I am astounded at how few reviews there are.From the ashes of Fat Willies now Joker’s stands as a true heir.The burnt ends and fried pickles are excellent starters. The combination plate with 4 items did not miss. The brisket was excellent (and quite honestly the best I’ve ever had), the spare rib was smoky and flavorful, the chicken was moist and perfectly seasoned, and finally the pulled pork was juicy and left me out of room. The collard greens AND corn bread were fantastic. I will definitely be returning.
Listen, I was sad when the previous bbq joint in this location closed. After trying Joker’s, I am happy to say that void is filled with EXCEEDING expectations.We tried the burnt ends, pulled pork, spare ribs, chicken and brisket. Even after sitting for a bit at the table, the brisket and pulled pork did not dry out. Every bite was tender, juicy, and full of delicious smoky flavor.For sides, you will not go wrong with the greens and cornbread. Also liked the slaw; it wasn’t overdressed and was super crispy.Server was helpful & nice and the food wasn’t a long wait. I highly recommend coming in.P.S. Google - why doesn’t this restaurant come up under the restaurants tab on maps? I had to zoom all the way in to find it. Let’s get some people in here! This food was delicious!
Went to their all-you-can-eat crayfish boil today and it was a great time! Look at the photo of the hefty helping of crayfish that comes with corn, potatoes, and andouille sausage! The crawfish was extremely fresh and weren't over cooked! We had 3 trays each of crawfish! My only tip would be more seasoning in the boil water-the Chef came out to check on us and was only more than happy to give us more of his seasoning.After talking to the chef, we found out his gumbo roux is a tan brown roux not burnt, and is thicker like a stew and less like a soup. We knew we had to have a bowl...and if you look at the photo, it is spot on! One of the best gumbo in the city! Peppery and hearty, the flavours of the "holy trinity" of gumbo making shine through the dish, and he finishes it with okra and a generous amount of the proteins (we had the chicken and andouille) and loved it!The venue has a great covered outdoor patio which makes you feel like your in Lousiana at a crayfish boil eating outside and drinking a beer. The only bummer is that their pots are in their kitchen so you don't get to enjoy watching or smelling the boiling crawfish and spices of a typical crawfish boil outdoors. What lacks in getting to watch the boil, is made up with the fact that the chef came out to talk to each of the tables before it became crowded.We had a blast and will be back soon for dinner service!
Was really excited to try this place as I frequent New Orleans -sometimes monthly -and crave good Cajun food up North. Plus, it boasted itself as a smokehouse which put an interesting twist on it (love bbq!). That said, our party of 6 was collectively beyond disappointed. They were running a crawfish boil and when we called ahead we were told that the regular menu would be available. When we arrived, we were informed that many of their items were NOT available, and when I asked about certain dishes, I was told they “never carried that” (one ex.: boudin balls). Well, guess what? Their online menu and their in-house menu don’t vibe at all. I ordered burnt ends and gumbo along with some cornbread and pickled veggies. The rest of the table ordered various bbq items - pork, chicken, ribs as well as jambalaya. General consensus was that the meats lacked flavor and were super dry. The jambalaya (I tasted it) wanted to be good- had decent flavor- but was a sticky, globby mess and unappetizing. Creamed corn was anything but creamed and the corn bread itself was dry and flavorless. Now, the gumbo was good- very flavorful, not too soupy, and the addition of shrimp meant some nice charred little fellas on top the bowl. The waiter was nice enough but a bit brusque. The chef greeted us when we sat down and was sweet and friendly and when he came by to see how things were and we mentioned dry meats he commented that he’d “try to do better”. Applaud the idea of that but if you’re touting yourself as a bbq place, shouldn’t it just BE better always? Side note- my spicy margarita was on point, but that and the gumbo aren’t enough to convince me return when I can make both at home just as well. There are places I’ve gone and not enjoyed that I’d consider giving a second chance to. This isn’t one of them. If I can’t find a better Cajun/Creole place in Chicago I’ll just wait til my next trip to NOLA to enjoy that wonderful cuisine.
I had Smoked Ribs, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and cornbread. My husband had the Blackened catfish, dirty rice and collard greens with cornbread. We both enjoyed dinner. I enjoyed the ribs served right off the smoker without sauce. They have a variety of sauces for you to choose. The only thing I would do if asked, is put a little bit of salt in the rib rub before smoking. A little bit of salt before cooking goes a long way. Salting after the food is cooked isn't that good.
My favorite BBQ dinner bar none, ever. These guys are bringing their A game, everyday. We went for dinner for two, and got a combo platter, some sides, and the wings. The chicken was some of the best I've every had, smoky and juicy, the brisket was fall apart tender, and I was literally able to pull the bones out of my ribs. For the sides, what I had was good, but the house pickles were the perfect tangy counterpoint to the meats. Planning on going back soon.
Prior to coming to the restaurant I reviewed the menu and it was amazing, so I was really excited about trying it out. My boyfriend had a slab of ribs (appeared to be two), greens, red beans and rice and he enjoyed everything. We started off with the smoked chicken which was prepared to perfection, but had 0 flavor. It tasted like card board. It was like eating a slice of cake with no sugar and icing on top. The sauces they give you only helped a little. I ordered the Jambalaya and the flavor was overwhelming, it didn't agree with my palate at all. I decided to try the shrimp po boy and the shrimp had a overwhelming season on it also, the shrimp were over cooked, and the bread was toasted too long. The service was good.
The brisket is where it's at! I had the hush puppies and they were just too dry for my taste. I also ordered the beans and rice and unfortunately it had pork in it, but not listed on the menu(togo).... Mac& cheese was nice. For a non pork eater that's from the south there was a clear winner, and that was brisket. I'll go back for that.
DO NOT ORDER FROM HERE!We ordered takeout from here and the restaurant forgot part of our order. When we called back they blamed it on the delivery driver even though the bag was stapled shut.The restaurant then told me in order to get the food that they forgot, I would need to drive to pick it up. They refused to send it back out with another driver.And when I went in to pick up the food that they forgot, the line cook who claimed to have provided the forgotten food was extremely rude. They slammed the missing food on the counter and stalked away, as if it was my fault they forgot the food in the first place.Avoid this place at all costs. It is nowhere near the restaurant that used to be in this location.
At last, real BBQ in Chicago. Over 2 visits we had baby back ribs, pulled pork, beef burnt ends and smoked wings. All were sublimely smoky. Gumbo, fries and red beans and rice were also terrific. My favorite sauce was the slightly sweet and spicy chipotle but they have a wide variety. Next time will try the étouffé and jambalaya.