Bobby Q's
(847) 590-0400
1279 N Rand Rd
Arlington Heights,
IL
60004
42.0969
-87.9595
What People Are Saying About Bobby Q's
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Come-as-you-are couples and families roll up their sleeves at this low-attitude, low-ambience spot in Arlington Heights, named for the owners' toddler's pronunciation of "barbecue." Poster and tchotchke efforts at decor are incongruous with the food, though bluesy background music is on-message. Service is enthusiastic, despite occasional gaps in menu knowledge.
The Food
There's a serious commitment to smoked meats here, all done in-house (except the pork sausage) using hickory wood and cherry for the poultry. Some results are stellar, including perfect pulled pork and smoked turkey breast, and the house sauces, spicy Cajun and sweet Texas, are worthy contenders (the former took third place Cajun at K.C.'s American Royal competition). Fans of falling-off-the-bone ribs may find these a bit too firm, and the reheated brisket can have a stale flavor. Stalwart onion rings are a good bet; other sides like mac and cheese and cole slaw are forgettably bland. Dessert is a low priority, as ownership feels "if you have room for dessert, we haven't done our job."
User Reviews
onlyonme
October 25, 2008
Went there last night(10-24-08) for a date ( seeing this girl for only 2 weeks) very bad place to go.Didn't make a good impression on her.They didn't have half the sides that ppl wanted,service was horrible only 3 ppl working and i swear its like they never have had waitressing experience before. Food was horrible,waited forever to be waited on ,to get drinks,to get appetizer,to get our actual meal,to get CLEAN silverware,This place won't to on the map for long....
read full review
plavacek
April 12, 2008
Bobby Q's was awful. I ordered the 2-meat combo - pulled pork and brisket. Had mashed potatoes and mac n cheese for sides. The waitress said "you know the pulled pork uses the Cajun sauce, and the brisket uses the Texas sauce" - "Sure", I said, not thinking about why that might be important. 45 minutes later, out came one big plate of meat. The horrendous, truly unforgivable thing they did still leaves me speechless: they put the pulled pork ON TOP OF the brisket. They also chopped the brisket so it was darn near impossible to distinguish the two. Also, there's no way smoked food takes 45 minutes to come out of the kitchen unless they're reheating it. I don't doubt they are - this may be a Sysco establishment. The texture of the pork was all wrong, tough and stringy instead of soft and delicious, and the two sauces, from what I could taste of them, were both pretty bad. Neither one has any bite to it and they both tasted strangely watered down. Over all, the best thing here was the cornbread. It wasn't outstanding, it was just the best thing here. Before you come here, you owe it to yourself to go to Smoque, or even Famous Dave's. This place doesn't measure up.
read full reviewluky
September 29, 2007
The ribs here are excellent and the sauces(cajun and texas)are both delicious. If you enjoy pulled pork, beef brisket, or other smoked meats this is the place to go for either a sandwich or platter. Bobby Q's has an extensive menu but I definitely recommed the ribs and the smoked meats. Besides having great food here it is easy to park and the staff are friendly and courteous. Get your ribs here!!!!!!!!
read full reviewThe Details on Bobby Q's
Know Before You Go:
Actually in Prospect Heights, the Prospect Crossing Shopping Center is set back off of Rand Road--and is easy to miss.
The Extras:
Value-priced box lunches and "bulk meats" (whole chicken or pound of pulled pork $8.95, pound of smoked brisket, turkey or ham $9.95) are great options for takeout and large gatherings.
What to Drink:
The bar is limited to wine and beer (domestic and imports, with bargain Bud and Miller products).
Category:
Restaurants, Barbecue Restaurants, Catering
Payment Methods:
American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Food Delivery, Cheap Eats
General Info:
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
No
