Chicago Style BBQ Opens On Joliet's Broadway Street

JOLIET, IL - If you've driven along Route 53 lately, you've probably noticed the large banner dangling from the white building at 1215 North Broadway Street. The sign proclaims, "Coming Soon!!! Chicago Style BBQ." This week, that banner was still up, but Chicago Style BBQ is now open for business. The new restaurant opened Saturday, Feb. 3, owner-operator Kevin Roberts told Joliet Patch.

Chicago Style BBQ just opened in Joliet on Broadway Street

On Tuesday, Patch visited the new Joliet restaurant over the lunch hour. There was a steady stream of vehicles pulling in and out of the parking lot, including a state of Illinois snowplow driver. Several people were ordering carryout.

Chicago Style BBQ is open everyday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can sit down at eat at the restaurant or order carryout. Roberts said he also specializes in catering. The menu notes that "all ribs are cooked with charcoal and hickory wood."

Roberts said it took about six months to remodel the building to install handicap accessible bathrooms. He's glad to be open and he's excited about his location, being on Route 53.

Kevin Roberts said his rib tips are enormously popular.

Chicago Style BBQ is just down the street from the Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park, and it sits along the old historic Route 66 corridor. Come summer time, there will likely be an influx of Route 66 tourism traffic passing through Joliet, traveling what is now called Route 53.

Chicago Style BBQ has a large menu ranging from fried chicken, BBQ chicken, fried wings, pork, beef, turkey, ribs and rib tips. Patch wanted to know what's the most popular item sought by the customers.

Chicago Style BBQ opened in Joliet this past weekend.

"Rib tips," Roberts answered without any hesitation.

"Rib tips are the most popular item on the menu. Rib tips is probably 75 percent of the business," he said.

On Tuesday, this Patch editor opened up his wallet and ordered a 1/2 pound of Rib Tips for $7.99. That meal includes fries, bread and cole slaw. To be blunt, the rib tips were delicious.

A portion of the two-page restaurant menu.

Images via John Ferak, Joliet Patch Editor