Firewater BBQ & Brew Alsip, IL — Restaurant in Worth Township

They appear to be in a "soft opening" phase, and this review takes that into account. The haven't yet received their liquor license, so we decided to get our order to-go and head to a local brewery.

It was apparent that the employees were still training, as communication seemed disjointed and it didn't appear the "team dynamic" had yet been developed. All seemed very eager to help and answer any questions about the menu. The desert menu was limited (I was really looking forward to the smoked bacon chocolate chip cookie), but as I stated before it's a work in progress.

The food was AMAZING, I got the three meat combo with rib tips (huge), Burnt Endz(sic), and smoked wings. Portion sizes were ample and the taste was on-par with any of the Texas pits I have been to. The prices for the amount of food you get are more than fair, and even with my above average appetite I had leftovers to bring home.

The onion rings weren't crispy by the time I got to them but I'll chalk that up to sitting in a carry-out container for the ride. The same goes for the "burnt endz," as by the time we got to our destination, it seemed more like smoked pot roast than true brisket point. I'm definitely looking forward to trying them again on-site and tasting them the way they were intended. Steaming in a styrofoam container is not kind to any food, but especially BBQ and battered items.

We will definitely go back once they're firing on all cylinders. They are a welcome addition to the Alsip dining scene and something the area has been lacking since the other area BBQ places have gone downhill in service...

I can’t tell you how disappointed I was with this place. I had really high hopes. First off let me commend the cashiers as they were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately things went downhill quickly from there. I ordered the two meats with a side and it came to about 25 bucks with the tip. I ordered the brisket and the ribs with a side of Cole slaw. I had concerns when I saw there were only two couples in the place at 6 pm on a Thursday. The space is very welcoming with an open kitchen. The second thing that was a big concern was I saw the cook deep frying something. That something was my ribs which he dumped in a bowl then slathered with sauce, then into my container along with a heathy portion of sliced brisket. Ribs were very tough, fat not rendered, and hard. Brisket was even worse. Dry, fat not rendered, tough as leather. No bend, and I literally couldn’t pull it apart with my hands. No bark, a hint of smoke but overall the absolute worst brisket I’ve ever had. I’ve never returned food at a restaurant because it was bad, but I was really close to doing so as the meats were so horridly prepared. Cornbread was crumbly and dry. Cole slaw, pickles and peppers were the best things that I had. Sauces were good too The frustrating thing is this location is great, the atmosphere is great the service is great but the food is horrendous. I take BBQ seriously and have personally smoked ribs and brisket. It’s like they rushed it. Fat needs to be rendered and meats should be tender. I really think this place can be fixed. As of now however, save your money and go to either Hog...

First of all, let me start my saying I am a KCBS certified competition judge. Kansas City BBQ Society. I have no idea where these poor reviewers left their taste buds. I had brisket and pulled pork and the flavor was incredible. The brisket had a beautiful smoke ring and was tender, juicy and flavorful. The pulled pork was just as glorious as the brisket. The scoring for competition bbq is from 2..nearly inedible to a 9 which is perfect....The brisket and pulled pork where a solid 8 which is very hard to achieve. Now for the ribs. I tried a full slab and let me tell you these succulent ribs were about as perfect as I've ever had. The smokey flavor was perfect, the slight pull off the bone..perfect. Ribs are NOT supposed to just slide off the bone. A slight tug is expected. I would give the ribs a perfect score which is 9. They could stand alone with no sauce. I opted for a thin layer of the sweet sauce which exceeded my expectations. I think these previous reviewers took sandpaper to their taste buds before entering. I can only speak for a few sides. The potato salad and cole slaw were well above average. Excellent flavor on both. And I dined in with my wife on a Thursday and the smokey haze put a huge smile on my face. Of course it wasn't that crowded on a Thursday at 2pm but please people rearrange your flavor palette because Firewater BBQ is incredible.

Only downfall is....I'm a Coke person and they have Pepsi but I'm fine with water....ha. Keep doing what you do...