Illinois’ 10 Best BBQ Spots Ranked by Online Reviews

There is no such thing as a time of year when BBQ is not appropriate, but it's an especially popular option right now as summer gets closer. There are 10 spots in Illinois that specialize in barbecue that have the highest online reviews from those that have dined there.

Barbecue is one of the most difficult food genres to get right. You have to know exactly the sweet spot (literally) for how long to cook that meat and the seasonings have to be unique and special. I asked the machines to query all of the online reviews of BBQ places in Illinois and here are the 10 that came back with the highest overall online review ratings. (SPOILER ALERT: they're not all Chicago places)

There were 4 Illinois BBQ places that were given honorable mentions with great reviews even though they didn't crack the top 10:

• Beast Craft BBQ - 20 S Belt W, Belleville, IL 62220
• Slow Hand BBQ - 4450 N Prospect Rd Ste S-1, Peoria Heights, IL 61616
• Dac’s Smokehouse - 25 E Adams St, Morton, IL 61550 (reviews say it's permanently closed, though)
• Steamboat BBQ - 322 E Geneva Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187

Congrats to all of the top 10 Illinois BBQ places and the honorable mentions, too. You excel at one of the best food groups in history! Well done (literally)!