From a block away, I could see the crowd stepping in to Smoque BBQ, like filings being drawn to a powerful magnet. Everyone, instead of passing, was stepping inside.
It was 5 p.m. Smoque had been open for many hours. Had it been this crowded all day? We stood in an unheated plastic vestibule, waiting for the crowd to move forward and make enough space for us to get through the door.
That’s Smoque with a queue.
The seeming confusion inside belied a rigorous order. The thick line of arrivistes contained far more people than those who were sitting. Our line bisected crowded tables, snaking slowly toward the cash register and choking off traffic patterns in the boxlike space. Everyone had to order before sitting down. Thank goodness someone in our group had brought beer, learning that the place was BYOB.
Within the small space there was a constant churning, as we pressed toward the order register. The line behind us continued to form, while those who’d ordered shifted around briefly, huddling in clusters or sitting on chairs near the bathrooms, waiting for their tables and their food. The floor staff hustled about, busing tables and moving furniture around at will to form the right seating for the next-up parties.
We craned toward the chalkboard menu. Smoque’s reputation extends far beyond its neighborhood on the far northwest side. It’s one of the more famous barbecue places in the city, which is what induced us to try it, before heading to a concert nearby.
The menu was ultra-conventional and more devoid of vegetables than more with-it rivals, like Smoke Daddy, which often offers special vegetable sides and at least has collard greens on the menu.
The kitchen was visible and efficient. Our food came up about 10-15 minutes after ordering. Judging from the constant stream of customers coming in for take out, this kitchen feeds many hundreds of people each night.
I liked Smoque’s ribs, but they weren’t the best I had ever eaten. In fact, three of the five people in our party could make ribs at home better than the ones we had at Smoque.
Only later did I realize I’d neglected to take any picture of the food. Truth be told, I was really only interested in the Smoque BBQ scene. If you’d like to see the food, there are hundreds of pictures of it on Yelp. Or go in person to check it out.
harley says
I just happened to eat at Smoque not too long ago; it was my first time there. Whew, it was really a crazy scene when I was there too!!! People all over the place–as you mentioned waiting to pick up food, waiting for a table AFTER ordering, waiting in a line snaking towards the register, and some un-lucky folks waiting for a place to sit WITH food in their hands! I ordered the half-slab of baby back ribs. It came with cole slaw and two sides; I had baked beans and mac’ n’ cheese. The rib meat was tender and very lean (too lean actually) but dry. Only if I happen to be in the neighborhood will I go there again. . . . I think you did a marvelous job with your pictures. It probably was difficult to get a clear shot of anything.
Celia says
I’m lucky to live in a society and a town where we can afford to be so picky about food. Like you, I would certainly eat at Smoque again if given the opportunity. My more proximate favorite continues to be Smoke Daddy, and out in Michigan I go for Sweet William!!!!
Thanks for the comment on the pictures–it was even more cramped in there than the pictures show.
More soon,
Celia
Lori D says
How disappointing to struggle with that crowd and then find the food mediocre. Well, hope you enjoyed the concert.
Celia says
Hi, Lori–You know how picky Chicagoans can be–the ribs were actually VERY good, and I would recommend that everyone try them. Believe me, we ate every bit of the ribs, but could still imagine their being better!
In all fairness: I had the leaner baby-backs rather than the St Louis slab, which Smoque identifies as its specialty. Presumably they would have been moister than what I had.
Regardless of the food, I know that the outing to Smoque is one I’ll remember always, because it was an adventure undertaken with some of my closest friends and people I love. It makes for a wonderful memory, since love and friendship go a long way to seasoning our enjoyment of every other thing!
Writing to you reminds me of a wonderful Florida outing we once made, to an anonymous looking place called “Captain’s Fish Shack” along the roadside down near Homestead in the Everglades. We sat at picnic tables on a concrete slab, under fluorescent light, with cheap corrugated fiberglass panels for a ceiling. A whiskey-voiced waitress ministering to our needs, we ate one of the freshest and elegant fish dinners ever! No doubt it was because some of our oldest and best friends were there, and had guided us to this obscure but great place. It was sheer heaven, being all together in such an unlikely setting, and having such a kingly meal. One of the best Florida adventures, ever!
Thanks for writing in.
Cheers!
Celia