Taps Tips BBQ Opens In Joliet On Theodore

JOLIET, IL — In recent weeks, the Joliet area has been opening up several new restaurants that are becoming crowd favorites. This week, after several months of preparation, Taps Tips BBQ Smokehouse opened on the west side in a great location at 3111 Theodore St.

The new carryout restaurant is in the Duck Creek Plaza, the same strip mall as Brightdogs.

So, if you hear the dogs barking a little bit louder now, it's probably because they're hungry for some delicious barbecue being smoked next door.

On Tuesday, your Joliet Patch Editor decided to splurge. I went with a brisket sandwich as my main course, plus some side dishes. My total, including tax, was $14.08. The smoked meats that I ate had a touch of sweetness to them.

Taps Tips has lots of great tasting stuff. There's smoked wings, pulled pork, chicken, turkey tips and turkey links. I envision the crowd favorites to be the rib tips, baby back ribs, spare ribs, the smoked links and definitely the beef brisket.

Taps Tips has three different BBQ sauces. My favorite was the bourbon.

I also recommend you go with the collared greens along with the red beans and rice as your sides. You won't regret it.

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Taps Tips is a family-owned business venture by Michael Tapley, Ralph Tapley and Frederick Tapley.

"We do all the sides fresh and homemade. It's not fast food, it's carryout," Michael Tapley told me during Tuesday's interview.

Once the weather warms up, Taps Tips will be opening its small patio for outdoor seating. Taps Tips also has a liquor license.

"Everything is made fresh daily, so when it's gone, it will be gone until the next day," Michael Tapley said.

Taps Tips plans to wait until the spring to hold a big grand opening celebration.

I asked Michael Tapley for his prediction on the signature selections. "Really the tips and the baby back ribs. Actually all our smoked meats,"he said.

While I was waiting for my order Tuesday, Plainfield resident Nakia Melancon walked in to place hers.

She said she recognized me and likes reading all my restaurant reviews for Patch.

Melancon told me that Taps Tips is in an excellent, easy to-get-to location for residents on Joliet's far west side and people in the Plainfield area like her.

"This area is a big family area," she said. "I think they'll do good, especially in the summer. They just need some advertising."

A few minutes later, a middle-aged customer entered the new restaurant.

He had a serious look on his face and was ordering several large items from the menu.

"Are the ribs ready to rock? Give me a full slab," he told the cashier.

Taps Tips is closed Mondays. It's open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For the time being, Taps Tips is only accepting walk-in customers for placing carryout orders.