T-Bob’s Smoked Bar-B-Q

Have been here a few times, never disappointed. Personal favorite is the Boss dinner with brisket, pulled pork and pulled chicken. Really good coleslaw, awesome chocolate cake!

Can’t beat the brisket with tomato vinegar sauce! Everything here is delicious. The smell of the woodsmoke pulls you in!

Lived in area for 6 yrs and recently decided to give this place a try and i am sorry to say the food was not good period I ordered the sampler and my son chose the bob burger. needless to say it wasn’t worth money or time. This star is for the cashier and not the food.

The food had no flavor, dry. The pudding in the picture had mold on it. The fish was dry and tasteless. The mac and cheese was ok. Taste like a box Mac and cheese. The corn bread was dry and had no flavor. Do better. Go to Chicago if u want good BBQ.

I came across this restaurant on my trip to Chicago. I ordered the rib tips and chicken wings and they were amazing! You get a lot of food with your order and I will definitely be back again!!!

The food is inconsistent. Sometimes I come here and I like it other times I hate it.
I usually get a pulled chicken sandwich. Many times while I’ve ate my sandwich Ive bitten into a gummy part of the the chicken that was put in my sandwich. It grosses me out, I think its cartilage. The overall chicken quality seems to have gone down too, theres too much dark meat. The bun in which they put the pulled chicken in is always changing, the last time I went i hated it. It was so dry it wasnt even absorbing the BBQ sauce, I threw the bread away.
The fries are the only thing that I have never had a problem with, but that doesnt say alot because just any place can make great fries and cheaper too, like McDonalds.
I think I may have just gone there for my last time. Ill go less than a minute down the road and go to Avantis, Ive never had a bad meal there.

Horrible service and Food! The food was undercooked and when i went to notify the managment about it, they argued with me that it was not. They seem to not care about there customers.

Went to T-Bob’s with 5 friends for a Friday lunch and we were not disappointed. On the outside, my first thoughts were that the restaurant looked old and shady. But the inside was very cozy and quaint — great seating and very clean. I split a 10 wing/​10 rib tip/​4 hot link meal with one friend and we were shocked at how much food came for the price. We didn’t even manage to eat half and had to put the rest in a box, and I’m a 6 foot 200 lb meat-​eating machine. Hot links were absolutely delicious, great flavor and very juicy. Wings were also excellent, great sauce and the meat was perfect. Rib tips were probably the weakest of the three but still pretty good in my opinion. Two of my friends ordered the catfish and they thought it was great, I tried some mac and cheese and it was awesome as well. Food puts them at 4 stars but the service gets them the 5^th as they were very friendly to us. Joked with us when we asked for the box to take home 60% of our order, came around and asked us if we wanted refills, said thanks and have a good weekend as we left, etc.
I will definitely be coming back here for lunch again!

A fellow Soldier and I came in for lunch on a Sunday drill and they were closed to the public. However, the owner immediately greeted us and told us we can stay for some good olé bbq. I will definitely be back to try the entire menu.

Mixed/​do not get the turkey burger it is terrible garbage fast food quality/​really bad. They should not put this junk on the menu. I don’t even think it was turkey– kinda like a bad flat mcchicken nugget. Blahh.
The «real» meat products look good and ok.
One other problem is the cheap hamburger buns used– that alone make me not want to come back.
The iceberg lettuce– come on that’s NOT a salad.
But the other meats look tasty.
So just watch out at this place.
So much possibility– just need attention to food details– high quality or not– choose.

I would say this place is mediocre at best. The bbq is hit or miss and so is the service. Ive been here a few times as my office is right around the corner. We used to order out for the office, but won’t anymore. Last time there was a lot of fat and the meat was cold. The staff again used to be informative and friendly, last time you could hear them arguing loudly in the back. For the bbq craze that is taking over the midwest, there are much better choices

My employer orders from here on occasion. I’ve enjoyed their meats & spicy sauce a couple of times, and probably will again. Their meat is decent, and when the company orders we get a ton of sauce on the side, which is good.
This review is based on ordering carry-​out for one. I ordered the brisket, since I’ve enjoyed it before, but the portion size was tiny, and about a third of it was fat. Plus there wasn’t enough sauce.
I chose the sweet potato fries for my side. They were literally still cold, and very wet. They had a strange, inedible odor. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, and I would say it was an honest mistake, but you know when you get the feeling that the person behind the counter doesn’t give a rat’s patoot? I don’t know, maybe she was tired.
I ordered the cornbread. Big mistake. It’s sitting on display in individual plastic bags, who knows for how long. Well I do. A long time. It was basically a powder it was so dry, and it did not smell like something I would eat. And I love cornbread!
With a drink I paid over $ 14, and I was still hungry because I only ate about 3 ounces of brisket. I won’t be back, though like I said I’ll probably eat it again when the boss orders it.

My new favorite ribs! Ever since Merle’s in Evanston closed, I’d been without a go to place when I craved ribs. T-​bobs is now that place. Can’t speak to any of the menu other than the ribs, but that’s all I need. Personally not a fan of sloppy soggy ribs. T-​bobs are tender, but firm and delicious. The sweet heat sauce is great. Not too sweet, not too tangy. Just right.

I was originally going to get an Italian Beef across the street, but when my nose detected the delicious scent coming from this place, I came here instead. The décor is nothing fancy, but it’s clean and comfortable. The menu is fairly extensive and has some unusual items such as smoked meatloaf. This is the kind of place where you order & pay at the window and they bring your food to your table when it’s ready.
I got the pulled pork sandwich with the sweet & heat sauce, french fries & cole slaw. The pork was delicious, tender with a light smoke flavor and a few pieces of tasty bark, although I would have liked a bit more sauce. At first I was afraid that the soft bun would fall apart but I found it to be perfect — soft enough to easily bite and chew, yet firm enough to hold together nicely. The bun also had good flavor that didn’t compete with the meat.
The fries were nicely browned, but not particularly flavorful (aside from the small kinda burnt ones that I love). The cole slaw cup was tiny but flavorful with a nice vinegar & horseradish taste. The fountain drinks are bottomless, which is good as the styrofoam cup was on the small side.
So for the sandwich, fries, slaw and drink I paid a total of $ 10.67, which I consider quite reasonable for this type of food. I’ll be back!

I’ve been here 3 times, but it’s been a while since my last visit… until today. I couldn’t remember why I stopped going, and today’s visit reminded me why.
I ordered a variety of things to try, and the girl behind the counter was very friendly and nice. The owner/​manager? Eh. Kind of rude when it came to explaining to us the two BBQ sauces they carry.
Anyhow, I ordered the boss dinner with brisket, shredded chicken and pulled pork. We also ordered chili, cole slaw, corn muffins, baked beans, and Mac n cheese. Pulled pork was ok, but I had a large piece of cartilage in my serving — gross. Shredded chicken was decent… I like the sweet/​hot sauce. The vinegar/​tomato sauce tastes odd. Cole slaw was bland… needed acidity and/​or sweetness. Baked beans were the best thing I had, but they tasted like they came out of a can. The chili was packed with stuff, and not in a good way. The taste was weird. The corn muffin was so dry I couldn’t eat it. The brisket was very fatty. It was so fatty I gave it to my dog. The mac n cheese was decent tasting, creamy and baked.
It’s pretty pricey too for the small portions. I will not be going back.

I love a good BBQ joint and have been wanting to go here for a while. Well today a friend suggested it for lunch and so off we went.
First of all it’s a walk up to the counter and order place and the owner was there, he welcomed us in as he was cleaning some tables by the door.
Décor was nice, woodsy, clean and welcoming, not high end by any means, but similar to a famous daves as another reviewer had mentioned. Unfortunately exterior presentation seems a little run down, but not dirty, just nothing fancy.
My friend ordered the Pulled pork sandwich lunch and I ordered the Beef brisket, the owner/​order taker was straight forward and answered all our questions very professionally.
Food was ready within a few minutes and fries were hot and sandwich was served warm and the coleslaw was cold as it should be.
Now onto the food.
The good:
The pulled pork and the brisket were both very good by themselves. Still a bit juicy, not overcooked and smoky just like I like them.
The side of coleslaw was good as well, a bit vinegary. Tasted fresh, crunchy and homemade (thank you).
Taste of the homemade BBQ sauce was good and flavorful, but I personally would like a spicier option available.
I also liked the serving of the food in small metal trays.
The bad:
Unfortunately every thing that came along with the meal was just satisfactory.
The bun was just kind of a mix between a plain hamburger bun and an egg roll. And not big enough to hold the extra sauce I like, and the fries were just frozen crinkle cuts like I can buy at Costco.
Also, for a 8.50 sandwich I really expected the sandwich size to be a bit more, maybe 5″ in diameter and the meat was barely hanging over the edges, I could have eaten two of them easily. And the amount of fries wasn’t generous either. Just OK.
Out the door my undersized sandwich fries and an Iced Tea was almost twelve bucks, this is a bit steep for what I received. Should have been more like 7 – 8 dollars.
Opinion:
I really like small businesses and I did like the owner, seemed like a hard worker with the right attitude to run a good BBQ place. BBQ itself was good but I feel that some small changes would make this place perfect.
1. Bigger sandwiches, I left still hungry.
2. Homemade Fries, cut and fried in house is the new standard these day IMO.
3. Better rolls, something bigger that doesn’t fall apart after 3 bites and can hold up to the sauce being put on all these sandwiches.
4. Better meal options (what good does a 3 dollar mini sandwich do me if I have to eat 3 – 4 of them?)
I will go back and give this place another shot (because his BBQ meats and sauce were pretty tasty) and I would like to try some of the other items that Unilocaler recommended (smoked burger, Meatloaf, Shrimp poBoy, etc.)
Maybe a discount loyalty program or coupons could work here.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not expensive, just not properly priced for the portion sizes.
On the way out the owner did say thanks for coming and to please come again soon. always a plus in my book.

I’ve been to Memphis and KC, and this place is one of the best BBQ places in the suburbs. I’ve eaten here many times over the past couple years and keep coming back. Here’s why…
Excellent large menu with lots of smoked meats and a tasty vinegar-​based sauce. Had the smoked corned beef today and it was delicious. The smoked meat loaf is good for something different. I’ve tried many things on the menu and the best item is not listed regularly: THE SLOPPY BOB. It’s a «sloppy joe» style sandwich made with pulled pork, brisket, and their two BBQ sauces combined. Ask for it.
The owner is a real character and he can come off a bit abrasive if you’re too sensitive. Truth is he’s just having fun.
The only reason I’m holding back on 5 stars is because of a couple poor items on the menu. The catfish I had tasted too much of the oil it was cooked in, and the potato salad is bland. NOTE to owner: ADD SOME ZING TO IT. I dipped the potato salad in BBQ sauce and it was much better.
Other meats have been good here, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, etc.
Also, this place is BYOB, so you can bring your own beer. Nice touch.

My company moved from this area a few years back across town into Elk Grove Village. While I may have worked AROUND THE CORNER from this local spot, I never actually ate here. To my understanding, the current owners have only been there a few years so it’s possible that this building was owned by another restaurateur when I still worked nearby.
The exterior is not impressive and reminds me of an old Pizza Hut, which it may have been a million years ago. Before I go on, I have to tell you not to allow the look of the outside deter you from entering for lunch or dinner. It may not be the fanciest place but it’s super adorable inside. It reminds me of Famous Dave’s on the interior but a little more casual and NOT A CHAIN (which you should know by now, are my least favorite places to go)
We arrived between lunch and dinner so it was a little quiet upon our arrival but I appreciated the fact that during their «down time», from what I could tell, the employees were Windex-​ing the doors and windows and cleaning tables during this lull in their day. That shows me management cares… Check!
Greeted by a lovely woman upon entering, we were welcomed to pick a table of our choice. We grabbed a spot in the corner near a TV for whatever sporting event was taking place above my head for my spouse’s entertainment. While I sipped my water from my foam cup, debating over the many options on the menu, I informed our server we had never been here before and I needed some guidance of suggestions.
She suggested the Boss Dinner (kinda a sampler of sorts) which is your choice of 3 meats and a side with a salad. I chose the pulled smoked chicken, smoked brisket and pulled pork. My husband was craving beef so he selected the smoked brisket with fries. The meats were all fantastic. Famous Daves, eat your heart out! Everything was tender and fresh. The salad was nothing special and the sides were average but their meats are delicious!
Who knew I liked smoked meat so much!?! Since our last visit, my husband has mentioned T-Bob’s several times and wants to go back soon! He doesn’t ask for much, so needless to say, we’ll be back soon!

Being raised on the NW side of Chicago, I can’t lay claim to any substantial knowledge of traditional BBQ per se.
So I’m no expert. Big freaking deal. I’m willing to learn.
As far as T Bobs goes, I have zero complaints and only a minor suggestion, maybe two.
The outside looks a bit uninspired and rather shifty. Nevertheless I’m intrigued by the thought of real smoke and such.
It’s taken about 3 months for me to get here but that’s only because of mixed reviews.
So I tried the beef brisket sandwich. It was pretty good. Small but still not too small. The beef was sliced with a decent thickness and layered 3 or 4 deep. It was completely tender, juicy, smokey, sweet, and delicious.
The roll was better than a hamburger bun but almost not enough for this type of stuffing but it did hold up through the end.
Then the whole baked sweet potato on the side was steaming and moist. They served some brown sugar and butter next to it. Mmmmmmm.
A pickle chip and cole slaw rounded out the plate as well as my palate. Satisfaction, indeed.
The sauce had no tang other than maybe that of a 9-​volt battery after a year in the smoke detector. It was tangy and sweet with just the right amount on the sandwich to bring out the BBQ– not enough to drown the meet– but plenty. Good.
For ( Unilocal! won’t let me use a «less-​than» symbol?) less than $ 12 I left stuffed. I don’t drink sodas and they don’t serve beer but it is BYOB.
SO IM COMING BACK WITH THE FAMILY NEXT TIME. And I am bring my b.
Oh, yeah. It’s pretty nice inside. Clean and comfy. Blah blah. Lots of parking. Outdoor seating. Blah blah. Drive through, too. Blah blah.
Very nice hostess/​cashier. Very friendly and helpful.
Gotta try the beans, corn bread, chili, pulled pork…
Burp.

My review is only based on take out. Our order was done pretty quick considering we were less than 5 minutes away from the restaurant. I love that you can pick up your take out from the drive through!
I thought prices weren’t too bad. We paid about $ 30 for a half rack of ribs and a burger with sides (that came with each order). With the ribs we got the Sweet Heat sauce, it was delicious and the ribs werent bad, not as tender as we like it but not bad. The fries were really cripsy and had a seasoning to it, pretty yummy. The ribs came with a salad, but again nothing special just lettuce and some tomatoes and onions. The burger wasnt anything special, the bbq sauce is really what made it tasty. It was really big, good enough for left overs. I ordered the sweet potato fries and was disappointed. They were really soggy and too sweet as if syrup was added to them.
Over all food wasnt bad and price was pretty good. Its not a place I would be dying to go to, but would try again if I craved bbq and were in the area.