Blackwood BBQ - Illinois Center — Restaurant in Chicago

Blackwood BBQ serves some of the BEST bbq beef brisket in Chicago - and amazingly enough, during lunch hours in the loop (three locations. Michigan Ave & South Water, Lake and Wells, and Clinton and Madison)

You can order your brisket one of three ways: Fatty, Regular, or Lean. Brisket is a cut of beef that has a significant amount of fat to it, which can be a turn off for some. Fatty is basically the brisket sliced and served to you - nothing reduced. Lean is just that - no fat. and I believe (because I have order it this way) regular is a mix of fatty and lean; essentially, less fat.

On to the sauces... Honestly, if you're getting brisket - don't add any sauce. The brisket is so good it can stand on its own.

But if you must know, Blackwood has a series of BBQ sauces you can choose to apply to your meats. I used to get the Chicago (sweet and spicy). You can also opt for Memphis (sweeter), Kansas City (spicier), North carolina (vinegar based), South Carolina (mustard based), or Alabama ("White sauce in the celebrated Southern style"). But honestly - if you're getting brisket - don't add any sauce. The brisket is so good it can...

Salt of the Earth The Five Star Phenomenon on this place can be explained by comparative locationing. This BBQ shack is adjoined by McDonalds, a Burrito Joint, Cosi, and a Deli, given it a sort of "Superior by Association" quality. In reality, the Brisket is over salted, the slaw is a vinegary overkill, and the pickles have a kick that shouldn't hit so hard. It's a fine hot meal but not the Best BBQ in Chicago. All 6 sauces are the wrong consistency as they try to take on multiple's regionalities specialties, they don't even "nail" Chicago BBQ Sauce. You will most likely spill one of these soupy consistency dippers on your chest on your way to your mouth. This Lunch Spot is the Benihana of the cafeteria style dining environment it lives in but the Chipotle of Barbecue as far as Chicago is concerned. There should be a larger point deduction based on the lack of bathrooms and staff suggestion to "buy something at McDonald's and use theirs." If you work in the building, befriend the staff for a few extra ounces of meat at lunchtime, if you're a tourist pick a BBQ Spot with its own door, you'll thank me in...

I walked around downtown a while to find this place nestle within a corporate building with many other restaurants. I agree with the the other reviewers this place is: superior by association". I think it's great to have a BBQ option for people who work in the building. Don't be like me and actively hunt this place down!!! I had the pulled chicken which comes with slaw and pickles. The chicken doesn't taste pit smoked it tastes boiled with your choice of bbq sauce ( they have 6 types). I chose Memphis which isn't bad but it's so watery it doesn't stick to the meat. The chicken isnt nasty but it's just unseasoned and bland, not even a hint of smokiness. I didn't expect much from the slaw and it too failed my extremely low expectations. Tasted fresh but no flavor! How can you mess up pickles??? Pickles were weird combination of butter sweet pickles and vingary dill. If the meat was actually smokey and the BBQ sauce was thicker I would have forgiven the sad side items. But it's...