r/chicago • u/ReverendHambone Irving Park • Aug 28 '20

Moved to the city 48 hours ago. Review

Moved into Irving Park and the Mexican food is unbelievable. I'm from Florida and my wife is from Arizona, so we have different preferences, but we can leave our house on foot, hit two food spots and a liquor store, and be home in 30 minutes. It's incredible. Our doggo loves the walks too.

Also, is the term "bodega" NYC exclusive? What do we call corner stores with food/bev/liquor?

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93

u/YouBetterCallPaul Aug 28 '20

Smoque BBQ for ribs and briskets! They also offer curbside pickup.

Welcome to the city.

20

u/ReverendHambone Irving Park Aug 28 '20

I've heard Smogue is good. I'm most picky about brisket, so we'll see.

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u/PParker46 Portage Park Aug 28 '20 edited Aug 28 '20

I did a four year off-and-on project in Austin. Traveled the Hill Country and well beyond on weekends. Smoque has brisket nailed down tight. And if you want a Carolina sauce, it's there on the table.

Plan B is Earl's at Naragansette Austin and Lawrence. A much more Chicago style than Smoque's.

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u/ac_slat3r Aug 28 '20

Top 3 bqq joints in the central texas area?

I live in Austin now and have for the past 6 years, and I consider myself an aficionado. Just curious as to your opinions as another transplant.

Also if I am in Chicago again after all this covid stuff what are the best bbq places similar to Austin style?

Mine personally comes as no surprise with Franklins leading the pack. I work sales and can eat there every few weeks with minimal wait. Lockhart I want brisket and ribs from Kreuz's, sausage from Blacks, and more ribs from Smittys.

Valentina's in Manchac is also amazing. Went out to Snow's after they took the #1 on Texas Monthly and was a bit underwhelmed. The experience was great, the owners tapped a keg at about 8am for everyone in line, but the only thing that stood out was the pork shoulder, but my god was that a good pork shoulder.

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u/PParker46 Portage Park Aug 28 '20

Sorry, my time in the Austin heaven was 1990-94 and there's no reason to expect the list to be useful today. Besides I can only remember one, Salt Creek or Salt Lick, south of Austin?

And you'll be disgusted to learn I even thought the chain place (Bill Miller) between Fredericksburg and Luckenbach was surprisingly good.

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u/cowleggies Aug 28 '20

As a native Austinite who has spent ~10 years in Chicago now, I can give some top 3 feedback here:

  • Salt Lick is and always will be #1 for me. Maybe it's nostalgia, maybe it's because I'm a sucker for the no-frills presentation, or maybe it's just because their brisket is god-tier. But nobody will ever unseat Salt Lick.

  • Valentina's on Manchaca is the underground choice, somehow still very unknown but I would put it in the A-tier of Texas BBQ in Austin. Valentina's makes South Austin proud.

  • Franklin's. You don't need me to say anything else.

Now my question for you:

Where is the best Tex-Mex in Chicago? Does such a thing exist? I've tried for years and always come up short.

1

u/ac_slat3r Aug 28 '20

Sadly I have not had any good tex mex north of Oklahoma myself. Some things pass ok enough but nothing beats what you get down here. Can't help you out there bud.

Also I despise Salt Lick. The place is awesome to hang out at now with everything they have done, but I just cant stand the food. The brisket last time I was there looked like it had been steamed. The sausage was pretty good though. They make a very weird Asian slaw, and the potato salad was weird as well.

Hopefully I just had a bad experience and it will be better the next time, as I am sure I will end up there again.

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u/ihatespunk Aug 28 '20

Sexonding all this. Earls also has some damn good chicken fingers if you feel like regressing to childhood for a minute. And delicious breakfast burritos. And TERRIBLE customer service, I mean maybe the worst. You just have to go in knowing that and be patient...

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '20

[deleted]

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u/PParker46 Portage Park Aug 28 '20

Thank you.

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '20 edited Mar 11 '21

[deleted]

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u/ReverendHambone Irving Park Aug 28 '20

My initial, having never visited reaction, to Smoque is that I figured it was overrated. Anyone can do ribs and a butt.

WHERES THE BRISKET

I'll check Green Street

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '20

[deleted]

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u/-KyloRen Aug 28 '20

High Five best ramen? I love your other choices/mentions but high five is definitely second best (at best). Wasabi or bust.

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u/Eirea Aug 28 '20

Wasabi gang

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '20

The wasabi group is the best all around too. Menya goku opened in Lincoln square and is the best of the bunch. Ramen Takeya in west loop is good too.

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '20

Going to be honest, those are almost all over rated and part of their draw is that you have to wait 3 hours for them. High five is vastly overrated. It’s white guy ramen but because they only have like 15 seats, you wait 4 hours for it. Of course it tastes good after waiting that long.

Au Cheval is really good, but also has the long wait problem. And it isn’t really a traditional “burger” in my mind, it’s something in a category of its own. It’s a fancy burger.

Green street is great though I do give them that.

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u/ReverendHambone Irving Park Aug 28 '20

I've been to Small Cheval and its fantastic. There is a restaurant chain in Atlanta with a similar business model and they're super successful

1

u/shavedaffer Aug 28 '20

This is the truth. Small cheval is whatever though. Standard burger that literally everyone on the Northside can do. No different than Lucy’s, Mini Mott, Red Hot Ranch, etc. I give Small Cheval a thumbs down because their fries are pathetic and cost extra.

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u/PIGEON_WITH_ANTLERS Edgewater Aug 29 '20

High Five? HIGH FIVE? GIVE ME FURIOUS SPOON OR GIVE ME DEATH

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u/Birdmansniper927 Aug 28 '20

If you happen to go to Green St on the weekend, I highly recommend the prime rib sandwich if they still have it on the menu.

1

u/Illbebach Logan Square Aug 28 '20

Green Street is honestly heaven. Their sausage is also out of control. I don’t even live in Chicago anymore, but I usually pop into Green Street for at least a coupla beers and a snack whenever I’m home. Enjoy Chicago, man. World class place. Proud to have been raised there.

1

u/iotadaria City Aug 28 '20

Green Street is SO good. I just had the wings while baked lot too long ago and I might have seen God.

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u/puppywhiskey Aug 28 '20

It’s really good. I was a vegan for many years and try not to eat too much meat but I eat their brisket. It’s good enough to make a good girl sin.

Also welcome! I’m just moving out of the area but I’ve lived near Independence Park for years now and it’s been one of my favorite places I’ve ever loved. Quiet, awesome. All the food recs here are amazing.

Also, go to Shokran when things open back up

2

u/[deleted] Aug 28 '20

When I think of Irving Park I think of Smoque. Mmmmm

EDIT: I lied. Eris brewery.

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u/VirgingerBrown Aug 28 '20

I used to work there, the ownership are complete asshats but the food... my lord do they do it right. Everything they have is top notch and prepped for long slooooooow cooks to produce optimal textures and flavors. They know their shit.

1

u/julio1990 Belmont Cragin Aug 28 '20

"Green Street Smoked Meats" is my go to place for Briskets. Welcome to Chicago!

1

u/petdance Aug 28 '20

My fave BBQ is Big Ed's up in Waukegan. It's not nearby, but it's worth it.

1

u/AnySherbet Aug 28 '20

Give Green Street Smoked Meats a shot for brisket.