Big Ange's Eatery — Restaurant in Wheeling Township

Allow me tell you a true story about how this restaurant literally saved my life. We are going to journey back in time to the year 2017.

I was on my way to work one morning when my car kept overheating. This was one of those “last straw” situations, the final drop in my bucket, just what I needed in order to spawn a complete meltdown. So here I am in a gas station parking lot, unable to drive my car, crying uncontrollably (as one does), full-blown panic attack mode.

After a quick phone call with my boyfriend, I began to calm down significantly. Got my head on straight and made those tedious phone calls to my insurance, etc. Fast forward a bit, the tow truck driver was a saint and at this point, my day began to turn around a bit. He drops me off at the auto body shop on the corner of Walnut Ave and Northwest Hwy. I sat in the shop’s waiting area for a while, when I decided to ask the manager, “Hey, do you know of any good places to eat around here?” He recommended Big Ange’s Eatery, said it was only a few blocks away and I wouldn’t regret it.

Talk about incredible! I ordered a brisket sandwich with extra bbq on the side. The brisket was so flavorful and tender, the bread was buttery and soft. I couldn’t believe when I asked for a side of fries that what that actually meant was a WHOLE BAG of delicious fries.

My day started off so terribly, and at this point I am laughing to myself for how I reacted earlier in the day. I mean, silver lining, how else would I have heard about this amazing restaurant? I wouldn’t have. And now I get to share Big Ange’s with the world. I have recommended this restaurant ever since that day in 2017.

But how did Big Ange’s save my life, you ask? After a belly-full of a delicious meal, I made my way back to the auto shop. To my surprise, there were police vehicles everywhere, fire trucks, and ambulances. Anxiety began to grip me yet again, and I start thinking, “Oh my god, what happened?! My car is in there! Did it catch fire? Did the building explode? What’s happening?!” All of these thoughts are racing through my brain at a million miles a minute. As I get closer to the shop, I see what all of the commotion is about - there is a car sitting INSIDE the shop. This car jumped the curb, crashed through the brick and glass, and is now INSIDE the waiting area of the shop. Right where I was sitting not even half an hour earlier.

The shop manager sees me approaching, his eyes wide and filled with a combination of shock and relief. He says to me, “You have no idea how happy I am to see you....if you hadn’t left to go eat, I don’t know what might have happened to you!”

And there you have it. That’s the true story of how Big Ange’s Eatery...

This is a hard review for me. I have had my favorite BBQ place for 20 years. I did a whole summer hitting every BBQ place in a 50 mile radius of my home. I finally made it Big Angie’s Eatery and was really impressed. So much so that it has become my new favorite place for beef and pork BBQ. Moving my local favorite to number 2 spot. I tried a Reuben sandwich and also a brisket sandwich coleslaw and haystack onions. I also tried the sirloin tip BBQ it was closer to a smoked prime rib than a roast. I didn’t put sauce on anything which is unusual for me. None of the meats needed anything they tasted great just how they were made. The haystack onions were crispy on the outside, yet moist in the middle, not overly breaded, but properly covered. The Reuben sandwich was delicious. It had light sauce and was not overly cheesy, with the flavor of the pastrami showing through. They also sell ribs and many other sandwiches including meatballs,beef, cold sandwiches and even hotdogs I got there shortly after it opened and they’re already a few tradesmen sitting there eating but by the time I finished the place was packed with no tables available and this was well before noon. I grabbed an extra sandwich to take home because I don’t live close to here even though it’s a drive I definitely will be back. This is a place that has very moist meats. If that’s not your thing and you prefer stuff a little dryer. This place is not for you. The staff was fantastic, very friendly, very inviting. I also tried their homemade orange juice, lemonade, combo freshly made each day. It was wonderful each fruit complemented the other prices were average for a barbecue place. The value was there I got more than enough food to fill me up. If you’re a fan of barbecue, this place is definitely worth your time even if you’re nowhere near it, take the drive and go to big...

We ate at Big Ange's tonight for dinner and have one word - WOW! I seriously cannot remember a time that I've been so impressed with a restaurant. This place is very close to our home and we came here on a whim to finally try it. They have a nice patio area and the inside is really cute. It's not huge but there was plenty of room both inside and outside. They have a BBQ sampling station and we tried the tri-tip, beef brisket, and some kind of pork. Everything tasted excellent. We were in the mood for burgers though and went with those. They did not disappoint! They were exceptional! We ordered them with jalapeños and they were very fresh and spicy. We also got fries and a cup of cheese. Again - delicious! Our daughters got the grilled cheese and loved it. We also tried the homemade lemonade (it's orange lemonade) and it was SO good!!! They were closing and gave us Italian ice and salted caramel brownies (all homemade and amazing) at no cost!!!!! Who does this?? The other thing that really set this place apart was the family that owns/runs it. We met Ange, her husband, and her son. They were all so nice it felt like we came to their home for dinner. We will for sure be returning! Can't believe it took us a year to find this gem!!! The only suggestion I would give is to stay open a little longer. They closed at 7pm on a Saturday. It worked for us because we eat early with kids but I think a lot of people eat...