sandwich and french fries as well as the buffalo chicken egg roll appetizers. The pulled pork sandwich was adequate, a little too much sauce but that's an easy modification. The fries were just right. The egg rolls were not up my alley but they were just fine. Overall I may try again not soon tho.
(3)Miranda B.
I have relatives in TX and lots of BBQ favorites there. Walking in, tasting the smoke lingering in the air, I got a good feeling about the 'que, but the smell was simply a teaser. Brisket egg rolls sound better than they taste, with little meat flavor and too much oil. The fries were hot and crisp, the coleslaw average. The chicken was the best of the barbecued meat, coming out with a deep mahogany skin that still managed to have fairly moist flavorful meat. I found the brisket to be the most disappointing thing we had. I expect long slow smoked brisket, with the fat melted down and a nice smoky deep taste. This brisket tasted as though they'd braised it in some kind of liquid ... more of a pot roast texture and taste to it, with a bit of flavor coming through from the sauce it had cooked in. Very disappointing. Small staff worked hard to accommodate a very large group, but though they'd been given advance notice, they struggled to bring out food in a timely manner. They were all friendly and eager to please though.
(3)Nicholas V.
First time here and purchased their signature sandwich and fries. The fries were spectacular!!!! Well seasoned, a little peppery kick to them. Very, very good. The burger was above average. I, personally, think it could have used a bit more flavor or seasoning, but not terrible either. I will probably go back to give something else a shot before I say Yay or Nay for good.
(3)Andrew d.
Don't advertise that you are open until 10pm when you have customers walking in at 9:23pm and tell them that you are closing. Thanks for wasting my time.
(1)Debbi R.
My boyfriend and I came here with a groupon last night (Thursday at around 7pm). The moment we walked in you can the smell the bbq. It was kind of empty which made my boyfriend a little hesitant about it. We were greeted and seated by their friendly staff. We both ordered a beer (they are no longer BYOB and they have a great selection of beers and other drinks) and then ordered a full slam of baby back ribs each. Boyfriend ordered the hush puppies as his side, which I have never had, and I ordered the Mac & cheese. We also ordered the sweet potato fries to share. Baby back ribs: ABSOLUTELY AH-MAZING. FRESH. And the meat was so tender and came off the bone so smoothly. It was delicious. The bbq on it had a zing of spice which I love! Hush puppies: Boyfriend said they were the best hush puppies he has had thus far! I had them for the first time ever and I loved them! Made me wonder what else I have been missing!! Mac and cheese: I love mac and cheese BUT this wasn't the greatest I've had. Idk something was missing. Boyfriend said that the cheese was too strong but I honestly don't know what it was that made it not so great. (Sorry :(..) (still ate it though) Sweet potato fries: they were good!! I actually really really really really liked them!! Overall experience, I would go back in a heart beat. Server was so friendly and attentive. Ribs were amazing and the place is pretty!
(5)Jen Y.
Two words: Sewer Smell. Yes, that is right. The smell of sewer permeated the restaurant. Nauseating. And when asked if there was a problem that was being serviced, the waitress stated, "No. It''s just something that the businesses up and down Irving Park have to deal with." Umm...So why was that plumber's truck parked right outside with plumbers leaving the restaurant's side entrance when we left after our meal? Hmmm...Coincidence? I think not. As for the food, it was over-priced and mediocre. The collard greens had a weird after taste, the mac and cheese overcooked, and the brisket dry. The pork ribs were ok. We won't be back.
(1)Tavi J.
I'll preference this by saying I'm not a huge BBQ fan to begin with, but my cheap a$$ can't past up a groupon :) We went last night and it wasn't crowded at all. The hostess/waitress sat us right away. I'll skip over the ambience part (cause there wasn't any...lol) and skip straight to the food. We both ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Really good and the 3 sauces you had to choose from at the table were good. You can choose one side and we both went with the fries, which were just okay. They were season though so that's a plus. The biggest let down would have to be the Mac and cheese. I prefer my Mac and cheese to be really cheesy and I didn't get that. I actually had to add a little salt and pepper to give it more flavor. This is an okay place, but I probably won't be making a special trip to come back and visit.
(3)Nick S.
Smoked wings with naked Cajun seasoning were some of the best I'd ever had. Bleu cheese sauce on the side was great, so was the mustard based barbecue sauce. After these upsides, things went downhill. The rib sandwich was tasty but had two tiny unexpected chunks of bone in it, hope somebody doesn't chip a tooth or cut the inside of their mouth. I always go for the brisket at barbecue joints, but I was thoroughly disappointed here. It tasted and looked like something that would be served in a high school cafeteria.
(2)Lorelei C.
Gotta Love the Smell of Barbecue:) Today was my first visit to Ravenswood Q, and honestly I can say I was pretty impressed from the moment I entered the door, I was greeted by Anna, a truly phenominal server and I was seated in their lovely dining room/area, a room with a sufficient amount of tables and lovely exposed brick walls, somewhat of a loft type feeling. I liked it, I felt comfortable and warm. Now, okay, I was here because I had another Groupon where I only paid $12.00 for $25.00 worth of food at Ravenswood Q so I thought I would have been foolish to pass up this sweet little deal.. And, I was told that I would have to spend the entire amount of $25.00 during todays visit, not very hard to do! Actually, it worked out very well, I ordered a Caesar Salad, Barbecued Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Cornbread. Now, gotta be honest and say I did'nt finish my mashed potatoes cause they tasted kind of funky, they had chives and I was tasting like sour cream in them.. Yuck!!! So. I shoved those suckers to the side.. But, The Barbecue Chicken was quite delicious, very tender and the sauce was tangy, just right! The cornbread was a little dry, which I think is normal for cornbread but Anna did suggest I apply some of this honey butter stuff to it which I did'nt do.. So, the thing is.. most of the side items are charged separately, and that can add up.. The piece of cornbread alone was listed on the menu for $4.00. But, honestly, The attentive service I received from Anna, the pretty great tasting Barbecue Chicken and the lovely interior is worthy of my 4 star rating. Also, FYI, It is BYOB, I know this because this couple came in and asked if they served Beer at Ravenswood Q, The reply was negative but they were told there was a liquor store nearby.. So, if you want to indulge in alchoholic beverages with your meal best to stop at a liquor store first! So, if you have'nt been to Ravenswood Q you should give them a try.. A nice place with good food and great service! And thats a pretty good start....
(4)Angelica P.
The food was just terrible. Chicken wings were extremely salty! Beef brisket was sooooo dry and just poor quality meat. Pulled pork sandwich was not tasty.. the pork was dry despite being drenched in sauce. Chicago combo- Ribs were gross and the chicken was dry. Side of beans were gross and just felt reheated. It was all gross, dry and just felt reheated.
(1)Michael A.
Went on a weekend night with some friends and had NO problem getting a table last minute. Place was pretty quiet. Not much atmosphere. Was told to try the Hush Pups and they were definitely really tasty. I could go for an order of them now. The Brisket was tender and the sauces were great. The service was good. Its a BYOB so how can you go wrong. It didn't really stand out as an amazing place though. Great value and food so be sure to hit it up.
(3)Sam R.
DINER BEWARE!!!! BAD FOOD BAD SERVICE First off, I live for st Louis or Texas BBQ all day every day. This has to be one of the worst BBQ places I have tried in Chicago, will not be returning. This is of course ignoring the horrendous service me and the rest of my party received. Bad BBQ + Horrible service = Never returning, never recommending.
(1)David R.
I was prepared to rate two stars after my first visit, based on what I guess we could call "restaurant administration" or maybe just "management." The service itself was fine--our waitress was prompt, attentive and courteous. But I'm talking about things like tables remaining unbussed for looong stretches of time, not to mention a cart overflowing with bussed dishes sitting in the dining room for our entire visit; noone being available to greet and seat customers when they first enter; only one server being staffed for Saturday lunch; a smelly men's room; and the entire place being out of Coca-Cola (which I don't drink, but what the hell?? it's Coke for heaven's sake). So basically what I mean is that it just did not seem as if the people running this place are trying very hard. However, since the food was pretty solid I will go with three stars. The best thing that I tried was the pulled turkey sandwich; I would order that again for sure. My pulled pork was decent but the meat had a funny taste that I could not place. The side of cole slaw was fresh but standard; the macaroni and cheese came in an enormous portion, piping hot and pretty good. The sweet potato fries were satisfactory. I really enjoyed two of the three table sauces but I can't recall exactly how they were different. After eating pork and turkey I decided that I would like to give their brisket a whirl before reaching a final verdict, so I got a takeout sandwich and a side of hush puppies. The brisket was so-so; it tasted good but was tough, almost rubbery. The hush puppies, though, were giant and super. In general they tended slightly towards the sugary side--and in fact come with a little cup of sweetened butter--but danced well enough on the border between sweet and savory that I dipped a few in barbecue sauce as a side for my sandwich and slathered the rest with fig preserves for dessert (note: fig preserves not provided by restaurant). So after two meals, "A-OK" seems like the right rating. They need to improve if they want to compete in the approaching-oversaturated pool of north side barbecueries. Not even close to being a destination, they are barely adequate for the immediate neighborhood.
(3)Patrick and Jes D.
We ordered a 'boatload' for birthday dinner and between the two of us tried brisket (meh), baby back ribs (good rub, but tough), pulled pork (great rub and great with the sauces), and chicken (mouth-watering and great with the house sauce). Sides - get the hush puppies. Right now. We can wait.... Ok, also eat the coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. Collards were ok, too. Service was good and the place was busy enough to be loud but not crowded - which we didn't expect because they weren't seating anyone in the section near the door so we thought it was going to be pretty empty when we walked in.
(3)Joel S.
At 12:30pm this place should be packed. I came in sat at the bar and almost 5 minutes later a guy from the other side came over and said sorry for the wait. I was the only one in the place. I think my food was Microwaved . Wont be returning.
(2)Candace M.
They had excellent service with some amazing menu choices I have never seen before. Their wings are smoked rather fried and their BBQ egg rolls were awesome.
(4)Justin B.
Hush puppies are great...and, that's about it. Dropped by last night with a Groupon in hand. My wife and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with cornbread, the Q burger with hush puppies, and a piece of blueberry pie a la mode. Those puppies were solid; large, moist, chewy, nice butter on the side. If I only had that and left, definitely a four-star review. But unfortunately the RavenswoodQ team just seemed to have a lot of problems last night; first, they were completely out of brisket. I don't know how this happens at an open BBQ restaurant, but it happened last night. They were also out of chocolate cake; you're out of your most basic dessert at 6 PM on a Monday? Anyway, the sandwiches arrived about 20 minutes after ordering (strangely slow given that we were one of two couples in the restaurant, but it was a semi-date night for the wife and I, so we weren't complaining), and the pulled pork was crunchy, a little dry, but on a pretty tasty bun. The sandwich was saved by the BBQ sauces left on the table, and two of them were not bad (St. Louis and the other non-vinegar sauce). The burger was a bust; it wasn't ten ounces like the menu said, it wasn't served with onion straws like the menu said, and it wasn't cooked medium like we asked. The cornbread was okay, but not memorable. The dessert round was interesting--I blame myself for not asking if the pie had nuts (it does), it wasn't served warm, and the vanilla ice cream wasn't that great. We thought about sending it back, but we were afraid it wouldn't be any better, so kudos to the restaurant for recognizing our dissatisfaction and taking 10% off the bill, but by this point, the damage was done. Our server was attentive and friendly but the food portion of the evening was essentially a disaster. I'm not going back to try out the brisket we missed out on, but I have a feeling that won't be the worst decision I make this week!
(2)Caitlin U.
We went last night on a groupon. The place was completely empty, which may be awkward but it was actually fine. The decor and overall atmosphere is great. There's a bar right when you walk in, which is confusing since the restaurant is, in fact, BYOB. I think they're waiting on their license, because the waitress said they'd be serving alcohol soon. Anyway, BYOB is a huge plus in my book! We ordered the chicken wings and the ribs and brisket platter to split for two of us, with sides of mac and cheese and hush puppies Chicken wings - AMAZING. Seriously some of the best ever. They did not taste deep fried (though i have no idea how they were actually prepared) and the skin was perfectly crispy. There was a smokiness to them that was incredible. I'm normally a drench-in-sauce person, and these were NOT, but I loved them anyway. We got the buffalo and the bbq chipotle. Not too spicy, but delicious. RIbs - the waitress recommended the baby back, saying they had just made some. They were good! They also had some kind of smokey-spicy sauce on them, but not too much. There is sauce on your table to add your own (which I did). Nice and charred on the outside and meaty. Brisket - I liked it. Melted in your mouth, even better with sauce. The man-friend was meh about it but couldn't explain why. Hush puppies - really good, served with a side of honey butter Mac and cheese - meh. This was the one big misstep for me. There was just... something missing (man friend claimed it was bacon). Overall, I'd definitely go back! I love that it's BYOB. Oh and they're going to start serving brunch on the weekends so I'll probably check that out too. I just won't order the mac and cheese again.
(4)Ev S.
We went to lunch on a Groupon. A man identifying himself as the owner waited on us, saying that his waitress hadn't showed up and wasn't answering her phone. His service left a lot to be desired. It was OK at first, but then he got involved in some carry-out orders and never came back. He served my husband's food about 5 minutes before he served mine. We even had to go looking for him to pay the bill. More about that later. The food was nothing special, and I don't think it was fresh either, it appeared to have been microwaved. The brisket egg rolls had possibilities, but the shell was soggy. My husband had the brisket sandwich with beans, and I had the sliders with collard greens. He liked his brisket sandwich, but it looked dry to me. The beans had a skin on them, obviously not fresh. The sliders were brisket, pulled chicken, and pulled pork. The brisket was dry and not very tasty, and I couldn't eat the chicken and pork, which were full of hard, burned bits. The buns were gummy. The collard greens were tasty, but were served with about 1/2 cup of braising liquid. The Carolina sauce was way too mustardy, and the other two sauces were unremarkable. There was just one other table, and they waited at least 20 minutes for their food. A cook finally brought it out. The bussing station was right out in the dining area, and the kitchen cooler was just adjacent to it, so when they opened the door you could look in. We had to look for the owner to get our bill and pay it. He was processing carry outs, and didn't know how to use his system to accept payment. We waited at least 15 minutes before he started our bill. Again, he didn't know how to handle the Groupon and had to call someone (again) to walk him through the process. While this was going on, Park Chicago app beeped in my purse and our parking ran out. I went out to the car. While we were waiting, another man came out of the kitchen, and he too, told us about the waitress who didn't show up.. When he finally presented the bill to my husband (by now it's about 25 minutes that we've been trying to pay our bill) , it didn't deduct for the Groupon. He had to do that manually. My husband told him our parking had run out, he waited so long to pay. The guy told him not to complain because he'd saved money using the Groupon. He was also muttering something about he shouldn't have opened up that day as my husband left. There are lots of BBQ places in the city, with better food and much better service. We won't be going back to Ravenswood Q and I don't recommend it, either.
(1)Lysa C.
Some of the best wings I have had !! Delicious. The hush puppies OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!! Great customer service , there was an error with the food that was delivered( probably a Grub Hub error) and the restaurant promptly corrected the error, sent new food and took it off our charge . Will most definitely order from here again and recommend this restaurant !!
(4)Anthony H.
I had some take out from Ravenswood Q last night. I ordered a pulled chicken sandwich with collard greens and mac and cheese. Delivery from Grub Hub was fast and courteous. The collard greens were on point and flavored with smoked turkey. The pulled chicken sandwich was OK. The flavor of the sauce kind of threw me a bit, but all in all it was OK. The Mac and cheese I was very disappointed in. It was if someone cooked some noodles in butter, sprinkled some cheese across the top and microwaved it. A 4 year old can do that. I suggest make it correctly by making a sauce and baking it or don't offer on the menu at all. Food was just ok. I want to give this place another chance though.
(2)Matt T.
Our dinner experience began with me catching an unpleasant whiff but first dismissing it as impossible. Could it be? I had to confirm with my companions just to be sure I wasn't imagining it. It actually smelled like sewage near our table, which was along the west-most wall. The smell would alternate between being strong and then barely noticeable, as if it was being affected by the airflow system. Fortunately, the smell of my friend's coffee helped mask the scent, so I remained optimistic and looked forward to my barbeque. The food was terrible, unfortunately. I had the beef brisket plate. It was dry and mostly flavorless. The worst part, though, was that it was served barely warm, with many cold spots. The temperature made it seem as if it had been sitting out for a long time. My friend ordered the bbq chicken sandwich, and some of its meat was cold. As for the cornbread, it was the most flavorless I have ever had. Even if this place fixes whatever was causing part of its dining room to smell like sewage, I still can't recommend it. The food was poorly prepared and overpriced relative to its quality. Don't eat here, there are plenty of better places.
(1)Caroline J.
We went to Ravenswood Q after purchasing the Groupon. I was very into the idea of a BYOB barbecue place so I was pretty excited to try it out. We went around 8:00 on a Thursday evening and to be honest, we thought the place was closed. The front room was dead, but we were seated in the space next door, where there were a few other groups and couples. The server showed up immediately and asked if we needed glasses for our beer - nice! We took a couple minutes to decide and ended up ordering the pulled pork sandwich (for me), the rib sandwich (for him) and a side of cornbread as an appetizer. Service was a little slow given how few people were in the place, but we were enjoying our beer so no rush. The cornbread showed up and was a massive slab - definitely enough to justify paying the $4 for it. It was sweet and moist and overall just delicious. Our food finally came out and was SO. GOOD. My pork was definitely different from your standard barbecue - it seemed to have some sort of cajun rub on it in addition to the sauce. Whatever they did to it, I'm a fan. The bun was toasted perfectly, crunchy on the inside and fluffy on the outside. I tried some of his sandwich, which had off-the-bone rib meat and crunchy onions. Again, so tasty. The hush puppies were good, but I've had better. The only thing keeping me from giving this place 5 stars is the slower than average service, but with the BYOB policy I'm probably trying to take my time anyways. Also, props to them for not flinching when I whipped out the Groupon.
(4)Sarah D.
Service was just okay - they did not bring the food out at the same time and there was quite a lag between my dish and my boyfriends food. The food was very good - better than we expected. We are big fans of Smoque in Irving Park and this place came close. It was very quiet for a Friday night at 8pm but overall we would probably go back. Be warned - they are no longer BYOB (contrary to Groupon and their website)
(4)Bryn G.
I cannot speak highly enough about this restaurant. The atmosphere is pleasant, good music, nice bar. The food is utterly delicious. The brisket is moist, the bbq sauce is spicy but sweet, and the pulled pork and pulled ribs are to die for. I had brunch here last week and was thrilled at the live jazz and the obscenely delicious bananas foster pancakes. I've only been here a few times and the bartender remembered my face and my drink. It has never been crowded here which makes me nervous-- I want this place to stay!! For improvements, what can I say? Hang your beer signs in the window so there is more room at the bar, and put more signage on those windows. Also, the "Q" is reminiscent of quizno's... Change it up to represent the neighborhood a little bit!
(5)Erica I.
This town needs more BBQ places, so I was excited when I heard about this new place opening. We had gone to Cafe 28 a few times, and it definitely did not have the same decor and was pretty plain looking on the inside. I know they just opened though, so maybe they will spruce it up soon. It's also much smaller than Cafe 28, it looks like they closed off one of the other rooms, so the tables are very close together. The hostess and our server was very friendly. We ordered the chicken wings with buffalo sauce as a starter, and they were somewhat fatty on the outside, but had a really good smokey flavor. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich, and it had the same smokey flavor, which was great with the St. Louis bbq sauce they had on the table. My date said his pulled pork sandwich was a little on the dry side. The best part about Ravenswood Q were the sides! The sandwiches came with fries and coleslaw, but we were able to sub them for $1 extra. So I got the mac and cheese and sweet potato fries with mine. The mac and cheese was good! It almost had a burnt cheese taste like Pequod's pizza has, and it was yummy. I also liked the sweet potato fries, but they needed some dipping sauce or brown sugar on top. My date got the mashed potatoes and hush puppies for his sides, but they were out of hush puppies :( So he got cornbread instead. I REALLY liked the mashed potatoes. I think they had cheese or sour cream mixed in, and I liked the flavor that gave it. The cornbread was nothing special, so I asked if they had butter and the server brought some honey butter that made it much better. We will definitely come back because I want to try the hush puppies, and I also want to try the buffalo chicken egg rolls appetizer.
(4)Steven P.
The service from start to finish to include the hostess was pleasant, professional, and timely. This place used to be BYOB but now have selections of beers and wine. They even have PBR drafts for $2 which was a nice price point. I ordered a brisket sandwich, hush puppies and brisket chili. The chili could have been warmer, the hush puppies were good and the butter they provided with those was delicious. The brisket on the sandwich was a bit cold and tough. Grand total to include tip was $20. Apps were half off on the Friday I went. I'd give this place a 2nd chance probably. The reviews for this place are certainly mixed so you might be pleasantly surprised or disappointed. It's hard to say
(4)Cam M.
For the bulk of my review, look at my old review. I'm updating my take on them since they JOINED GRUB HUB FOR DELIVERY!!!! Yes, I added a whole star because they started delivery (at least thru Grub Hub). Considering that the noise/space was my biggest fault with the place, that is huge. I ordered a Brisket Sandwich w/sweet potato fries, as well as the Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. The food arrived hot, and tasted great. I can see myself adding them into my "go to" delivery places. I have my favorite pizza places for whenever I'm craving whatever style of pizza, I have my favorite diner style places that deliver, and this place gets added into my favorite pulled pork/brisket/chicken places that deliver.
(4)David W.
to preface, I don't think it's fair when yelpers complain about "slow service" with a large group at 8pm on a Saturday.... with that said, my setting: a small group of friends here at 4:30pm on a Saturday. It took an hour for our food to come out. When it did, one person got a sandwich, another got a side. Looking at my watch, over 10 minutes went by before more food came out. Our appetizer came out near the end. Other tables were receiving their food while we waited. BBQ is the type of food that is being smoked all day, it's strange how the food wasn't ready. Also, coleslaw should already be ready. That even took time to come out and one person in our party never received his. Service was not good. Angie (manager) apologized and took responsibility. She gave us 10% off our bill, which to be honest, is not an incentive to come back when there are so many good restaurants in the area. Even though Smoque & Fat Willy's are driving distance, you are better off heading there. FOOD REVIEW Pulled pork: salty, but very good Hushpuppies: incredible side dish Mac & Cheese: good Coleslaw: nothing great, but solid Pulled chicken: there seemed to be bones in it Brisket: more like roast beef, pass on this dish
(2)Mitchell A.
I thought Quiznos opened a BBQ chain when I first saw the sign to be honest. The Q is almost the same. I hope they didn't do that on purpose hahahahahaha. Well if they did or they didn't both are not good. To me it shows the lack of thoroughness. This also translate to the food and decor. not much else to say. bland all the way through. Lot of BBQ in this city as of late and you need to stand out and according to almost all 17 reviews they just don't and I agree. neighborhood needs them to do better. I feel the same as everyone else....it is early so hope they come through. They have time I guess. PS North Center is the home of the cities biggest BBQ event soooooooo if you are going to open a BBQ place in this Hood you might ohhhh I don't know NOT want to suck.
(2)louis S.
Loved the food and the passion of the pit master. Great Brisket, ribs and fresh moist huge side of corn bread with honey butter (YUM) Oh and he also makes everything in house. Cole Slaw alone was worth the trip. The higher quality of the products and the right amount of smoking comes through. Even makes three types of sauces. You can tell when the owner is passionate about the product and as I have often said, I never trust a skinny pit master. Not a problem here. Loved it! Next up on the weekend are beef short ribs, can not wait. One of the best BBQ joints I have been to in along time and I am just back from Kansas City.
(5)Beth M.
I'm still full from their food as I write this review. Let me start with I was very hesitant on going here. I live nearby so at first I was so excited - I love supporting any North Center business. But then the bad Yelp reviews started rolling in. And months later it didn't seem to get much better. Well, we went for it anyways. I did my homework and made notes of what other reviews complained about so I could see if it held true for my experience. I can say it didn't at all. We got there about 8 p.m. on a Wednesday night and half of the back room was full - pretty busy for most restaurants in North Center. We were seated immediately and given glasses for our wine (yay BYOB). I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mac 'n' cheese and my husband ordered half a rack of ribs along with hush puppies and sweet potato fries. 1) Our food was served in the right amount of time. Actually, I didn't even finish my first glass of wine before it was out. 2) Our server- Alex - was extremely attentive and very, very nice, and 3) Everything was delicious. Pulled pork sandwiches are my go-to on judging a bbq place. The thing that really stood out for this one was the garlic taste to the bun. I added their house sauce to it, which was delicious. They also have a Carolina sauce and a St. Louis sauce, and the waiter pointed out each is great for a certain kind of meat. Mac 'n' cheese was good - I did add a bit of pepper but was very happy with it. I also noted it's the first mac 'n' cheese I've had in the city in awhile that wasn't oily. My husband loved the ribs, fries, and hush puppies. The ribs have a bit of a kick - maybe it's a pepper rub? And holy crap serving size - you will definitely get your money's worth. You know how you get sides of stuff and it usually all fits on one plate? Every single food item had it's own basket because there was so much. We could barely fit it all on the table. All in all it was great. I'm really, really happy I went and made my own decision, which I hope everyone else does too.
(5)Rafal P.
Food was descent. Waitress was very attentive since we were the only ones there at the time.
(4)Sleepless-In S.
This is an updated review, because my first experience at this place was a mess and a half. However, I had a Groupon left over and felt the need to use it. I'm glad I did, and it seemed Ravenswood Q got itself together. On my second visit, I found this place to be better decorated, better staffed and a tremendously improved experience. Our waitress was very attentive and provided great insight to the menu. After a brutal overpriced first experience, I went in avoiding anything like a full rack of ribs. Instead I chose a brisket sandwich and their brisket chili. Both were incredible. I enjoyed the chili so much, our waitress actually gave a cup of it to my friend with me for free! Their portion sizes are great - it was a phenomenal meal After a 1 star first visit and a 5 star second experience, I'll roll this place a 3 average. They came a long way, and hopefully things continue in this direction.
(5)William K.
Also went on the Groupon deal. Very delicious and glad I went, I will definitely return. We ordered the hush puppies which were absolutely amazing. They were served with honey butter, but you really did not need any addition to these delicious sweets. The BBQ was also excellent, both the ribs and brisket were perfect. My girlfriend ordered the pulled pork and thought it was very good. Definitely a great addition to north center.
(4)Ron T.
I wanted to like this place. We live near another nearby BBQ place in the area, but were hoping for another option for some variety. Sadly this is not that place. Usually the issue is something frustrating like bad service or carelessness. The issue here is the food....It just wasn't good! There were a couple of good things, but they are outweighed by the bad. Good: French Onion Soup, great flavor . Hush puppies, crunchy exterior soft inside, good flavor. The not so good: This is a BBQ place, so I expected the proteins to be pretty good, since this is "what they do". That just is not true. The ribs were tough, almost like the membrane was not pulled off. They were essentially inedible. The brisket was absurdly fatty and chewy as well. I ended up leaving a pretty large pile of partially chewed fat on a side plate. It was actually disgusting. The mac and cheese was bland as could be. We had to add BBQ sauce to it just to give it some flavor and the coleslaw was pretty much just cabbage. Again, it was bland and tasteless. All in all, the meal was disappointing and unenjoyable and there isn't much more I can say about it. As for the place itself, I hope that they will eventually invest is some decor. It is super plain and not inviting or comfortable. I will say the server we had was sweet and attentive. It looks like they are trying, I just can't overcome bad food and I am really sorry to say that. We will stick to the other nearby BBQ place on Lincoln, it is MUCH better.
(2)Casey B.
I'll start by acknowledging that the BBQ bar is pretty high with other Northside gems like Smoque, Pork Shoppe, and Fat Willy's. Plus Ravenswood Q opened recently so they may just need to work out some kinks. Service was a 4- very nice staff and my sandwich (to go) came up quickly. Food was a 2 unfortunately. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it had almost no sauce- a tablespoon maybe- so I had to go to the fridge for an old bottle of Sweet Baby Rays. The pork had decent flavor but a somewhat dry, gummy texture. At $9.99 for the sandwich and side ($2 more than both Porke Shoppe and Fat Willy's) Ravenswood Q really needs to step it up. The neighborhood shouldn't justify that much of a price difference.
(3)magic g.
Great food, great service. I'm not sure what the other reviewers are talking about. It's BYOB (there's a bit pricey liquor store across the street). ATt: manager. The name is a bit unfortunate from the search point of view. Neither google nor yelp finds "RavenswoodQ", they only do under "BBQ"
(4)John A.
I've had the food from Ravenswood Q twice. Good size portions, good flavor, I like it. I read the reviews on here and I think that some of the reviewers are a bit rough on this place. They haven't been open that long and they're trying to perfect the place. The people are nice, the service is great, and the food is good. I'm sure when they first opened, the service wasn't perfect...c'mon folks, give these guys a break. I noticed that the 3 chefs were eating at the bar watching a movie. They were eating what looked like pulled pork on tortillas. It gave me an idea: I would recommend having brisket, pulled pork, or possibly chicken tacos on the menu. Keep up the good work.
(4)Daniel G.
Decided to try a new BBQ place. I had the rib and beef brisket combo with a side of corn bread and French fries. The reason my review is so low is mostly because of the corn bread, it tasted off somehow, I could not eat more than a third of the bread. I felt like I could taste the milk used in the corn bread and it did not taste good, I think it had gone bad to be perfectly honest. I also have a complaint about the lack of signage on the sauces that are on the table, I just did not know what was what. The fries where decent, slightly seasoned but maybe a little more salty than I am used to, they seemed like store bought and not fresh cut fries but they where crispy which is a big plus, (advice to any restaurant that decides to use fresh cut fries, always blanch them so they do not taste saturated and disgusting). Now onto the main course. The brisket was a bit flavorless. But, that is not necessarily a bad thing, it seemed low on sodium and with the right sauces it is pretty epic. I would love to eat it with some steak sauce but they did not have any, my alternative would have been balsamic vinegar but before I asked I tried the three sauces on the table. I found one which I later learned from the waitress was a mustard and vinegar sauce that gave the brisket a very nice flavor, it was not overpowering that you could not tell it was beef, and not so weak that you not sense the flavor. The BBQ ribs, I consider myself a strict person on BBQ ribs, I always attempt to try them in any restaurant I go to so tend to have a high bar. The ribs where not fall of the bone, but they where unique. I've been getting tired if going to restaurants and ordering BBQ ribs which where nothing more than simple ribs smothered in BBQ sauce, that is not BBQ, there is a process of cooking that makes it a BBQ dish. While the ribs where not fall of the bone, they where indeed BBQ ribs. First of all, they where not smothered in sauce, you could tell the ribs where cooked with the sauce how they should be, the meat was very flavorful and I could sense the snap of fresh crushed pepper which gave it a pretty epic taste. One of the sauces on the table which did not have any signage went real great with the ribs. You do not need to add a lot and the sauce had a thick but also slightly spicy flavor that complemented the ribs perfectly. I don't like my ribs smothered so I thought this was nice, to have the control over how much sauce to add. I ended up enjoying that the ribs where not fall of the bone and cherished the parts that where a bit crispy, which I was not expecting. I will probably go back to this place just for the ribs, they where great. This would have been a 5 star review had it not been for the unoriginal fries which I would deduct half a star and the awful corn bread which I would deduce 1.5-2 stars. Avoid the cornbread for now and try the ribs for something different, would be my advice.
(3)Naomi S.
The man was craving some BBQ so we bundled in our boots and coats and braved the winter weather. Q was pretty empty, we were sat immediately. Plain furnishings, but appeared cleaned. Our waitress, Hannah, was great! Very friendly and informative. We got tiny soup samples. Try the roasted red pepper!! Mmmm. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. The house BBQ sauce was good, but the pork was dry and chewy. :/ Hence the 3 stars instead of 4. Fries were good, I like the seasoning, but they were a little limp.
(3)Brian W.
This place is a nice BBQ joint in the old Cafe 28 spot. Four of us went for lunch were among some of the first patrons there. Service: The staff was extremely nice and attentive. While it's obvious that they're still trying to get into the flow of the place we didn't have any problems with service. Everyone had smiles on and thanked us on the way out too. Environment: The space was overall was decent. It's nice inside but I didn't get a ton of character from the decor. You do get hit with a great smoky smell when walking in. We were seated close to the window and there was a lot of cold air coming off it, in retrospect we should have asked to move. Food: I ordered the Pulled Pork sandwich; for lunch it comes with some fries and a drink at a reasonable price. My pork was a little on the dry side and didn't really come through with a ton of flavor. The bun was pretty good and had a slight sweetness to it and a good toasting. We had all wished they had made the fries in house, as they were a little plain. My coworkers had the slider trio and a pulled chicken sandwich. Those went over pretty well with them, the brisket apparently being the winner. They have three sauces at the table, a house, Carolina, and St. Louis one. The house sauce is good but doesn't stand out much on it's own. The Carolina is intensely vinegary and I found it a but overpowering but tasty. The definite winner for all of us was the St. Louis sauce that had a great balance to it. It was mentioned that they don't have ribs on the lunch menu, only dinner. They're trying to see if there is a demand that would warrant putting it on. My coworker and myself are totally behind adding it. Overall: I'll come back here again and expect that they'll probably work out some minor kinks that any new space has to overcome soon. I'd recommend checking it out if you're in the area. Three stars with the expectation of upgrading it with future visits and checking out the ribs at dinner.
(3)Jon K.
Ive been here twice. First time I got the rib sandwich; second time pulled pork. Both platters were fabulous! It's reasonably priced and my server both times was polite and helpful. Try the cornbread!
(5)Tyler C.
I'm pretty much always craving BBQ so when I heard about this place opening up nearby, I figured I better try it out. After braving the wintry weather, my girlfriend and I were greeted and sat quickly. There were a couple patrons at the bar and a mid-sized group a couple tables from us, but other than that, the place was empty on a Saturday at lunch time. Service was solid, no complaints there. I'm a sucker for brisket so I ordered the brisket sandwich. It arrived in a timely manner and was delicious. Another slice or two of beef on the sandwich would have made it perfect, but I still got stuffed between the sandwich and fries. Bonus points for the 2 soup samples that were brought out for us to try while we were waiting. As others have mentioned, there are 3 BBQ sauces to choose from: a St. Louis, a Carolina, and a house specialty (somewhat similar to the St. Louis). The waitress informed us that they just revamped the house recipe despite them only being open for a short while. Maybe they haven't hit their groove or perhaps continuous sauce experimentation is part of their game plan. I'm still searching for a go-to BBQ place in Chicago but I'll more than likely make another trip to Ravenswood Q sometime in the future.
(4)Eric R.
Just had lunch there today around 1:30 pm. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were great. The waitress behind the bar is friendly and the food was great. I will definitely come back for dinner some time!
(5)Maura F.
The barbecue is average, the place looks like an unfinished basement, and as frequent restaurant patrons, my fiancé and I hear terrible story after terrible story about what a jerk the owner is. We give it until October- optimistically.
(1)C L.
The brisket sandwich was really bad. It should be sold as "fatty roast beef sandwich". They might have other good things here, but the brisket sandwich was not good and it was extremely expensive. I recommend going to Wrigley BBQ if you're looking for real (at least for Chicago) BBQ food. Otherwise, try Texas. This stuff is not what you're looking for.
(1)Betsy P.
Quite possibly the worst BBQ I've ever had. The only thing edible from the combo platter was the chicken. The brisket was fatty and tough; the burned, dry, brontosaurus ribs should only be served on top of the Flintstone-mobile. Sides of Mac and cheese, greens, and baked beans were mediocre to bad. On a brighter note, the house-made sauce is pretty good; the other two not-so-much.
(1)Cj J.
This place is okay. I have tried to like it but its disappointing every time. I've tried the Beef Brisket which had a lot of fat on it. The food was cold when it was delivered to me and I only live a few blocks away. The Mac and cheese was dry the last time I had it, which is surprising because it has received a lot of good reviews. The sad thing is there are many of BBQ places and this place might not last unless they do a bit better.
(2)Shannon J.
I've ordered threw grub hub a few times from here and it's always been great. Tonight my boyfriend went in and ordered the food to go, well that was a mistake. He got a burger well done, a salad, and a brisket. Took 45 minutes and the burger was bleeding. Maybe step up your actual customer service and stop worrying about grub hub so much
(3)Fred P.
Brisket sandwich was REALLY fatty and was that bottled sauce? Cole slaw just ok. Overall, not worth the price.
(2)Steven G.
In the crowded field of BBQ in chicago, this quite spot is dead on w the smoker. Pulled pork, the burger, brisket,smoked chicken were all enjoyed w a true Americana trio of sauces. Thanks Matt and Andre
(4)Trice T.
Came here with a friend to share a combo platter and fell in love with their Q... and the sides are the epitome of comfort food and yumminess. .. Their hush puppies are too die for. .. Now I'm trying them for carryout and the smell is heavenly in my car. .. Great also to know now that they've partnered with grub hub... here's crossing fingers they deliver in my area :)
(4)Kozby K.
Bad...bad....bad, bad, bad! The sides were bland, the meat was undercooked and cut the wrong way making it tough and stringy and the ambiance was unwelcoming with loud music and cold surroundings. When we brought the problems with our meal to the manager's attention, we were basically told that other people love it so it just must be our problem. Judging by the lack of many diners on a Sunday evening, I'm thinking that isn't the case. The one plus was our waitress was friendly. Never going back!
(1)Kevin K.
At first I was going to give this place 2 stars as I liked our server and thought she did a decent job. Then after giving it a second thought there is no way that I could give Ravenswood Q more than one star as most of the meat here was inedible. I got the brisket which was so fatty and chewy that I was only able to eat the bun. My partner had a combination plate and didn't finish a thing. The hush puppies were ok, but I can go across the street to Snappy's and have better. I wanted to like this place, I really did. But with so many great bbq places in the city these days, I can say that I will never be back. Both Smalls and Smoque are a short drive west on Irving and offer much better (edible) bbq.
(1)Miranda B.
Meh. Food? It was Ok. My pulled pork was actually crispy? My husband liked it but I thought it was kind of weird. My husband had the brisket which was pretty good. Everything looked really sad coming out on the "vintage-ish" plates. Absolutely no sides, no garnish, nothing on the plate. Just a lonely sandwich on my big ol' plate and a pile of brisket on my hubby's. Our server was good - He refilled our drinks like a million times. Though - considering we were the only people in the place on a Saturday afternoon - we didn't have much competition for his attention. What wasn't even OK was the decor/cleanliness. We walked in on a Sat. afternoon and it seemed like the whole staff was sitting in the bar area watching a game on tv. That's fine. There was no one in the restaurant to wait on. BUT - the floors were filthy. Dirty and covered in food. French fries, used napkins, etc. on the floor under a bunch of the tables. No one watching the game could be bothered to sweep or mop? Kind of grossed me out. and the Decor? what decor? some random IKEA frames/pictures hung crookedly on the wall - the before mentioned "vintage"-looking plates were chipped and didn't look too clean. Maybe I'm just comparing it to Smoque (its not even close!) and that's why I wasn't thrilled by this place. But IMHO - no decor, just ok food, filthy floor? Don't think I'll be back.
(2)MARISOL P.
Ugh, my brisket and mashed potatoes were cold. It took a while for the waitress to come around. Eventually I did get a nice plate of hot food.
(2)Oscar L.
I hate writing bad reviews, but this place has mediocre food. Nothing special. Cold food. Dirty dishes. Not too long til this place closes down. I asked fir something and was waiting because a manager was being very rude.
(1)Cindy B.
The mark of a good restaurant is not necessarily its size, but the quality of its food and the generosity of its staff. Along that line, some of the finest dining experiences I've had throughout my life have been in the small diners and dives scattered throughout the city of Chicago, RAVENSWOOD Q is not among these gems. I only noticed two other customers. Since it was dinnertime on a Thursday evening, this should have been my second warning signal, but I still continued on in my culinary adventure. I told my waitress several times I have a Groupon Fifteen minutes after we sat down, our waitress finally arrived to take our order. we began with an "Appetizers BBQ Chicken flatbread,Brisket & Rib Combo Platter and 1/2 BBQ Chicken platter" After another 25 minutes passed, our appetizer had arrived I had already begun to expect as much, especially considering the fact that, in the 40 minutes I had been there thus far, the only other customers I had spotted were the original two patrons I saw when I first came. I decided to give the hasty waiter one final chance to redeem herself to by asking her about what exactly Groupon special I will take the blame for my disappointment at its ordinariness, though, seeing as how I did not inquire about the restriction. What I will not take the blame for, however, is the fact that the food ,services and staff was Unfortunately, the sub-standard quality in your restaurant really dampened our spirits. To the staff's attitude and lack of communication which have spoiled the evening. The dinner started off in a very disappointing way when we were served some tasteless lukewarm and The Main Course tasted equally bad. We decide enough is enough, we was ready to checkout well RAVENSWOOD Q did not honor Groupon We were VERY VERY disappointed and complain to the manager at once. But the manger seemed ignorant about the whole episode and called the POLICE,REALLY. To our astonishment the manager nor his staff apology to us.
(1)Carrie M.
Went for lunch on a groupon.....thank God. We ordered rib brisket combo and ceasar salad. When the meats came out the brisket was cool to luke warm. When I think of brisket I think of a thick piece of tender juicybeef. This was 4 really thin slices. We are talking like almost shaved...and then cool. The 4 baby backs were meaty and good. 3 different sauces....ice cold from fridge. Waiter forgot ceasar so when it came after we were finished, he compted it. Won't be back.
(2)M G.
Went with a group of 6 and had a negative experience. While I understand they have been open only a week there is no excuse for being served cold and fatty food. When we vocalized our dissatisfaction the manager was a bit reluctant. The management should have gone out of their way to comp our bill or to find a way to leave us with a good feeling. We will not be returning which is a shame because I like to support local businesses. They were also out of hush puppies which is crazy since it's on their menu and they have only been open a week.
(1)Gold B.
If you're looking for delicious barbecue, this place is the REAL DEAL! Absolutely delicious! Meats smoked to perfection, house sauce is to kill for! Restaurant is renovated and very clean. Everything is tasty, and the portions are huge. Found this spot on Groupon. Wish I had found it sooner!!!! Will definitely be back again and again!
(5)elizabeth s.
I hope this place just needs more time... My husband and I took our son there last weekend and had wonderful service. The food was not great. Not good even. We had the buffalo chicken rolls to start and they were OK but could have used maybe some blue cheese in the roll? I had a chicken sandwich which was rubbery and the fries were a little bland. My husband had a cold pulled pork sandwich. Even my 3 year old woudnt eat his mac and cheese. Again, the service was great and I hope that the food gets better with time!
(2)Stephanie C.
For the food itself, I would give Ravenswood Q more stars--3 or 4--because it was pretty tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich and I enjoyed trying all 3 of the offered BBQ sauces (all good, the Carolina was my favorite). And the sides were awesome, I would highly recommend the mashed potatoes. They're cheesy with green onions mixed in. The sweet potato fries and hush puppies were really good, too. And very reasonably priced! You get a lot for your money with the sandwiches. I also did not experience any of the issues other reviewers have mentioned with the wait-staff, everyone was friendly and helpful enough. The reason I'm only giving 2 stars is that the dining experience was noisy to the point of being stressful and uncomfortable. We were there on a Friday night around 7, so I expected it to be busy, but it was SO LOUD. SO LOUD! We ate and left as quickly as we could, and ended up having a quieter experience in a very crowded bar. And it doesn't make sense... The restaurant isn't cramped, there were a lot of kids that evening but I didn't hear any temper tantrums--I think everything echoes too much. People were just talking/clinking silverware, but it sounds like a roar, you can hear everything except the person right across the table from you. I think all they need to do is put something on the walls to absorb the sound (right now it's very bare) or whatever else other restaurants do to avoid this problem. Until then, I'd love to go back for take out, but I just can't handle the volume. EDIT: Our waitress said they are working on getting their liquor license, but for now it is BYOB.
(2)Chris A.
Oh my goodness the food is GOOD!!! I ordered the 1/2 bbq chicken with mashed potatoes and cornbread. Oh my the food is so good. I definitely recommend this place. I will be here again .
(5)Jodi M.
First dining experience here and it will not be repeated. We had a party of 6 and we were all disappointed. Every dish except the collard greens was cold; meat was extremely tough; sides were not particularly good either. We fairly discussed the situation with the waiter and then to the manager. While we were offered a sandwich and a side to "make things better", there wasn't any other effort to rectify the situation. The bill came and while 3 of the main dinners were inedible, we were fully charged. Really??? After an escalation to the manager, how could any inkling of a percentage not be proactively taken off the bill? It wasn't until one of us stepped aside with the manager to further discuss that 2 items were comp'd. Unbelievable. Food: poor Service: poor Recommend: absolutely not Honestly - we understood it was opening week and there was AMPLE opportunity to make this situation right... every opportunity and yet it was not taken. Believe me, THAT would have made the difference. Own it, take responsibility and put your client first.
(1)Charles R.
My fiance and I ate here late on a Friday night and were the only ones in the restaurant. Our server was extremely friendly and helpful, and we ordered quite a bit of food. It's not the best barbeque I've ever had, but it was good for someplace in my neighborhood. I liked that the meat was unadorned so I could add my choice of different sauces to it, and the sides and appetizer were quite good. All in all, we had a good experience and we hope this place does well.
(4)Sean R.
Food was decent. Beef ribs were a little chewy but not tough. Sliced brisket was a touch on the bland side but their (presumably house-made) sauces added a nice kick. But Sweet Holy Jesus is this place expensive. 25 bucks for a few slices of brisket and four ribs?? For that kind of dough I expected something closer to a Fred Flintstone slab.
(3)Kitty R.
I really, really wanted to love Ravenswood Q. We were longtime patrons of NN Smokehouse and excited to have the new restaurant in our neighborhood. If I could give 2.5 stars, that's where I would have settled. On the plus side, the buffalo chicken egg rolls were interesting and tasty. The pulled pork sandwich had a nice, smoky flavor - but could have used more sauce (we did carry out and were given only 2 miniature cups of sauce). Also enjoyed the hush puppies and the sweet potato fries. Portions were generous, too. The negative - the brisket was so terrible that my husband refused to eat more than a third of it. It was dry and tasteless. With time, I'm sure they'll get their act together. But for now, we aren't going to rush to return.
(3)Burton D.
Do not get the brisket. It is dry and cannot be rescued by any of the sauces. In addition, do not get the brisket. Or the brisket. Now, with that out of the way, this is not a top BBQ place, but it's pretty good. The hushpuppies are served with honey butter, which is fine but they are better with BBQ sauce in my view. The cornbread, OTOH, comes without honey butter, and would benefit from it - so ask for it. The sweet potato fries are as good as any I've had. The mac & cheese struck me as nothing special. I really liked the buffalo egg rolls. Very tasty. The pulled pork sandwich did not seem to me to really involve pulled pork, although it was pleasant enough. The baby back ribs were quite good, both with & without the sauce. The service was attentive and the general experience was positive. The place is BYO, and as I walked in with my bottle, I was asked "red or white?" and the server brought the proper glasses to the table. I'd be happy to eat here again.
(4)Mark L.
I just finished half of my BBQ rib dinner from Ravenswood Q. I only ate half, because it was practically inedible. The pork was very tough, and the dry rub was too thickly layered on. I enjoy a good rub, but this one was extremely salty and overpowering, not to mention spicy as hell. It tasted like paprika was on sale somewhere and they loaded up the RQ shopping cart.....Most dry rubs are neutral, and let you dial up the heat by using sauce. These ribs were terrible. Very strange, since the only other time we had theirs, they were pretty decent. I don't know what happened in the meantime, but I'm going to go back to another Q house for my rib fix. Sorry Ravenswood, I hoped you would be good cuz you're close to our house. But close doesn't cut it here. Also, they messed up our order by putting the wrong sides in the order and skipped one altogether. Bye bye RQ, hope you get better.....
(1)Nick S.
Had takeout from here before ribs and brisket were good. Ate there tonight and disappointed with fatty brisket, whole place had the feel of inexperienced owners. Just an opinion! Servers not really well trained and condiments in boxes they were shipped in. You. Couldsee the kitchen but I did not want to look. I would give them another shot on the ribs however. If you actually get the coleslaw through grub hub ( we did not) I would be surprised as we did not get it in the restaurant either.... Irony .... Yes
(3)Gary F.
Very convenient at L stop. First impression when walking in the door that its a small bar scene until you are escorted into the main dining room. The dining room is large and very well appointed with hand painted drawings on wood on the bare brick wall. Maroon cloth napkins match the décor. Although the place wasn't busy (4PM) service was excellent and friendly. The ribs/brisket combo was brought to my table quickly. The ribs were very good. The 3 sauces were fine but these ribs need no sauce whatever. The brisket looked a bit dry but wasn't. The collard greens were super tasty and a decent portion. The beans were cooked well, slightly al dente and not mushy as some can be. Cornbread has a nice crunch top and bread is moist. There was no way I could fit dessert, too bad as they sounded wonderful. Good excuse to go back!
(4)Suzanne M.
My boyfriend and I went to Ravenswood Q for the first time last night (Friday) because we live in the area and had a Groupon. After reading mixed reviews on here, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I have to say that we thought it was really good. The service was great. We didn't have to wait long for a table, our server was attentive and made helpful suggestions, and our food came out quickly. Especially for a Friday night. The prices were also quite reasonable. The food was good and we were surprised by how generous the portions were. I had the cheeseburger. It wasn't amazing, but it was good, and it was pretty big (a half pound, I believe). It came with coleslaw and one side. I chose the hush puppies. I would have expected a few small hush puppies, but we got a separate basket of 6 golf-ball sized hush puppies with a side of honey butter. They were tasty, and my boyfriend loved the honey butter. He got the rib sandwich, which he said was really good. He also enjoyed the choice of 3 bbq sauces that are on every table. He chose the fries for his side, which were more of a seasoned fry, and we really liked them. We also ordered an extra side of mac & cheese, and we liked that as well. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience at Ravenswood Q. We liked the food, and there are a few more things on the menu that we'll probably be back to try. Also, we really appreciated the amount of food you get for the money.
(4)Keith O.
The food is really good. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were one of the best I've had. I do have two issues which are totally correctable with good management. #1 Decorate somehow, I believe they have same paint and decorations from the Cuban place that had good food , and didn't make it. #2 Assume anyone that comes in for lunch may be on 30 minute window, I was 15 minutes late back from lunch because check was 15 minutes late. Bring the check shortly after the food at lunch , or I can't eat at your restaurant at lunch on any sort of regular basis. BBQ is a quick & dirty experience normally not fine dining. If those two things change this could be a 5, food is good.
(3)Michelle M.
I really liked this place! I had the brisket, it was a little fatty, but good. My BF had the half chicken and he liked it. The best part was the sides. The hush puppies were delicious. The corn bread was great. I tried the BF's mac and cheese and it was good too. The portions were huge and the prices were good. Plus it is BYOB, for now at least.
(4)Shaun C.
Great BBQ sauce, but the pulled pork was very dry. Good atmosphere, and a new place. Hopefully quality will pick up a bit!
(3)Seven N.
First of all, if you can't make good ribs, don't open a rib joint! We had the dinner with ribs, chicken & brisket. It included 2 sides. The fries? Yummy! The mac 'n cheese? Very good. Brisket was ok but a bit fatty. The chicken was good but not tender enough for my taste. The ribs however were terrible. They were tough, very dry with barely any meat on them. The bones were wide (never seen that before) and next to no meat. The smokey flavor wasn't bad, it's just that they were sooo dry. The amount of food that comes on that dinner plate was also not worth $25. A few thinly sliced strips of brisket, a 1/4 piece of chicken and a piece of rib that had a total of a tablespoon of meat on it! NEVER AGAIN! As far as the service goes, our waitress was polite. When we first walked in, there was a woman on her cell phone who turned out to be the hostess. She looked at us, asked us how many?- then sat us. She sat on her phone the entire time we were there which was another thing. It took nearly an hour to get our food and there were only 8 people there including us two. Don't bother with this place. There are way better BBQ places in the city.
(2)Star F.
A++ great service and great food. Pulled pork was scrumptious and the BBQ sauces on the table were a huge hit among our group.
(5)Dan N.
This place gets two stars because (1) they forgot one of my sides, (2) the mashed potatoes were truly terrible (yes, I too was surprised that's even possible), and (3) the hostess/manager was rude to the staff and made me uncomfortable. Perhaps this place will turn around, but, for now, two stars is all I can give it. I ordered the BBQ pulled pork to go tonight. After waiting 10-15 minutes for my order, I got home and discovered that they forgot to include the cole slaw. Annoying, but I'll live. I was disappointed again though when I saw the mashed potatoes. They had the consistency of kneaded bread dough. The potatoes were overly oily and were sort of gelatinous. If a place manages to screw up something as easy as mashed potatoes or french fries, their Yelp rating is going to take a hit. Instant potatoes out of a box are literally twice as fluffy, and taste way better. I have no idea how they made their potatoes like this, but they should fix this or good luck! As for the BBQ, the pulled pork was good. I really enjoyed the sauce. I would certainly go back to have it again had it not been for the above, and the fact that while I was waiting for my order, the hostess (who apparently is also manager?) was very rude and bossy to the person who took my order. She sort of berated this employee in front of me which was uncomfortable.
(2)Tiffany G.
Maybe it was the complimentary tortilla soup on an EXTREMELY cold, winter night in Chicago, or maybe it was the Prime Rib sandwich that melted in my mouth (it was the special...I've been dreaming of it since. I would give anything for them to make it permanent!!). But I credit the 5 stars to the fact that my dinner party of 5 ordered enough food to fill our entire table (and then some), and ate every last bit of it. We just couldn't stop ourselves. The prime rib sandwich was definitely the highlight, and favorite at our table. It was just so tasty and tender. I had the same reaction to this, as I always do with Au Cheval's burger (I dream about that burger, and now this sandwich). OK, enough with the prime rib sammie...the other favorite items we ordered were the trio of sliders (nice option to trial before deciding entree), the pulled chicken sandwich, the brisket sandwich, the mashed potatoes, hush puppies, the seasoned fries (and the sweet potato fries for that matter), and the baby back ribs. We also enjoyed the mac and cheese, that complimentary tortilla soup, the St. Louis sauce and the House sauce (the Carolina sauce also received thumbs up). Great location, right off the Irving Park brown line stop. Stop in and get your meat fix!
(5)John S.
Normally I would not write a review for a restaurant that is clearly on its last legs, but it was so awful that others need to warned. We went there an a thursday night at 7. The first clue should have been that there was't a single person in the restaurant and none would come in later even for carry out. We were clearly the only customers they had all night. We came because of a groupon, so the only customer for the whole night was on a groupon. But we decided to give it a try.. What a mistake!! My wife order beef ribs and hush puppies. The beef ribs were unedible tough all fat and gristle just so disgusting that I had to send them back. The hush puppies were raw and had to be sent back also. I ordered the brisket and babybacks. The babybacks were ok but was still disgusted from looking at my wifes raw runny hush puppies and gristle ribs. My brisket some how managed to be as dry as cardboard and mostly fat like it was sitting under a heat lamp for hours.I would be amazed if this restaurant lasts the month.
(1)J M.
Very disappointed ! Seems like a lot of inexperience . Went on a Monday eve , only 4 tables filled . Very blah atmosphere . Ribs and meat in rib sandwich very tasty . Rib sandwich was supposed to be topped with crispy onion strings , they were soggy breaded onions . Coleslaw tasteless. Small house salad served in a warm bowl ! Staff very nice but the place is just missing the mark
(2)Emily L.
The food was alright but the service was absolutely awful. It took twenty minutes to even get someone to take a drink order. The dishes were dirty and the waitstaff seemed rushed. I won't be returning.
(1)Kevin S.
service was fine, the waitress was nice; food...meh; price not even close to what it is. sit down restaurant prices with uninspired flavor. you are new, you are a neighbor, for th reason only i will try another day.
(2)Amanda B.
Gross. I've eaten here twice and both times, I left feeling this wave of sickness. The food isn't bad going down, but you will regret it a few minutes later. The brisket is really fatty and the prices are way too high. Also, the service is terrible. Unless you have 2 hours to kill, this is not an ideal lunch place.
(1)C S.
Love the red pepper soup and hush puppies. Service was fabulous, our server Danny was professional, fun and knew the menu very well. Will go back again and again.
(4)Brian R.
OK, truth time. I'm giving this place a 5 star review only based on the fact that so many other people have rated it poorly and it has a 3 star rating, while the nearby "Smokin Woodys" has a 3.5 star rating. Everything was alright. Brisket was sliced too thin and a little tough, but it had a great smokey flavor. The babyback ribs were on point. The pulled pork was alright too. Nothing blew me away, but if you want to get some decent bbq in this neighborhood, this, or Smalls BBQ would be your 2 choices.
(5)Stefanie H.
Brisket sliced like lunch meat. Ribs are pretty good, but dry. The Mac n cheese is basically buttered noodles mixed with Parmesan cheese and topped will melted cheddar. Not terrible, but I'm glad I had a groupon.
(3)christine a.
It's no Fat Willy's, but.... Had a pretty good lunch today. Pulled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. The chicken was lightly smoked, moist and a good enough sized serving for lunch. The sweet fries were the best I've had in a long time. Super crispy on the outside and perfectly done on the inside. They looked house made. Husband had burger and regular fries. He said it was tasty. Service was pleasant. They have 3 different sauces, sweet, vinegar spicy and vinegar. My suggestion, serve a little free slaw on the side. $3 for side of slaw is too much when the sandwich and fries is $9.95. The environment is fine, don't know what others are crabbing about. It's Cafe 28 minus artwork. One small minus. The music was good, Ray Charles vibe, then the owner? turned it off to watch tv in the bar area. Customers make a connection through the environment you present. Staff sitting around doing nothing, watching tv doesn't add anything. Watch tv at home. Despite that little personal pet peeve, we'll probably be back to try other offerings because we live close.
(4)JJ H.
I'm really sorry to write a bad review but this place not even get 1 star. The food was bad but the service even worst. The waiter didn't know what on the menu but when he asked the owner a question and he was very route to the waiter. I said the waiter job should know all the answer. I will NEVER come back this place again.
(1)Marlo D.
I am all about giving new places in Chicago a chance. Places come and go around here so fast. I appreciate this joint. Right off the train. Currently BYOB. Mac and cheese and barbecue. Can't go wrong!! Good work Q.
(4)A W.
This place is AMAZING!!! the service was friendly and super fast, and it is byob (for now i believe). There was a group of us so we were able to try many different things. The pulled pork was absolutely perfect-3 of us got it and there wasn't a single scrap left by the end of the meal. The sliders are amazing for tasting the variety of the meats but was also big enough to be a meal on its own. We also tried the spare ribs and will definitely be getting them again-so juicy and perfectly seasoned! The sides are both filling and absolutely delicious. The mac n cheese was so cheesy and amazing, and the cole slaw was the perfect balance to all of the main dishes. On top of all the amazing food, each table has 4 different bbq sauce options that i can honestly say are some of the best I have tried in a long time. The house bbq sauce is particularly amazing! The portions are very generous for the price as well- we left completely stuffed and not feeling like we had to spend a fortune. All in all, I highly recommend Ravenswood Q- I will definitely be back soon!
(5)Ninah R.
Went here because they had a Groupon, The layout of the restaurant is kinda odd. Its separated into two rooms and you can pretty much see straight into the kitchen. My biggest disappointment with this place was that as soon as I walked in, the smell of cheap cleaning supplies overpowered any food smell. Ah...kinda gross. The food wasn't terrible and with the groupon and an appetizer special from the restaurant, we only paid about $13 for two. But I've made a better turkey burger at home. The mac and cheese was over-buttered noodles with cheese sprinkled on top with no seasoning. We were only one of two tables and service was super slow (not the waitresses fault, I could tell she was trying), only one guy in the kitchen and two other random people just sitting around eating, watching tv and micro-managing (the owner probably and a hostess, I guess--really? a hostess when there is no one there?). Wont go back
(2)Rollie H.
I live in the neighborhood, so was excited to see someone occupy the old Cafe 28 space, and BBQ on top of it. I was pretty disappointed. First off, the website should indicate it is BYOB, thinking it was Cafe 28 and maybe they bought the liquor license, I expected a bar and cocktails. So off we go across the street to a very cosmic liquor store, but that's another story. It was very cold inside the restaurant. Everyone at the other tables had coats, scarves and/or gloves on. It smelled very smoky, like the ventilation was not what it should be. And what happened to the other room when Cafe 28 was there? The lighting is awful, most of them blinking. The decor is dreadful. And those bare large glass windows may be fine in Summer, but not now. The people running the place are very nice. The food, well. The 1/4 chicken is a tiny thigh and tiny drumstick. The hush puppies aren't anything like real hush puppies, but I guess it's what you expect up north. Get the hush puppies at Brown's chicken, those are very close to real. And as others have said, food was almost cold. My partner's brisket was not brisket, but fat roast beef, and it was very fatty and sliced too thick. Should have gotten the pulled brisket, maybe that would have worked better. The topper was when the waiter came to our table when we were finished and asked us to repeat our order. He had never written it down. Oh, and the quesadilla appetizer, you can add chicken for $1.00, but the waiter said it was a chicken quesadilla. But when we got the bill, the dollar was added to the quesadilla. It matters not, but they need to agree on what it's gonna be, with or without chicken. The woman at the table next to ours said, "Did he just ask you to repeat your order?" We, regretfully had to concur, and regretfully, will probably not be back, sigh. How anyone can give this place five stars boggles my mind.
(2)r a.
used Groupon on sat night at 615 to try this place,order of wings two pulled pork and a beef brisket sandwich . wings juicy added sauce from selection at table, pulled pork good, beef brisket not fatty or stringie, some might say the beef was on the dry side i did not think so , i prefer to add ammount and type of sauce myself . i don't care for places that drown food in sauce to where you can't taste the meat. the fries were seasoned and crisp. we will go back. service was good pop and water glasses refilled without us having to ask waitress.
(4)Carmen G.
I have been to this place a few times now and have ordered the Brisket, cornbread, macaroni & cheese as well as their Turkey Burger. I have to say that the Turkey Burger is delicious!!! The cornbread could be a little sweeter, but than again not everyone makes cornbread the same. I enjoyed their brisket but didn't like the fact that they were whole slices. The Mac & Cheese was very good. They also have great drink specials. Enjoy.
(3)Eryn G.
Grubhub messed up our order and never placed it. We called Ravenswood Q and they completely took care of us and delivered quickly. The wings and mac n cheese was delish!
(5)Geoff M.
Had a craving for barbeque and this happened to be the closest spot. Being a native Kansas Citian, I am admittedly a barbeque snob and this is the sort of place that passes for barbeque outside of well known barbeque regions such as KC, Texas, Memphis and the Carolinas. Just not that great, Famous Dave's is better than this place. I had the pulled pork which was already mixed with sauce, which in my mind immediately raises questions about the quality of the meat...barbeque sauce can be amazing, but the meat should always be able to stand on its own merits right out of the smoker. Plus they offer two sauces on the table, so which am I supposed to choose when they'd already doused it before it reached the table. The cole slaw was bland and devoid of any flavor. Service was nice, no complaint there. Atmosphere was good too, with a great blues soundtrack going on overhead. Regardless, any bbq is better than no bbq, but I'll be looking elsewhere the next time my craving hits.
(2)Jacob J.
Solid 2.5 stars. I cannot see myself coming back. We came because of a Groupon offer that was expiring. I really have to check reviews before buying Groupons or any other offer for that matter. The barbecue and other items we ordered were disappointing. I'm not sure what's going on here. Is it old food or poor preparation? None of it tasted fresh. Let's run through our dining menu. P.s., when using an offer or Groupon, I always spend a percentage more. For instance, on a $20 dollar offer, I may choose to spend $20 - $30 more as a kind of "thank you" for offering a meal deal. (I've often heard that Grouponers can be "cheap ass customers") I digress. Back to my menu. The smoked wings were decent. The brisket egg rolls were terrible, the stuffing tasted off and I couldn't tell whether it was made that day or some other time. The pulled pork sandwich was all sauce, I hate it when meat is grossly, doused in sauce. Any appreciation for the meat flies out of the window. Got a combination platter consisting of the ribs and brisket. ... ..... ..... Not a fan. Their bbq sauce is tasty as was their cornbread. Our waiter that night was a rockstar but she was the only person waiting tables. So, drink orders and food, dragged. Also, other reviewers mention a "sewer smell." That shit is repugnant to put it lightly. It is an off-putting odor that exists mainly around the dining area. Our waiter insisted that it's not related to their restaurant but something affecting the whole area. (I walked down the street and into other businesses and didn't smell that funky odor. They have to have some sewer problem they aren't treating properly. Heck, run ventilation fans all the time. Customers should not be enveloped in a stinky odor while trying to eat food.) Something off-putting that we noticed; full slabs of ribs swimming in their sink. A quick method to defrosting slabs of ribs; is to do so by water bath. But, any good website or cookbook will tell you to cover the meats in a zip tight bag throughout the water bath process. We wondered whether the sink gets cleaned before and after each water bath since the meat is wafting in water. Also, are they changing out the water every 30 minutes like the directions call for?
(3)Malek G.
Family owned place with Great food! Everything I have tried here has been really good! Mac and cheese and greens are very good. The brisket is awesome! The wings are Unique and soo good! They also have a great happy hour deal!
(5)Ron T.
I wanted to like this place. We live near another nearby BBQ place in the area, but were hoping for another option for some variety. Sadly this is not that place. Usually the issue is something frustrating like bad service or carelessness. The issue here is the food....It just wasn't good! There were a couple of good things, but they are outweighed by the bad. Good: French Onion Soup, great flavor . Hush puppies, crunchy exterior soft inside, good flavor. The not so good: This is a BBQ place, so I expected the proteins to be pretty good, since this is "what they do". That just is not true. The ribs were tough, almost like the membrane was not pulled off. They were essentially inedible. The brisket was absurdly fatty and chewy as well. I ended up leaving a pretty large pile of partially chewed fat on a side plate. It was actually disgusting. The mac and cheese was bland as could be. We had to add BBQ sauce to it just to give it some flavor and the coleslaw was pretty much just cabbage. Again, it was bland and tasteless. All in all, the meal was disappointing and unenjoyable and there isn't much more I can say about it. As for the place itself, I hope that they will eventually invest is some decor. It is super plain and not inviting or comfortable. I will say the server we had was sweet and attentive. It looks like they are trying, I just can't overcome bad food and I am really sorry to say that. We will stick to the other nearby BBQ place on Lincoln, it is MUCH better.
(2)Casey B.
I'll start by acknowledging that the BBQ bar is pretty high with other Northside gems like Smoque, Pork Shoppe, and Fat Willy's. Plus Ravenswood Q opened recently so they may just need to work out some kinks. Service was a 4- very nice staff and my sandwich (to go) came up quickly. Food was a 2 unfortunately. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it had almost no sauce- a tablespoon maybe- so I had to go to the fridge for an old bottle of Sweet Baby Rays. The pork had decent flavor but a somewhat dry, gummy texture. At $9.99 for the sandwich and side ($2 more than both Porke Shoppe and Fat Willy's) Ravenswood Q really needs to step it up. The neighborhood shouldn't justify that much of a price difference.
(3)magic g.
Great food, great service. I'm not sure what the other reviewers are talking about. It's BYOB (there's a bit pricey liquor store across the street). ATt: manager. The name is a bit unfortunate from the search point of view. Neither google nor yelp finds "RavenswoodQ", they only do under "BBQ"
(4)John A.
I've had the food from Ravenswood Q twice. Good size portions, good flavor, I like it. I read the reviews on here and I think that some of the reviewers are a bit rough on this place. They haven't been open that long and they're trying to perfect the place. The people are nice, the service is great, and the food is good. I'm sure when they first opened, the service wasn't perfect...c'mon folks, give these guys a break. I noticed that the 3 chefs were eating at the bar watching a movie. They were eating what looked like pulled pork on tortillas. It gave me an idea: I would recommend having brisket, pulled pork, or possibly chicken tacos on the menu. Keep up the good work.
(4)Daniel G.
Decided to try a new BBQ place. I had the rib and beef brisket combo with a side of corn bread and French fries. The reason my review is so low is mostly because of the corn bread, it tasted off somehow, I could not eat more than a third of the bread. I felt like I could taste the milk used in the corn bread and it did not taste good, I think it had gone bad to be perfectly honest. I also have a complaint about the lack of signage on the sauces that are on the table, I just did not know what was what. The fries where decent, slightly seasoned but maybe a little more salty than I am used to, they seemed like store bought and not fresh cut fries but they where crispy which is a big plus, (advice to any restaurant that decides to use fresh cut fries, always blanch them so they do not taste saturated and disgusting). Now onto the main course. The brisket was a bit flavorless. But, that is not necessarily a bad thing, it seemed low on sodium and with the right sauces it is pretty epic. I would love to eat it with some steak sauce but they did not have any, my alternative would have been balsamic vinegar but before I asked I tried the three sauces on the table. I found one which I later learned from the waitress was a mustard and vinegar sauce that gave the brisket a very nice flavor, it was not overpowering that you could not tell it was beef, and not so weak that you not sense the flavor. The BBQ ribs, I consider myself a strict person on BBQ ribs, I always attempt to try them in any restaurant I go to so tend to have a high bar. The ribs where not fall of the bone, but they where unique. I've been getting tired if going to restaurants and ordering BBQ ribs which where nothing more than simple ribs smothered in BBQ sauce, that is not BBQ, there is a process of cooking that makes it a BBQ dish. While the ribs where not fall of the bone, they where indeed BBQ ribs. First of all, they where not smothered in sauce, you could tell the ribs where cooked with the sauce how they should be, the meat was very flavorful and I could sense the snap of fresh crushed pepper which gave it a pretty epic taste. One of the sauces on the table which did not have any signage went real great with the ribs. You do not need to add a lot and the sauce had a thick but also slightly spicy flavor that complemented the ribs perfectly. I don't like my ribs smothered so I thought this was nice, to have the control over how much sauce to add. I ended up enjoying that the ribs where not fall of the bone and cherished the parts that where a bit crispy, which I was not expecting. I will probably go back to this place just for the ribs, they where great. This would have been a 5 star review had it not been for the unoriginal fries which I would deduct half a star and the awful corn bread which I would deduce 1.5-2 stars. Avoid the cornbread for now and try the ribs for something different, would be my advice.
(3)Naomi S.
The man was craving some BBQ so we bundled in our boots and coats and braved the winter weather. Q was pretty empty, we were sat immediately. Plain furnishings, but appeared cleaned. Our waitress, Hannah, was great! Very friendly and informative. We got tiny soup samples. Try the roasted red pepper!! Mmmm. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. The house BBQ sauce was good, but the pork was dry and chewy. :/ Hence the 3 stars instead of 4. Fries were good, I like the seasoning, but they were a little limp.
(3)Brian W.
This place is a nice BBQ joint in the old Cafe 28 spot. Four of us went for lunch were among some of the first patrons there. Service: The staff was extremely nice and attentive. While it's obvious that they're still trying to get into the flow of the place we didn't have any problems with service. Everyone had smiles on and thanked us on the way out too. Environment: The space was overall was decent. It's nice inside but I didn't get a ton of character from the decor. You do get hit with a great smoky smell when walking in. We were seated close to the window and there was a lot of cold air coming off it, in retrospect we should have asked to move. Food: I ordered the Pulled Pork sandwich; for lunch it comes with some fries and a drink at a reasonable price. My pork was a little on the dry side and didn't really come through with a ton of flavor. The bun was pretty good and had a slight sweetness to it and a good toasting. We had all wished they had made the fries in house, as they were a little plain. My coworkers had the slider trio and a pulled chicken sandwich. Those went over pretty well with them, the brisket apparently being the winner. They have three sauces at the table, a house, Carolina, and St. Louis one. The house sauce is good but doesn't stand out much on it's own. The Carolina is intensely vinegary and I found it a but overpowering but tasty. The definite winner for all of us was the St. Louis sauce that had a great balance to it. It was mentioned that they don't have ribs on the lunch menu, only dinner. They're trying to see if there is a demand that would warrant putting it on. My coworker and myself are totally behind adding it. Overall: I'll come back here again and expect that they'll probably work out some minor kinks that any new space has to overcome soon. I'd recommend checking it out if you're in the area. Three stars with the expectation of upgrading it with future visits and checking out the ribs at dinner.
(3)Jon K.
Ive been here twice. First time I got the rib sandwich; second time pulled pork. Both platters were fabulous! It's reasonably priced and my server both times was polite and helpful. Try the cornbread!
(5)Tyler C.
I'm pretty much always craving BBQ so when I heard about this place opening up nearby, I figured I better try it out. After braving the wintry weather, my girlfriend and I were greeted and sat quickly. There were a couple patrons at the bar and a mid-sized group a couple tables from us, but other than that, the place was empty on a Saturday at lunch time. Service was solid, no complaints there. I'm a sucker for brisket so I ordered the brisket sandwich. It arrived in a timely manner and was delicious. Another slice or two of beef on the sandwich would have made it perfect, but I still got stuffed between the sandwich and fries. Bonus points for the 2 soup samples that were brought out for us to try while we were waiting. As others have mentioned, there are 3 BBQ sauces to choose from: a St. Louis, a Carolina, and a house specialty (somewhat similar to the St. Louis). The waitress informed us that they just revamped the house recipe despite them only being open for a short while. Maybe they haven't hit their groove or perhaps continuous sauce experimentation is part of their game plan. I'm still searching for a go-to BBQ place in Chicago but I'll more than likely make another trip to Ravenswood Q sometime in the future.
(4)Eric R.
Just had lunch there today around 1:30 pm. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were great. The waitress behind the bar is friendly and the food was great. I will definitely come back for dinner some time!
(5)Maura F.
The barbecue is average, the place looks like an unfinished basement, and as frequent restaurant patrons, my fiancé and I hear terrible story after terrible story about what a jerk the owner is. We give it until October- optimistically.
(1)C L.
The brisket sandwich was really bad. It should be sold as "fatty roast beef sandwich". They might have other good things here, but the brisket sandwich was not good and it was extremely expensive. I recommend going to Wrigley BBQ if you're looking for real (at least for Chicago) BBQ food. Otherwise, try Texas. This stuff is not what you're looking for.
(1)Betsy P.
Quite possibly the worst BBQ I've ever had. The only thing edible from the combo platter was the chicken. The brisket was fatty and tough; the burned, dry, brontosaurus ribs should only be served on top of the Flintstone-mobile. Sides of Mac and cheese, greens, and baked beans were mediocre to bad. On a brighter note, the house-made sauce is pretty good; the other two not-so-much.
(1)Cj J.
This place is okay. I have tried to like it but its disappointing every time. I've tried the Beef Brisket which had a lot of fat on it. The food was cold when it was delivered to me and I only live a few blocks away. The Mac and cheese was dry the last time I had it, which is surprising because it has received a lot of good reviews. The sad thing is there are many of BBQ places and this place might not last unless they do a bit better.
(2)Shannon J.
I've ordered threw grub hub a few times from here and it's always been great. Tonight my boyfriend went in and ordered the food to go, well that was a mistake. He got a burger well done, a salad, and a brisket. Took 45 minutes and the burger was bleeding. Maybe step up your actual customer service and stop worrying about grub hub so much
(3)Fred P.
Brisket sandwich was REALLY fatty and was that bottled sauce? Cole slaw just ok. Overall, not worth the price.
(2)Steven G.
In the crowded field of BBQ in chicago, this quite spot is dead on w the smoker. Pulled pork, the burger, brisket,smoked chicken were all enjoyed w a true Americana trio of sauces. Thanks Matt and Andre
(4)Trice T.
Came here with a friend to share a combo platter and fell in love with their Q... and the sides are the epitome of comfort food and yumminess. .. Their hush puppies are too die for. .. Now I'm trying them for carryout and the smell is heavenly in my car. .. Great also to know now that they've partnered with grub hub... here's crossing fingers they deliver in my area :)
(4)Kozby K.
Bad...bad....bad, bad, bad! The sides were bland, the meat was undercooked and cut the wrong way making it tough and stringy and the ambiance was unwelcoming with loud music and cold surroundings. When we brought the problems with our meal to the manager's attention, we were basically told that other people love it so it just must be our problem. Judging by the lack of many diners on a Sunday evening, I'm thinking that isn't the case. The one plus was our waitress was friendly. Never going back!
(1)Kevin K.
At first I was going to give this place 2 stars as I liked our server and thought she did a decent job. Then after giving it a second thought there is no way that I could give Ravenswood Q more than one star as most of the meat here was inedible. I got the brisket which was so fatty and chewy that I was only able to eat the bun. My partner had a combination plate and didn't finish a thing. The hush puppies were ok, but I can go across the street to Snappy's and have better. I wanted to like this place, I really did. But with so many great bbq places in the city these days, I can say that I will never be back. Both Smalls and Smoque are a short drive west on Irving and offer much better (edible) bbq.
(1)Miranda B.
Meh. Food? It was Ok. My pulled pork was actually crispy? My husband liked it but I thought it was kind of weird. My husband had the brisket which was pretty good. Everything looked really sad coming out on the "vintage-ish" plates. Absolutely no sides, no garnish, nothing on the plate. Just a lonely sandwich on my big ol' plate and a pile of brisket on my hubby's. Our server was good - He refilled our drinks like a million times. Though - considering we were the only people in the place on a Saturday afternoon - we didn't have much competition for his attention. What wasn't even OK was the decor/cleanliness. We walked in on a Sat. afternoon and it seemed like the whole staff was sitting in the bar area watching a game on tv. That's fine. There was no one in the restaurant to wait on. BUT - the floors were filthy. Dirty and covered in food. French fries, used napkins, etc. on the floor under a bunch of the tables. No one watching the game could be bothered to sweep or mop? Kind of grossed me out. and the Decor? what decor? some random IKEA frames/pictures hung crookedly on the wall - the before mentioned "vintage"-looking plates were chipped and didn't look too clean. Maybe I'm just comparing it to Smoque (its not even close!) and that's why I wasn't thrilled by this place. But IMHO - no decor, just ok food, filthy floor? Don't think I'll be back.
(2)MARISOL P.
Ugh, my brisket and mashed potatoes were cold. It took a while for the waitress to come around. Eventually I did get a nice plate of hot food.
(2)Oscar L.
I hate writing bad reviews, but this place has mediocre food. Nothing special. Cold food. Dirty dishes. Not too long til this place closes down. I asked fir something and was waiting because a manager was being very rude.
(1)Cindy B.
The mark of a good restaurant is not necessarily its size, but the quality of its food and the generosity of its staff. Along that line, some of the finest dining experiences I've had throughout my life have been in the small diners and dives scattered throughout the city of Chicago, RAVENSWOOD Q is not among these gems. I only noticed two other customers. Since it was dinnertime on a Thursday evening, this should have been my second warning signal, but I still continued on in my culinary adventure. I told my waitress several times I have a Groupon Fifteen minutes after we sat down, our waitress finally arrived to take our order. we began with an "Appetizers BBQ Chicken flatbread,Brisket & Rib Combo Platter and 1/2 BBQ Chicken platter" After another 25 minutes passed, our appetizer had arrived I had already begun to expect as much, especially considering the fact that, in the 40 minutes I had been there thus far, the only other customers I had spotted were the original two patrons I saw when I first came. I decided to give the hasty waiter one final chance to redeem herself to by asking her about what exactly Groupon special I will take the blame for my disappointment at its ordinariness, though, seeing as how I did not inquire about the restriction. What I will not take the blame for, however, is the fact that the food ,services and staff was Unfortunately, the sub-standard quality in your restaurant really dampened our spirits. To the staff's attitude and lack of communication which have spoiled the evening. The dinner started off in a very disappointing way when we were served some tasteless lukewarm and The Main Course tasted equally bad. We decide enough is enough, we was ready to checkout well RAVENSWOOD Q did not honor Groupon We were VERY VERY disappointed and complain to the manager at once. But the manger seemed ignorant about the whole episode and called the POLICE,REALLY. To our astonishment the manager nor his staff apology to us.
(1)Carrie M.
Went for lunch on a groupon.....thank God. We ordered rib brisket combo and ceasar salad. When the meats came out the brisket was cool to luke warm. When I think of brisket I think of a thick piece of tender juicybeef. This was 4 really thin slices. We are talking like almost shaved...and then cool. The 4 baby backs were meaty and good. 3 different sauces....ice cold from fridge. Waiter forgot ceasar so when it came after we were finished, he compted it. Won't be back.
(2)M G.
Went with a group of 6 and had a negative experience. While I understand they have been open only a week there is no excuse for being served cold and fatty food. When we vocalized our dissatisfaction the manager was a bit reluctant. The management should have gone out of their way to comp our bill or to find a way to leave us with a good feeling. We will not be returning which is a shame because I like to support local businesses. They were also out of hush puppies which is crazy since it's on their menu and they have only been open a week.
(1)Gold B.
If you're looking for delicious barbecue, this place is the REAL DEAL! Absolutely delicious! Meats smoked to perfection, house sauce is to kill for! Restaurant is renovated and very clean. Everything is tasty, and the portions are huge. Found this spot on Groupon. Wish I had found it sooner!!!! Will definitely be back again and again!
(5)elizabeth s.
I hope this place just needs more time... My husband and I took our son there last weekend and had wonderful service. The food was not great. Not good even. We had the buffalo chicken rolls to start and they were OK but could have used maybe some blue cheese in the roll? I had a chicken sandwich which was rubbery and the fries were a little bland. My husband had a cold pulled pork sandwich. Even my 3 year old woudnt eat his mac and cheese. Again, the service was great and I hope that the food gets better with time!
(2)Stephanie C.
For the food itself, I would give Ravenswood Q more stars--3 or 4--because it was pretty tasty. I had the pulled chicken sandwich and I enjoyed trying all 3 of the offered BBQ sauces (all good, the Carolina was my favorite). And the sides were awesome, I would highly recommend the mashed potatoes. They're cheesy with green onions mixed in. The sweet potato fries and hush puppies were really good, too. And very reasonably priced! You get a lot for your money with the sandwiches. I also did not experience any of the issues other reviewers have mentioned with the wait-staff, everyone was friendly and helpful enough. The reason I'm only giving 2 stars is that the dining experience was noisy to the point of being stressful and uncomfortable. We were there on a Friday night around 7, so I expected it to be busy, but it was SO LOUD. SO LOUD! We ate and left as quickly as we could, and ended up having a quieter experience in a very crowded bar. And it doesn't make sense... The restaurant isn't cramped, there were a lot of kids that evening but I didn't hear any temper tantrums--I think everything echoes too much. People were just talking/clinking silverware, but it sounds like a roar, you can hear everything except the person right across the table from you. I think all they need to do is put something on the walls to absorb the sound (right now it's very bare) or whatever else other restaurants do to avoid this problem. Until then, I'd love to go back for take out, but I just can't handle the volume. EDIT: Our waitress said they are working on getting their liquor license, but for now it is BYOB.
(2)Chris A.
Oh my goodness the food is GOOD!!! I ordered the 1/2 bbq chicken with mashed potatoes and cornbread. Oh my the food is so good. I definitely recommend this place. I will be here again .
(5)Jodi M.
First dining experience here and it will not be repeated. We had a party of 6 and we were all disappointed. Every dish except the collard greens was cold; meat was extremely tough; sides were not particularly good either. We fairly discussed the situation with the waiter and then to the manager. While we were offered a sandwich and a side to "make things better", there wasn't any other effort to rectify the situation. The bill came and while 3 of the main dinners were inedible, we were fully charged. Really??? After an escalation to the manager, how could any inkling of a percentage not be proactively taken off the bill? It wasn't until one of us stepped aside with the manager to further discuss that 2 items were comp'd. Unbelievable. Food: poor Service: poor Recommend: absolutely not Honestly - we understood it was opening week and there was AMPLE opportunity to make this situation right... every opportunity and yet it was not taken. Believe me, THAT would have made the difference. Own it, take responsibility and put your client first.
(1)Charles R.
My fiance and I ate here late on a Friday night and were the only ones in the restaurant. Our server was extremely friendly and helpful, and we ordered quite a bit of food. It's not the best barbeque I've ever had, but it was good for someplace in my neighborhood. I liked that the meat was unadorned so I could add my choice of different sauces to it, and the sides and appetizer were quite good. All in all, we had a good experience and we hope this place does well.
(4)Sean R.
Food was decent. Beef ribs were a little chewy but not tough. Sliced brisket was a touch on the bland side but their (presumably house-made) sauces added a nice kick. But Sweet Holy Jesus is this place expensive. 25 bucks for a few slices of brisket and four ribs?? For that kind of dough I expected something closer to a Fred Flintstone slab.
(3)Kitty R.
I really, really wanted to love Ravenswood Q. We were longtime patrons of NN Smokehouse and excited to have the new restaurant in our neighborhood. If I could give 2.5 stars, that's where I would have settled. On the plus side, the buffalo chicken egg rolls were interesting and tasty. The pulled pork sandwich had a nice, smoky flavor - but could have used more sauce (we did carry out and were given only 2 miniature cups of sauce). Also enjoyed the hush puppies and the sweet potato fries. Portions were generous, too. The negative - the brisket was so terrible that my husband refused to eat more than a third of it. It was dry and tasteless. With time, I'm sure they'll get their act together. But for now, we aren't going to rush to return.
(3)Burton D.
Do not get the brisket. It is dry and cannot be rescued by any of the sauces. In addition, do not get the brisket. Or the brisket. Now, with that out of the way, this is not a top BBQ place, but it's pretty good. The hushpuppies are served with honey butter, which is fine but they are better with BBQ sauce in my view. The cornbread, OTOH, comes without honey butter, and would benefit from it - so ask for it. The sweet potato fries are as good as any I've had. The mac & cheese struck me as nothing special. I really liked the buffalo egg rolls. Very tasty. The pulled pork sandwich did not seem to me to really involve pulled pork, although it was pleasant enough. The baby back ribs were quite good, both with & without the sauce. The service was attentive and the general experience was positive. The place is BYO, and as I walked in with my bottle, I was asked "red or white?" and the server brought the proper glasses to the table. I'd be happy to eat here again.
(4)Mark L.
I just finished half of my BBQ rib dinner from Ravenswood Q. I only ate half, because it was practically inedible. The pork was very tough, and the dry rub was too thickly layered on. I enjoy a good rub, but this one was extremely salty and overpowering, not to mention spicy as hell. It tasted like paprika was on sale somewhere and they loaded up the RQ shopping cart.....Most dry rubs are neutral, and let you dial up the heat by using sauce. These ribs were terrible. Very strange, since the only other time we had theirs, they were pretty decent. I don't know what happened in the meantime, but I'm going to go back to another Q house for my rib fix. Sorry Ravenswood, I hoped you would be good cuz you're close to our house. But close doesn't cut it here. Also, they messed up our order by putting the wrong sides in the order and skipped one altogether. Bye bye RQ, hope you get better.....
(1)Nick S.
Had takeout from here before ribs and brisket were good. Ate there tonight and disappointed with fatty brisket, whole place had the feel of inexperienced owners. Just an opinion! Servers not really well trained and condiments in boxes they were shipped in. You. Couldsee the kitchen but I did not want to look. I would give them another shot on the ribs however. If you actually get the coleslaw through grub hub ( we did not) I would be surprised as we did not get it in the restaurant either.... Irony .... Yes
(3)Gary F.
Very convenient at L stop. First impression when walking in the door that its a small bar scene until you are escorted into the main dining room. The dining room is large and very well appointed with hand painted drawings on wood on the bare brick wall. Maroon cloth napkins match the décor. Although the place wasn't busy (4PM) service was excellent and friendly. The ribs/brisket combo was brought to my table quickly. The ribs were very good. The 3 sauces were fine but these ribs need no sauce whatever. The brisket looked a bit dry but wasn't. The collard greens were super tasty and a decent portion. The beans were cooked well, slightly al dente and not mushy as some can be. Cornbread has a nice crunch top and bread is moist. There was no way I could fit dessert, too bad as they sounded wonderful. Good excuse to go back!
(4)Suzanne M.
My boyfriend and I went to Ravenswood Q for the first time last night (Friday) because we live in the area and had a Groupon. After reading mixed reviews on here, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I have to say that we thought it was really good. The service was great. We didn't have to wait long for a table, our server was attentive and made helpful suggestions, and our food came out quickly. Especially for a Friday night. The prices were also quite reasonable. The food was good and we were surprised by how generous the portions were. I had the cheeseburger. It wasn't amazing, but it was good, and it was pretty big (a half pound, I believe). It came with coleslaw and one side. I chose the hush puppies. I would have expected a few small hush puppies, but we got a separate basket of 6 golf-ball sized hush puppies with a side of honey butter. They were tasty, and my boyfriend loved the honey butter. He got the rib sandwich, which he said was really good. He also enjoyed the choice of 3 bbq sauces that are on every table. He chose the fries for his side, which were more of a seasoned fry, and we really liked them. We also ordered an extra side of mac & cheese, and we liked that as well. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience at Ravenswood Q. We liked the food, and there are a few more things on the menu that we'll probably be back to try. Also, we really appreciated the amount of food you get for the money.
(4)Keith O.
The food is really good. Brisket sandwich and hush puppies were one of the best I've had. I do have two issues which are totally correctable with good management. #1 Decorate somehow, I believe they have same paint and decorations from the Cuban place that had good food , and didn't make it. #2 Assume anyone that comes in for lunch may be on 30 minute window, I was 15 minutes late back from lunch because check was 15 minutes late. Bring the check shortly after the food at lunch , or I can't eat at your restaurant at lunch on any sort of regular basis. BBQ is a quick & dirty experience normally not fine dining. If those two things change this could be a 5, food is good.
(3)Michelle M.
I really liked this place! I had the brisket, it was a little fatty, but good. My BF had the half chicken and he liked it. The best part was the sides. The hush puppies were delicious. The corn bread was great. I tried the BF's mac and cheese and it was good too. The portions were huge and the prices were good. Plus it is BYOB, for now at least.
(4)Shaun C.
Great BBQ sauce, but the pulled pork was very dry. Good atmosphere, and a new place. Hopefully quality will pick up a bit!
(3)Seven N.
First of all, if you can't make good ribs, don't open a rib joint! We had the dinner with ribs, chicken & brisket. It included 2 sides. The fries? Yummy! The mac 'n cheese? Very good. Brisket was ok but a bit fatty. The chicken was good but not tender enough for my taste. The ribs however were terrible. They were tough, very dry with barely any meat on them. The bones were wide (never seen that before) and next to no meat. The smokey flavor wasn't bad, it's just that they were sooo dry. The amount of food that comes on that dinner plate was also not worth $25. A few thinly sliced strips of brisket, a 1/4 piece of chicken and a piece of rib that had a total of a tablespoon of meat on it! NEVER AGAIN! As far as the service goes, our waitress was polite. When we first walked in, there was a woman on her cell phone who turned out to be the hostess. She looked at us, asked us how many?- then sat us. She sat on her phone the entire time we were there which was another thing. It took nearly an hour to get our food and there were only 8 people there including us two. Don't bother with this place. There are way better BBQ places in the city.
(2)Star F.
A++ great service and great food. Pulled pork was scrumptious and the BBQ sauces on the table were a huge hit among our group.
(5)Dan N.
This place gets two stars because (1) they forgot one of my sides, (2) the mashed potatoes were truly terrible (yes, I too was surprised that's even possible), and (3) the hostess/manager was rude to the staff and made me uncomfortable. Perhaps this place will turn around, but, for now, two stars is all I can give it. I ordered the BBQ pulled pork to go tonight. After waiting 10-15 minutes for my order, I got home and discovered that they forgot to include the cole slaw. Annoying, but I'll live. I was disappointed again though when I saw the mashed potatoes. They had the consistency of kneaded bread dough. The potatoes were overly oily and were sort of gelatinous. If a place manages to screw up something as easy as mashed potatoes or french fries, their Yelp rating is going to take a hit. Instant potatoes out of a box are literally twice as fluffy, and taste way better. I have no idea how they made their potatoes like this, but they should fix this or good luck! As for the BBQ, the pulled pork was good. I really enjoyed the sauce. I would certainly go back to have it again had it not been for the above, and the fact that while I was waiting for my order, the hostess (who apparently is also manager?) was very rude and bossy to the person who took my order. She sort of berated this employee in front of me which was uncomfortable.
(2)Tiffany G.
Maybe it was the complimentary tortilla soup on an EXTREMELY cold, winter night in Chicago, or maybe it was the Prime Rib sandwich that melted in my mouth (it was the special...I've been dreaming of it since. I would give anything for them to make it permanent!!). But I credit the 5 stars to the fact that my dinner party of 5 ordered enough food to fill our entire table (and then some), and ate every last bit of it. We just couldn't stop ourselves. The prime rib sandwich was definitely the highlight, and favorite at our table. It was just so tasty and tender. I had the same reaction to this, as I always do with Au Cheval's burger (I dream about that burger, and now this sandwich). OK, enough with the prime rib sammie...the other favorite items we ordered were the trio of sliders (nice option to trial before deciding entree), the pulled chicken sandwich, the brisket sandwich, the mashed potatoes, hush puppies, the seasoned fries (and the sweet potato fries for that matter), and the baby back ribs. We also enjoyed the mac and cheese, that complimentary tortilla soup, the St. Louis sauce and the House sauce (the Carolina sauce also received thumbs up). Great location, right off the Irving Park brown line stop. Stop in and get your meat fix!
(5)John S.
Normally I would not write a review for a restaurant that is clearly on its last legs, but it was so awful that others need to warned. We went there an a thursday night at 7. The first clue should have been that there was't a single person in the restaurant and none would come in later even for carry out. We were clearly the only customers they had all night. We came because of a groupon, so the only customer for the whole night was on a groupon. But we decided to give it a try.. What a mistake!! My wife order beef ribs and hush puppies. The beef ribs were unedible tough all fat and gristle just so disgusting that I had to send them back. The hush puppies were raw and had to be sent back also. I ordered the brisket and babybacks. The babybacks were ok but was still disgusted from looking at my wifes raw runny hush puppies and gristle ribs. My brisket some how managed to be as dry as cardboard and mostly fat like it was sitting under a heat lamp for hours.I would be amazed if this restaurant lasts the month.
(1)J M.
Very disappointed ! Seems like a lot of inexperience . Went on a Monday eve , only 4 tables filled . Very blah atmosphere . Ribs and meat in rib sandwich very tasty . Rib sandwich was supposed to be topped with crispy onion strings , they were soggy breaded onions . Coleslaw tasteless. Small house salad served in a warm bowl ! Staff very nice but the place is just missing the mark
(2)Emily L.
The food was alright but the service was absolutely awful. It took twenty minutes to even get someone to take a drink order. The dishes were dirty and the waitstaff seemed rushed. I won't be returning.
(1)Kevin S.
service was fine, the waitress was nice; food...meh; price not even close to what it is. sit down restaurant prices with uninspired flavor. you are new, you are a neighbor, for th reason only i will try another day.
(2)Amanda B.
Gross. I've eaten here twice and both times, I left feeling this wave of sickness. The food isn't bad going down, but you will regret it a few minutes later. The brisket is really fatty and the prices are way too high. Also, the service is terrible. Unless you have 2 hours to kill, this is not an ideal lunch place.
(1)C S.
Love the red pepper soup and hush puppies. Service was fabulous, our server Danny was professional, fun and knew the menu very well. Will go back again and again.
(4)Brian R.
OK, truth time. I'm giving this place a 5 star review only based on the fact that so many other people have rated it poorly and it has a 3 star rating, while the nearby "Smokin Woodys" has a 3.5 star rating. Everything was alright. Brisket was sliced too thin and a little tough, but it had a great smokey flavor. The babyback ribs were on point. The pulled pork was alright too. Nothing blew me away, but if you want to get some decent bbq in this neighborhood, this, or Smalls BBQ would be your 2 choices.
(5)Stefanie H.
Brisket sliced like lunch meat. Ribs are pretty good, but dry. The Mac n cheese is basically buttered noodles mixed with Parmesan cheese and topped will melted cheddar. Not terrible, but I'm glad I had a groupon.
(3)christine a.
It's no Fat Willy's, but.... Had a pretty good lunch today. Pulled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. The chicken was lightly smoked, moist and a good enough sized serving for lunch. The sweet fries were the best I've had in a long time. Super crispy on the outside and perfectly done on the inside. They looked house made. Husband had burger and regular fries. He said it was tasty. Service was pleasant. They have 3 different sauces, sweet, vinegar spicy and vinegar. My suggestion, serve a little free slaw on the side. $3 for side of slaw is too much when the sandwich and fries is $9.95. The environment is fine, don't know what others are crabbing about. It's Cafe 28 minus artwork. One small minus. The music was good, Ray Charles vibe, then the owner? turned it off to watch tv in the bar area. Customers make a connection through the environment you present. Staff sitting around doing nothing, watching tv doesn't add anything. Watch tv at home. Despite that little personal pet peeve, we'll probably be back to try other offerings because we live close.
(4)JJ H.
I'm really sorry to write a bad review but this place not even get 1 star. The food was bad but the service even worst. The waiter didn't know what on the menu but when he asked the owner a question and he was very route to the waiter. I said the waiter job should know all the answer. I will NEVER come back this place again.
(1)Marlo D.
I am all about giving new places in Chicago a chance. Places come and go around here so fast. I appreciate this joint. Right off the train. Currently BYOB. Mac and cheese and barbecue. Can't go wrong!! Good work Q.
(4)A W.
This place is AMAZING!!! the service was friendly and super fast, and it is byob (for now i believe). There was a group of us so we were able to try many different things. The pulled pork was absolutely perfect-3 of us got it and there wasn't a single scrap left by the end of the meal. The sliders are amazing for tasting the variety of the meats but was also big enough to be a meal on its own. We also tried the spare ribs and will definitely be getting them again-so juicy and perfectly seasoned! The sides are both filling and absolutely delicious. The mac n cheese was so cheesy and amazing, and the cole slaw was the perfect balance to all of the main dishes. On top of all the amazing food, each table has 4 different bbq sauce options that i can honestly say are some of the best I have tried in a long time. The house bbq sauce is particularly amazing! The portions are very generous for the price as well- we left completely stuffed and not feeling like we had to spend a fortune. All in all, I highly recommend Ravenswood Q- I will definitely be back soon!
(5)Ninah R.
Went here because they had a Groupon, The layout of the restaurant is kinda odd. Its separated into two rooms and you can pretty much see straight into the kitchen. My biggest disappointment with this place was that as soon as I walked in, the smell of cheap cleaning supplies overpowered any food smell. Ah...kinda gross. The food wasn't terrible and with the groupon and an appetizer special from the restaurant, we only paid about $13 for two. But I've made a better turkey burger at home. The mac and cheese was over-buttered noodles with cheese sprinkled on top with no seasoning. We were only one of two tables and service was super slow (not the waitresses fault, I could tell she was trying), only one guy in the kitchen and two other random people just sitting around eating, watching tv and micro-managing (the owner probably and a hostess, I guess--really? a hostess when there is no one there?). Wont go back
(2)Rollie H.
I live in the neighborhood, so was excited to see someone occupy the old Cafe 28 space, and BBQ on top of it. I was pretty disappointed. First off, the website should indicate it is BYOB, thinking it was Cafe 28 and maybe they bought the liquor license, I expected a bar and cocktails. So off we go across the street to a very cosmic liquor store, but that's another story. It was very cold inside the restaurant. Everyone at the other tables had coats, scarves and/or gloves on. It smelled very smoky, like the ventilation was not what it should be. And what happened to the other room when Cafe 28 was there? The lighting is awful, most of them blinking. The decor is dreadful. And those bare large glass windows may be fine in Summer, but not now. The people running the place are very nice. The food, well. The 1/4 chicken is a tiny thigh and tiny drumstick. The hush puppies aren't anything like real hush puppies, but I guess it's what you expect up north. Get the hush puppies at Brown's chicken, those are very close to real. And as others have said, food was almost cold. My partner's brisket was not brisket, but fat roast beef, and it was very fatty and sliced too thick. Should have gotten the pulled brisket, maybe that would have worked better. The topper was when the waiter came to our table when we were finished and asked us to repeat our order. He had never written it down. Oh, and the quesadilla appetizer, you can add chicken for $1.00, but the waiter said it was a chicken quesadilla. But when we got the bill, the dollar was added to the quesadilla. It matters not, but they need to agree on what it's gonna be, with or without chicken. The woman at the table next to ours said, "Did he just ask you to repeat your order?" We, regretfully had to concur, and regretfully, will probably not be back, sigh. How anyone can give this place five stars boggles my mind.
(2)r a.
used Groupon on sat night at 615 to try this place,order of wings two pulled pork and a beef brisket sandwich . wings juicy added sauce from selection at table, pulled pork good, beef brisket not fatty or stringie, some might say the beef was on the dry side i did not think so , i prefer to add ammount and type of sauce myself . i don't care for places that drown food in sauce to where you can't taste the meat. the fries were seasoned and crisp. we will go back. service was good pop and water glasses refilled without us having to ask waitress.
(4)Carmen G.
I have been to this place a few times now and have ordered the Brisket, cornbread, macaroni & cheese as well as their Turkey Burger. I have to say that the Turkey Burger is delicious!!! The cornbread could be a little sweeter, but than again not everyone makes cornbread the same. I enjoyed their brisket but didn't like the fact that they were whole slices. The Mac & Cheese was very good. They also have great drink specials. Enjoy.
(3)Eryn G.
Grubhub messed up our order and never placed it. We called Ravenswood Q and they completely took care of us and delivered quickly. The wings and mac n cheese was delish!
(5)Geoff M.
Had a craving for barbeque and this happened to be the closest spot. Being a native Kansas Citian, I am admittedly a barbeque snob and this is the sort of place that passes for barbeque outside of well known barbeque regions such as KC, Texas, Memphis and the Carolinas. Just not that great, Famous Dave's is better than this place. I had the pulled pork which was already mixed with sauce, which in my mind immediately raises questions about the quality of the meat...barbeque sauce can be amazing, but the meat should always be able to stand on its own merits right out of the smoker. Plus they offer two sauces on the table, so which am I supposed to choose when they'd already doused it before it reached the table. The cole slaw was bland and devoid of any flavor. Service was nice, no complaint there. Atmosphere was good too, with a great blues soundtrack going on overhead. Regardless, any bbq is better than no bbq, but I'll be looking elsewhere the next time my craving hits.
(2)Jacob J.
Solid 2.5 stars. I cannot see myself coming back. We came because of a Groupon offer that was expiring. I really have to check reviews before buying Groupons or any other offer for that matter. The barbecue and other items we ordered were disappointing. I'm not sure what's going on here. Is it old food or poor preparation? None of it tasted fresh. Let's run through our dining menu. P.s., when using an offer or Groupon, I always spend a percentage more. For instance, on a $20 dollar offer, I may choose to spend $20 - $30 more as a kind of "thank you" for offering a meal deal. (I've often heard that Grouponers can be "cheap ass customers") I digress. Back to my menu. The smoked wings were decent. The brisket egg rolls were terrible, the stuffing tasted off and I couldn't tell whether it was made that day or some other time. The pulled pork sandwich was all sauce, I hate it when meat is grossly, doused in sauce. Any appreciation for the meat flies out of the window. Got a combination platter consisting of the ribs and brisket. ... ..... ..... Not a fan. Their bbq sauce is tasty as was their cornbread. Our waiter that night was a rockstar but she was the only person waiting tables. So, drink orders and food, dragged. Also, other reviewers mention a "sewer smell." That shit is repugnant to put it lightly. It is an off-putting odor that exists mainly around the dining area. Our waiter insisted that it's not related to their restaurant but something affecting the whole area. (I walked down the street and into other businesses and didn't smell that funky odor. They have to have some sewer problem they aren't treating properly. Heck, run ventilation fans all the time. Customers should not be enveloped in a stinky odor while trying to eat food.) Something off-putting that we noticed; full slabs of ribs swimming in their sink. A quick method to defrosting slabs of ribs; is to do so by water bath. But, any good website or cookbook will tell you to cover the meats in a zip tight bag throughout the water bath process. We wondered whether the sink gets cleaned before and after each water bath since the meat is wafting in water. Also, are they changing out the water every 30 minutes like the directions call for?
(3)Malek G.
Family owned place with Great food! Everything I have tried here has been really good! Mac and cheese and greens are very good. The brisket is awesome! The wings are Unique and soo good! They also have a great happy hour deal!
(5)Anne M.
The food was better than expected (for the most part), but there are some areas for improvement. We walked in on a Friday night and there were only three other seated tables in the whole restaurant. Pretty empty. The feel of the place was kind of dark and disjointed (blues posters on one side; The Starry Night print on the other - what?). I tried the pulled chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries - the fries were great, and the chx sandwich was pretty good but I got a couple of bad bites (one with small bones, which is the. worst.). I was grossed out after that. I know it can happen, especially when pulling a large / restaurant-size container of chicken, but still... The man's "dinosaur bone" (huge beef bone with meat) and mashed potatoes were thoroughly enjoyed.
(2)Erika G.
Bar area only. I was a giant fan of Cafe 28, and on first glance, this place seems to not have as much character. My review is only for a visit to have one glass of wine - they close too early! The BBQ smelled GREAT, and I could see myself sampling that on a future visit. Friendly staff, good pour on the wine.
(3)Christopher H.
The bbq sauce was good but our ribs were way overdone. The beef ribs were like eating jerky. Had the Mac n cheese which was pretty good and the cornbread was ok. I would say find a different place that knows not to overcook their ribs
(1)Rob W.
Been by here a few times but never went in - a Groupon tipped the scale. Kind of a mixed bag at lunch. I was there on a Tuesday from 11:30 - 12:15... I was the only person other than employees and delivery people at that time. Sat at a two top on the restaurant side - I noticed that although it looked ok, the table was kind of sticky in spots. I went to order and asked my server about what sides were good - she sort of headed in the "everything is good" direction. So I ended up with the mac and cheese, just to try something I don't ordinarily order. It was pretty good, though there's a $1 upcharge on it. I also ordered some brisket chili; one of the two "soup" offerings for the day. The downside was that a cup of soup is the size of a cup that one might see in a set of children's dishes. It was small, albeit filled to the top, which didn't leave a lot of room for the oyster crackers. Now, for the main dish - I went with the BBQ Brisket sandwich. That was pretty darn good on a lightly toasted bun with a decent portion of meat - and hardly any fat. Other than the side order recommendations, my server was really pretty good - friendly and prompt as well... brought a second soda out in anticipation - always a plus in my book. As for the restaurant, while the BBQ was good, with competition like Smoque and Fat Willy's not all that far away, RavenswoodQ isn't super high on my list for a return. Glad I tried it though.
(3)Scott O.
What happened to this place???? We went for dinner tonight. Oh, my!!! Let me start by saying the cole slaw is still terrific and the fries are 100 times better. But, we waited at the host stand while the bartender said she'll be right there to seat you. And we waited and we waited. He went and poked his head in the dining room and came back and said she'll be here shortly. And we waited and we waited and he finally went ahead and sat us. And now for the horrid part of the evening-the slab of ribs. We both had them. We both sawed through them because they were tough and dry and just awful. It doesn't feel like the same place we were at a year ago and, if that is the new standard of their food, I doubt it will even be here a year from now.
(1)Daniel C.
I ordered delivery from here on one cold night I didn't want to leave the haus via Grubhub. The delivery time stated was 60-70 minutes however I received my food in less than 45. I got the pulled pork sandwich and french fries as well as the buffalo chicken egg roll appetizers. The pulled pork sandwich was adequate, a little too much sauce but that's an easy modification. The fries were just right. The egg rolls were not up my alley but they were just fine. Overall I may try again not soon tho.
(3)Miranda B.
I have relatives in TX and lots of BBQ favorites there. Walking in, tasting the smoke lingering in the air, I got a good feeling about the 'que, but the smell was simply a teaser. Brisket egg rolls sound better than they taste, with little meat flavor and too much oil. The fries were hot and crisp, the coleslaw average. The chicken was the best of the barbecued meat, coming out with a deep mahogany skin that still managed to have fairly moist flavorful meat. I found the brisket to be the most disappointing thing we had. I expect long slow smoked brisket, with the fat melted down and a nice smoky deep taste. This brisket tasted as though they'd braised it in some kind of liquid ... more of a pot roast texture and taste to it, with a bit of flavor coming through from the sauce it had cooked in. Very disappointing. Small staff worked hard to accommodate a very large group, but though they'd been given advance notice, they struggled to bring out food in a timely manner. They were all friendly and eager to please though.
(3)Nicholas V.
First time here and purchased their signature sandwich and fries. The fries were spectacular!!!! Well seasoned, a little peppery kick to them. Very, very good. The burger was above average. I, personally, think it could have used a bit more flavor or seasoning, but not terrible either. I will probably go back to give something else a shot before I say Yay or Nay for good.
(3)Bruce J.
Great burgers, I had it to go. Friendly service.
(5)Colleen P.
Work across the street from this here and its a great place to go for lunch! Pulled pork is delicious and there is a good beer selection. Would recommend!
(4)Andrew d.
Don't advertise that you are open until 10pm when you have customers walking in at 9:23pm and tell them that you are closing. Thanks for wasting my time.
(1)Debbi R.
My boyfriend and I came here with a groupon last night (Thursday at around 7pm). The moment we walked in you can the smell the bbq. It was kind of empty which made my boyfriend a little hesitant about it. We were greeted and seated by their friendly staff. We both ordered a beer (they are no longer BYOB and they have a great selection of beers and other drinks) and then ordered a full slam of baby back ribs each. Boyfriend ordered the hush puppies as his side, which I have never had, and I ordered the Mac & cheese. We also ordered the sweet potato fries to share. Baby back ribs: ABSOLUTELY AH-MAZING. FRESH. And the meat was so tender and came off the bone so smoothly. It was delicious. The bbq on it had a zing of spice which I love! Hush puppies: Boyfriend said they were the best hush puppies he has had thus far! I had them for the first time ever and I loved them! Made me wonder what else I have been missing!! Mac and cheese: I love mac and cheese BUT this wasn't the greatest I've had. Idk something was missing. Boyfriend said that the cheese was too strong but I honestly don't know what it was that made it not so great. (Sorry :(..) (still ate it though) Sweet potato fries: they were good!! I actually really really really really liked them!! Overall experience, I would go back in a heart beat. Server was so friendly and attentive. Ribs were amazing and the place is pretty!
(5)Jen Y.
Two words: Sewer Smell. Yes, that is right. The smell of sewer permeated the restaurant. Nauseating. And when asked if there was a problem that was being serviced, the waitress stated, "No. It''s just something that the businesses up and down Irving Park have to deal with." Umm...So why was that plumber's truck parked right outside with plumbers leaving the restaurant's side entrance when we left after our meal? Hmmm...Coincidence? I think not. As for the food, it was over-priced and mediocre. The collard greens had a weird after taste, the mac and cheese overcooked, and the brisket dry. The pork ribs were ok. We won't be back.
(1)Tavi J.
I'll preference this by saying I'm not a huge BBQ fan to begin with, but my cheap a$$ can't past up a groupon :) We went last night and it wasn't crowded at all. The hostess/waitress sat us right away. I'll skip over the ambience part (cause there wasn't any...lol) and skip straight to the food. We both ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Really good and the 3 sauces you had to choose from at the table were good. You can choose one side and we both went with the fries, which were just okay. They were season though so that's a plus. The biggest let down would have to be the Mac and cheese. I prefer my Mac and cheese to be really cheesy and I didn't get that. I actually had to add a little salt and pepper to give it more flavor. This is an okay place, but I probably won't be making a special trip to come back and visit.
(3)Nick S.
Smoked wings with naked Cajun seasoning were some of the best I'd ever had. Bleu cheese sauce on the side was great, so was the mustard based barbecue sauce. After these upsides, things went downhill. The rib sandwich was tasty but had two tiny unexpected chunks of bone in it, hope somebody doesn't chip a tooth or cut the inside of their mouth. I always go for the brisket at barbecue joints, but I was thoroughly disappointed here. It tasted and looked like something that would be served in a high school cafeteria.
(2)Lorelei C.
Gotta Love the Smell of Barbecue:) Today was my first visit to Ravenswood Q, and honestly I can say I was pretty impressed from the moment I entered the door, I was greeted by Anna, a truly phenominal server and I was seated in their lovely dining room/area, a room with a sufficient amount of tables and lovely exposed brick walls, somewhat of a loft type feeling. I liked it, I felt comfortable and warm. Now, okay, I was here because I had another Groupon where I only paid $12.00 for $25.00 worth of food at Ravenswood Q so I thought I would have been foolish to pass up this sweet little deal.. And, I was told that I would have to spend the entire amount of $25.00 during todays visit, not very hard to do! Actually, it worked out very well, I ordered a Caesar Salad, Barbecued Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Cornbread. Now, gotta be honest and say I did'nt finish my mashed potatoes cause they tasted kind of funky, they had chives and I was tasting like sour cream in them.. Yuck!!! So. I shoved those suckers to the side.. But, The Barbecue Chicken was quite delicious, very tender and the sauce was tangy, just right! The cornbread was a little dry, which I think is normal for cornbread but Anna did suggest I apply some of this honey butter stuff to it which I did'nt do.. So, the thing is.. most of the side items are charged separately, and that can add up.. The piece of cornbread alone was listed on the menu for $4.00. But, honestly, The attentive service I received from Anna, the pretty great tasting Barbecue Chicken and the lovely interior is worthy of my 4 star rating. Also, FYI, It is BYOB, I know this because this couple came in and asked if they served Beer at Ravenswood Q, The reply was negative but they were told there was a liquor store nearby.. So, if you want to indulge in alchoholic beverages with your meal best to stop at a liquor store first! So, if you have'nt been to Ravenswood Q you should give them a try.. A nice place with good food and great service! And thats a pretty good start....
(4)Angelica P.
The food was just terrible. Chicken wings were extremely salty! Beef brisket was sooooo dry and just poor quality meat. Pulled pork sandwich was not tasty.. the pork was dry despite being drenched in sauce. Chicago combo- Ribs were gross and the chicken was dry. Side of beans were gross and just felt reheated. It was all gross, dry and just felt reheated.
(1)Michael A.
Went on a weekend night with some friends and had NO problem getting a table last minute. Place was pretty quiet. Not much atmosphere. Was told to try the Hush Pups and they were definitely really tasty. I could go for an order of them now. The Brisket was tender and the sauces were great. The service was good. Its a BYOB so how can you go wrong. It didn't really stand out as an amazing place though. Great value and food so be sure to hit it up.
(3)Sam R.
DINER BEWARE!!!! BAD FOOD BAD SERVICE First off, I live for st Louis or Texas BBQ all day every day. This has to be one of the worst BBQ places I have tried in Chicago, will not be returning. This is of course ignoring the horrendous service me and the rest of my party received. Bad BBQ + Horrible service = Never returning, never recommending.
(1)David R.
I was prepared to rate two stars after my first visit, based on what I guess we could call "restaurant administration" or maybe just "management." The service itself was fine--our waitress was prompt, attentive and courteous. But I'm talking about things like tables remaining unbussed for looong stretches of time, not to mention a cart overflowing with bussed dishes sitting in the dining room for our entire visit; noone being available to greet and seat customers when they first enter; only one server being staffed for Saturday lunch; a smelly men's room; and the entire place being out of Coca-Cola (which I don't drink, but what the hell?? it's Coke for heaven's sake). So basically what I mean is that it just did not seem as if the people running this place are trying very hard. However, since the food was pretty solid I will go with three stars. The best thing that I tried was the pulled turkey sandwich; I would order that again for sure. My pulled pork was decent but the meat had a funny taste that I could not place. The side of cole slaw was fresh but standard; the macaroni and cheese came in an enormous portion, piping hot and pretty good. The sweet potato fries were satisfactory. I really enjoyed two of the three table sauces but I can't recall exactly how they were different. After eating pork and turkey I decided that I would like to give their brisket a whirl before reaching a final verdict, so I got a takeout sandwich and a side of hush puppies. The brisket was so-so; it tasted good but was tough, almost rubbery. The hush puppies, though, were giant and super. In general they tended slightly towards the sugary side--and in fact come with a little cup of sweetened butter--but danced well enough on the border between sweet and savory that I dipped a few in barbecue sauce as a side for my sandwich and slathered the rest with fig preserves for dessert (note: fig preserves not provided by restaurant). So after two meals, "A-OK" seems like the right rating. They need to improve if they want to compete in the approaching-oversaturated pool of north side barbecueries. Not even close to being a destination, they are barely adequate for the immediate neighborhood.
(3)Patrick and Jes D.
We ordered a 'boatload' for birthday dinner and between the two of us tried brisket (meh), baby back ribs (good rub, but tough), pulled pork (great rub and great with the sauces), and chicken (mouth-watering and great with the house sauce). Sides - get the hush puppies. Right now. We can wait.... Ok, also eat the coleslaw, and sweet potato fries. Collards were ok, too. Service was good and the place was busy enough to be loud but not crowded - which we didn't expect because they weren't seating anyone in the section near the door so we thought it was going to be pretty empty when we walked in.
(3)Joel S.
At 12:30pm this place should be packed. I came in sat at the bar and almost 5 minutes later a guy from the other side came over and said sorry for the wait. I was the only one in the place. I think my food was Microwaved . Wont be returning.
(2)Candace M.
They had excellent service with some amazing menu choices I have never seen before. Their wings are smoked rather fried and their BBQ egg rolls were awesome.
(4)Justin B.
Hush puppies are great...and, that's about it. Dropped by last night with a Groupon in hand. My wife and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with cornbread, the Q burger with hush puppies, and a piece of blueberry pie a la mode. Those puppies were solid; large, moist, chewy, nice butter on the side. If I only had that and left, definitely a four-star review. But unfortunately the RavenswoodQ team just seemed to have a lot of problems last night; first, they were completely out of brisket. I don't know how this happens at an open BBQ restaurant, but it happened last night. They were also out of chocolate cake; you're out of your most basic dessert at 6 PM on a Monday? Anyway, the sandwiches arrived about 20 minutes after ordering (strangely slow given that we were one of two couples in the restaurant, but it was a semi-date night for the wife and I, so we weren't complaining), and the pulled pork was crunchy, a little dry, but on a pretty tasty bun. The sandwich was saved by the BBQ sauces left on the table, and two of them were not bad (St. Louis and the other non-vinegar sauce). The burger was a bust; it wasn't ten ounces like the menu said, it wasn't served with onion straws like the menu said, and it wasn't cooked medium like we asked. The cornbread was okay, but not memorable. The dessert round was interesting--I blame myself for not asking if the pie had nuts (it does), it wasn't served warm, and the vanilla ice cream wasn't that great. We thought about sending it back, but we were afraid it wouldn't be any better, so kudos to the restaurant for recognizing our dissatisfaction and taking 10% off the bill, but by this point, the damage was done. Our server was attentive and friendly but the food portion of the evening was essentially a disaster. I'm not going back to try out the brisket we missed out on, but I have a feeling that won't be the worst decision I make this week!
(2)Caitlin U.
We went last night on a groupon. The place was completely empty, which may be awkward but it was actually fine. The decor and overall atmosphere is great. There's a bar right when you walk in, which is confusing since the restaurant is, in fact, BYOB. I think they're waiting on their license, because the waitress said they'd be serving alcohol soon. Anyway, BYOB is a huge plus in my book! We ordered the chicken wings and the ribs and brisket platter to split for two of us, with sides of mac and cheese and hush puppies Chicken wings - AMAZING. Seriously some of the best ever. They did not taste deep fried (though i have no idea how they were actually prepared) and the skin was perfectly crispy. There was a smokiness to them that was incredible. I'm normally a drench-in-sauce person, and these were NOT, but I loved them anyway. We got the buffalo and the bbq chipotle. Not too spicy, but delicious. RIbs - the waitress recommended the baby back, saying they had just made some. They were good! They also had some kind of smokey-spicy sauce on them, but not too much. There is sauce on your table to add your own (which I did). Nice and charred on the outside and meaty. Brisket - I liked it. Melted in your mouth, even better with sauce. The man-friend was meh about it but couldn't explain why. Hush puppies - really good, served with a side of honey butter Mac and cheese - meh. This was the one big misstep for me. There was just... something missing (man friend claimed it was bacon). Overall, I'd definitely go back! I love that it's BYOB. Oh and they're going to start serving brunch on the weekends so I'll probably check that out too. I just won't order the mac and cheese again.
(4)Ev S.
We went to lunch on a Groupon. A man identifying himself as the owner waited on us, saying that his waitress hadn't showed up and wasn't answering her phone. His service left a lot to be desired. It was OK at first, but then he got involved in some carry-out orders and never came back. He served my husband's food about 5 minutes before he served mine. We even had to go looking for him to pay the bill. More about that later. The food was nothing special, and I don't think it was fresh either, it appeared to have been microwaved. The brisket egg rolls had possibilities, but the shell was soggy. My husband had the brisket sandwich with beans, and I had the sliders with collard greens. He liked his brisket sandwich, but it looked dry to me. The beans had a skin on them, obviously not fresh. The sliders were brisket, pulled chicken, and pulled pork. The brisket was dry and not very tasty, and I couldn't eat the chicken and pork, which were full of hard, burned bits. The buns were gummy. The collard greens were tasty, but were served with about 1/2 cup of braising liquid. The Carolina sauce was way too mustardy, and the other two sauces were unremarkable. There was just one other table, and they waited at least 20 minutes for their food. A cook finally brought it out. The bussing station was right out in the dining area, and the kitchen cooler was just adjacent to it, so when they opened the door you could look in. We had to look for the owner to get our bill and pay it. He was processing carry outs, and didn't know how to use his system to accept payment. We waited at least 15 minutes before he started our bill. Again, he didn't know how to handle the Groupon and had to call someone (again) to walk him through the process. While this was going on, Park Chicago app beeped in my purse and our parking ran out. I went out to the car. While we were waiting, another man came out of the kitchen, and he too, told us about the waitress who didn't show up.. When he finally presented the bill to my husband (by now it's about 25 minutes that we've been trying to pay our bill) , it didn't deduct for the Groupon. He had to do that manually. My husband told him our parking had run out, he waited so long to pay. The guy told him not to complain because he'd saved money using the Groupon. He was also muttering something about he shouldn't have opened up that day as my husband left. There are lots of BBQ places in the city, with better food and much better service. We won't be going back to Ravenswood Q and I don't recommend it, either.
(1)Lysa C.
Some of the best wings I have had !! Delicious. The hush puppies OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!! Great customer service , there was an error with the food that was delivered( probably a Grub Hub error) and the restaurant promptly corrected the error, sent new food and took it off our charge . Will most definitely order from here again and recommend this restaurant !!
(4)Anthony H.
I had some take out from Ravenswood Q last night. I ordered a pulled chicken sandwich with collard greens and mac and cheese. Delivery from Grub Hub was fast and courteous. The collard greens were on point and flavored with smoked turkey. The pulled chicken sandwich was OK. The flavor of the sauce kind of threw me a bit, but all in all it was OK. The Mac and cheese I was very disappointed in. It was if someone cooked some noodles in butter, sprinkled some cheese across the top and microwaved it. A 4 year old can do that. I suggest make it correctly by making a sauce and baking it or don't offer on the menu at all. Food was just ok. I want to give this place another chance though.
(2)Matt T.
Our dinner experience began with me catching an unpleasant whiff but first dismissing it as impossible. Could it be? I had to confirm with my companions just to be sure I wasn't imagining it. It actually smelled like sewage near our table, which was along the west-most wall. The smell would alternate between being strong and then barely noticeable, as if it was being affected by the airflow system. Fortunately, the smell of my friend's coffee helped mask the scent, so I remained optimistic and looked forward to my barbeque. The food was terrible, unfortunately. I had the beef brisket plate. It was dry and mostly flavorless. The worst part, though, was that it was served barely warm, with many cold spots. The temperature made it seem as if it had been sitting out for a long time. My friend ordered the bbq chicken sandwich, and some of its meat was cold. As for the cornbread, it was the most flavorless I have ever had. Even if this place fixes whatever was causing part of its dining room to smell like sewage, I still can't recommend it. The food was poorly prepared and overpriced relative to its quality. Don't eat here, there are plenty of better places.
(1)Caroline J.
We went to Ravenswood Q after purchasing the Groupon. I was very into the idea of a BYOB barbecue place so I was pretty excited to try it out. We went around 8:00 on a Thursday evening and to be honest, we thought the place was closed. The front room was dead, but we were seated in the space next door, where there were a few other groups and couples. The server showed up immediately and asked if we needed glasses for our beer - nice! We took a couple minutes to decide and ended up ordering the pulled pork sandwich (for me), the rib sandwich (for him) and a side of cornbread as an appetizer. Service was a little slow given how few people were in the place, but we were enjoying our beer so no rush. The cornbread showed up and was a massive slab - definitely enough to justify paying the $4 for it. It was sweet and moist and overall just delicious. Our food finally came out and was SO. GOOD. My pork was definitely different from your standard barbecue - it seemed to have some sort of cajun rub on it in addition to the sauce. Whatever they did to it, I'm a fan. The bun was toasted perfectly, crunchy on the inside and fluffy on the outside. I tried some of his sandwich, which had off-the-bone rib meat and crunchy onions. Again, so tasty. The hush puppies were good, but I've had better. The only thing keeping me from giving this place 5 stars is the slower than average service, but with the BYOB policy I'm probably trying to take my time anyways. Also, props to them for not flinching when I whipped out the Groupon.
(4)Sarah D.
Service was just okay - they did not bring the food out at the same time and there was quite a lag between my dish and my boyfriends food. The food was very good - better than we expected. We are big fans of Smoque in Irving Park and this place came close. It was very quiet for a Friday night at 8pm but overall we would probably go back. Be warned - they are no longer BYOB (contrary to Groupon and their website)
(4)Bryn G.
I cannot speak highly enough about this restaurant. The atmosphere is pleasant, good music, nice bar. The food is utterly delicious. The brisket is moist, the bbq sauce is spicy but sweet, and the pulled pork and pulled ribs are to die for. I had brunch here last week and was thrilled at the live jazz and the obscenely delicious bananas foster pancakes. I've only been here a few times and the bartender remembered my face and my drink. It has never been crowded here which makes me nervous-- I want this place to stay!! For improvements, what can I say? Hang your beer signs in the window so there is more room at the bar, and put more signage on those windows. Also, the "Q" is reminiscent of quizno's... Change it up to represent the neighborhood a little bit!
(5)Erica I.
This town needs more BBQ places, so I was excited when I heard about this new place opening. We had gone to Cafe 28 a few times, and it definitely did not have the same decor and was pretty plain looking on the inside. I know they just opened though, so maybe they will spruce it up soon. It's also much smaller than Cafe 28, it looks like they closed off one of the other rooms, so the tables are very close together. The hostess and our server was very friendly. We ordered the chicken wings with buffalo sauce as a starter, and they were somewhat fatty on the outside, but had a really good smokey flavor. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich, and it had the same smokey flavor, which was great with the St. Louis bbq sauce they had on the table. My date said his pulled pork sandwich was a little on the dry side. The best part about Ravenswood Q were the sides! The sandwiches came with fries and coleslaw, but we were able to sub them for $1 extra. So I got the mac and cheese and sweet potato fries with mine. The mac and cheese was good! It almost had a burnt cheese taste like Pequod's pizza has, and it was yummy. I also liked the sweet potato fries, but they needed some dipping sauce or brown sugar on top. My date got the mashed potatoes and hush puppies for his sides, but they were out of hush puppies :( So he got cornbread instead. I REALLY liked the mashed potatoes. I think they had cheese or sour cream mixed in, and I liked the flavor that gave it. The cornbread was nothing special, so I asked if they had butter and the server brought some honey butter that made it much better. We will definitely come back because I want to try the hush puppies, and I also want to try the buffalo chicken egg rolls appetizer.
(4)Steven P.
The service from start to finish to include the hostess was pleasant, professional, and timely. This place used to be BYOB but now have selections of beers and wine. They even have PBR drafts for $2 which was a nice price point. I ordered a brisket sandwich, hush puppies and brisket chili. The chili could have been warmer, the hush puppies were good and the butter they provided with those was delicious. The brisket on the sandwich was a bit cold and tough. Grand total to include tip was $20. Apps were half off on the Friday I went. I'd give this place a 2nd chance probably. The reviews for this place are certainly mixed so you might be pleasantly surprised or disappointed. It's hard to say
(4)Cam M.
For the bulk of my review, look at my old review. I'm updating my take on them since they JOINED GRUB HUB FOR DELIVERY!!!! Yes, I added a whole star because they started delivery (at least thru Grub Hub). Considering that the noise/space was my biggest fault with the place, that is huge. I ordered a Brisket Sandwich w/sweet potato fries, as well as the Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. The food arrived hot, and tasted great. I can see myself adding them into my "go to" delivery places. I have my favorite pizza places for whenever I'm craving whatever style of pizza, I have my favorite diner style places that deliver, and this place gets added into my favorite pulled pork/brisket/chicken places that deliver.
(4)David W.
to preface, I don't think it's fair when yelpers complain about "slow service" with a large group at 8pm on a Saturday.... with that said, my setting: a small group of friends here at 4:30pm on a Saturday. It took an hour for our food to come out. When it did, one person got a sandwich, another got a side. Looking at my watch, over 10 minutes went by before more food came out. Our appetizer came out near the end. Other tables were receiving their food while we waited. BBQ is the type of food that is being smoked all day, it's strange how the food wasn't ready. Also, coleslaw should already be ready. That even took time to come out and one person in our party never received his. Service was not good. Angie (manager) apologized and took responsibility. She gave us 10% off our bill, which to be honest, is not an incentive to come back when there are so many good restaurants in the area. Even though Smoque & Fat Willy's are driving distance, you are better off heading there. FOOD REVIEW Pulled pork: salty, but very good Hushpuppies: incredible side dish Mac & Cheese: good Coleslaw: nothing great, but solid Pulled chicken: there seemed to be bones in it Brisket: more like roast beef, pass on this dish
(2)Mitchell A.
I thought Quiznos opened a BBQ chain when I first saw the sign to be honest. The Q is almost the same. I hope they didn't do that on purpose hahahahahaha. Well if they did or they didn't both are not good. To me it shows the lack of thoroughness. This also translate to the food and decor. not much else to say. bland all the way through. Lot of BBQ in this city as of late and you need to stand out and according to almost all 17 reviews they just don't and I agree. neighborhood needs them to do better. I feel the same as everyone else....it is early so hope they come through. They have time I guess. PS North Center is the home of the cities biggest BBQ event soooooooo if you are going to open a BBQ place in this Hood you might ohhhh I don't know NOT want to suck.
(2)louis S.
Loved the food and the passion of the pit master. Great Brisket, ribs and fresh moist huge side of corn bread with honey butter (YUM) Oh and he also makes everything in house. Cole Slaw alone was worth the trip. The higher quality of the products and the right amount of smoking comes through. Even makes three types of sauces. You can tell when the owner is passionate about the product and as I have often said, I never trust a skinny pit master. Not a problem here. Loved it! Next up on the weekend are beef short ribs, can not wait. One of the best BBQ joints I have been to in along time and I am just back from Kansas City.
(5)Beth M.
I'm still full from their food as I write this review. Let me start with I was very hesitant on going here. I live nearby so at first I was so excited - I love supporting any North Center business. But then the bad Yelp reviews started rolling in. And months later it didn't seem to get much better. Well, we went for it anyways. I did my homework and made notes of what other reviews complained about so I could see if it held true for my experience. I can say it didn't at all. We got there about 8 p.m. on a Wednesday night and half of the back room was full - pretty busy for most restaurants in North Center. We were seated immediately and given glasses for our wine (yay BYOB). I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mac 'n' cheese and my husband ordered half a rack of ribs along with hush puppies and sweet potato fries. 1) Our food was served in the right amount of time. Actually, I didn't even finish my first glass of wine before it was out. 2) Our server- Alex - was extremely attentive and very, very nice, and 3) Everything was delicious. Pulled pork sandwiches are my go-to on judging a bbq place. The thing that really stood out for this one was the garlic taste to the bun. I added their house sauce to it, which was delicious. They also have a Carolina sauce and a St. Louis sauce, and the waiter pointed out each is great for a certain kind of meat. Mac 'n' cheese was good - I did add a bit of pepper but was very happy with it. I also noted it's the first mac 'n' cheese I've had in the city in awhile that wasn't oily. My husband loved the ribs, fries, and hush puppies. The ribs have a bit of a kick - maybe it's a pepper rub? And holy crap serving size - you will definitely get your money's worth. You know how you get sides of stuff and it usually all fits on one plate? Every single food item had it's own basket because there was so much. We could barely fit it all on the table. All in all it was great. I'm really, really happy I went and made my own decision, which I hope everyone else does too.
(5)Rafal P.
Food was descent. Waitress was very attentive since we were the only ones there at the time.
(4)Sleepless-In S.
This is an updated review, because my first experience at this place was a mess and a half. However, I had a Groupon left over and felt the need to use it. I'm glad I did, and it seemed Ravenswood Q got itself together. On my second visit, I found this place to be better decorated, better staffed and a tremendously improved experience. Our waitress was very attentive and provided great insight to the menu. After a brutal overpriced first experience, I went in avoiding anything like a full rack of ribs. Instead I chose a brisket sandwich and their brisket chili. Both were incredible. I enjoyed the chili so much, our waitress actually gave a cup of it to my friend with me for free! Their portion sizes are great - it was a phenomenal meal After a 1 star first visit and a 5 star second experience, I'll roll this place a 3 average. They came a long way, and hopefully things continue in this direction.
(5)William K.
Also went on the Groupon deal. Very delicious and glad I went, I will definitely return. We ordered the hush puppies which were absolutely amazing. They were served with honey butter, but you really did not need any addition to these delicious sweets. The BBQ was also excellent, both the ribs and brisket were perfect. My girlfriend ordered the pulled pork and thought it was very good. Definitely a great addition to north center.
(4)