Unlike the last couple of spots we visited today's place has received plenty of press. That will happen when you open up a specialty chicken wing shop in Logan Square. Landbirds flew onto the scene right at the end of 2018. I noticed them right away as I drive down the stretch of California that they're on daily. I was there during the first week and within a few weeks after that so was everyone else. Including all of those in Chicago food media. Word traveled fast with these. Landbirds is the brainchild of a local Chicagoan who grew up eating at Great Seas on Montrose amongst other spots.
Newly Opened in Logan Square
Eddie Lee is a first time restaurant owner. Instead of overwhelming both himself and the staff he decided to curate a menu that consisted of what's basically two items. Landbirds is an ode to the Korean lollipop wings he grew up eating. For those unfamiliar with Great Seas in Albany Park it's one of the city's biggest one hit wonders. I call it that bc despite a pretty large menu there's basically one thing that everyone is there for and those are their sweet and spicy Korean style lollipop wings. Landbirds also has a Musubi fried rice aka spam fried rice. It's offered on a couple different spice levels. I noticed some hints of kimchi in my order requested spicy. Nicely cooked, this hit the spot.
Spam Fried Rice at Landbirds
But the reason the hype here was early and often is the wings. Eddie and his team cut them up lollipop style which makes each one essentially the same. They're basically mini three bite drumsticks. There's quite a few spots doing these across the country these days but places like the aforementioned Great Seas have developed generations of fans for their sweet and spicy wings. Though for whatever reason a spinoff location from a relative recently closed in Pilsen. Landbirds offers their lollipop wings in orders of 6, 12, and trays of 72 - perfect for the upcoming Super Bowl.
Korean Lollipop Wings at Landbirds
The goal was to create a sauce that's even more delicious than the ones Eddie grew up with. The result isn't far off from what he wanted. These wings are big and plump and fried to perfection. That enough makes them desirable but when the special sauce goes on they become just that - special. Some people have noted the price being a higher than other wing spots but these wings require a little bit of prep work as does the making of the sauce. You have to appreciate the fact they're not coming directly from a freezer and what not. Good food costs more to make. It's just that simple. You can get an order of white rice or Korean style butter flavored potato chips with your wings. I like the rice bc you can use it to soak up the little pool of sauce from the wings. It's no coincidence to see a spot specializing in something doing that said something so well. I hope this practice can become a trend.
Close-Up of the Wings at Landbirds
Landbirds
2532 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 697-7107
I don't think Sol's on Sheridan has gotten the love it deserves. Don't get me wrong it has a legion of fans up north and has got time in Redeye from Michael Nagrant which is what put it on my radar. But still I dont think there's been enough buzz about a place I consider one of the years best openings in the mom/pop category. Sol's is owned by a lady who originally set up shop in Madison, WI. As learned in the article it wasn't until she met her husband in Chicago that the idea of Sol's took steam.
Locals Favorite in Uptown
Madison's loss is Chicago's gain. On a recent visit this past summer me and a buddy ended up raving about our meal. We wanted to try as much as we could and there's only one way to start at a Korean spot with wings on the menu. We got an order of each (Honey Soy / Sweet Spicy Garlic) and they were great. They don't photograph well with the foil so you're just going to have to trust me when I say they were wonderful. Of note is the breading which is light, airy, and extra crunchy. Typically Korean wings tend to have heavier breading whereas these were lightly battered. Just about perfect.
Korean Wings at Sol's on Sheridan
Next up was a new to me treat I need to eat more often. Korean style Gimbap rolls are basically a meat version of sushi. Instead of raw fish they're rolled with grilled meats like beef bulgogi or spicy pork which is what we ordered. This Korean stye sushi made for a great one bite snack. I guess most places that make gimbap do so ahead of time but here they roll to order. The freshness was key.
Korean Gimbap at Sol's on Sheridan
Gimbap Up-Close
Sol's has Korean BBQ and you dont have to worry about getting dirty if you want to eat some. They do all the cooking for you. We got an order of the LA Galbi and it was on point. I loved the fact I didn't have to do anything except enjoy some really well seasoned beef short ribs. They ripped right off the bone and had perfect resistance as far as taking a bite of meat out of each piece. The $16 pricetag might seem a bit steep but you're getting a few short ribs worth of meat. Another worth returning for.
LA Galbi (short ribs) at Sol's on Sheridan
Lastly they have these Korean dessert cups that reminded me alot of the Filipino treat called Halo-Halo. It's called Bingsu and according to Wiki it's Korean style shaved ice. We tried the original version and while I dont remember exactly what was in it I do remember it being as good as everything that came before it. Sol's on Sheridan is the type of spot you should seek out the next time you're looking for a low key meal with big time flavors. It's the type of spot where you cant go wrong with any combination of items ordered. Whatever you get will be homemade and taste great.
Bingsu at Sol's on Sheridan
Sol's on Sheridan
4715 N Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 961-7109 Website
There wasn't quite as much hype with Bonchon as there was Jollibee but maybe there should have been. If you read my review on Jollibee the famous Filipino fast food chain just wasn't for me. Bonchon is a famous Korean fried chicken chain with a similar cult-like following to Jollibee. Based out of South Korea the chain has locations there as well as the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia as well as six US states now including Illinois. The first Chicago location can be found in Chinatown.
Chicago's First Bonchon Chicken in Chinatown Square
Bonchon is known for it's crispy fried wings that come in only two flavors. Those being spicy and soy garlic. They come in pretty large orders with 10 ($12.95) being the minimum during dinner. First time visitors should go half and half on the flavors in order to decide which one they prefer. I definitely liked the soy garlic more as the spicy was a bit too salty. Still these were some of the better Korean wings I've had due to the sheer crispness of the skin. That and the fact the meat was damn juicy made for an excellent batch of wings. I've been wanting more ever since the last one was ate. We also got an order of gyoza which was good in that it always is. Bonchon has a bar that serves drinks and has tv's with the games on when being played it's slightly more upscale than fast food. According to their website they have a couple more Chicagoland locations coming with Glenview next in line.
Korean Fried Wings with Rice, Kimchi, Gyoza
Bonchon Chicken
2163 S China Pl Ste 1F
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 877-5822 Website
I didn't expect to find some of the best fried chicken in Chicago hidden inside a sweet shop but that's what happened after following a tip. I had heard that Ms. T's had an association of sorts with Harold's. Aside from their location in Uptown I had heard about a semi new spot on Broadway in Boystown. Since it's not all that far and the sudden crave for Harold's had came, I decided to go over.
Fried Chicken on Broadway
I don't think there's any current connection but after eating a six
piece wing, there's little doubt there's a former connection. I would
pretty much sum this up as Harold's with care. As it turn's out, Ms. T used to work there before going out on her own. You can taste the love so
to say. The biggest difference is in the spuds. Ms. T is making fresh cut
fries which still go great when combined with a deboned flat wing and
made into a fling. Becuase it's fried to order you can be assured you're getting a crispy batch of piping hot chicken. They offer up a variety of meals for a small or large group.
Six Piece Wings (Hot and Mild on the side)
Hot and Mild sauces on the side was by choice which I wanted so I could
first taste the chicken as is. Although I'm addicted to the flavor of
that sauce combo those who are not will still get some nice spice out of
this chicken. It's some of the best fried chicken I've had in Chicago. Those that enjoy Harold's will most likely find joy in Ms. T's. I'll be back here for more when the crave comes.
Preparing for a fling
Ms. T's Fried Chicken
3343 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 728-2500
Chicago's Peri-Peri craze is in full effect with the recent openings of Nando's with more to come. Out in the sleepy suburb of Skokie they've been noshing on the popular South African/Portuguese hot sauce slathered grilled chicken at a place called Fogo's.
Peri Peri in Skokie
Fogo's was the first arrival of the handful of spots serving and or specializing in peri-peri chicken. They've been around for a little less than a year and in that time they seem to have established a nice clientele base proving that people in Skokie can indeed enjoy something different. Upon walking in to Fogo's it has the feel of a casual fast food restaurant. Your options are traditional grilled chicken, grilled wings, and tenders which are also used to make wraps and sandwiches. There's also vegetarian options and a handful of sides including Cassava Fries made with sliced fresh manioc root.
Fogo's Story
I opted to try the wings a while back shortly after trying Nando's. I ordered them hot and chose a side of their signature rice which is described as lightly spiced. The wings came extra tender with a nice char. They use the twice cooked method which worked well for these because it was all about the sauce. It brought some real heat that was a great change of pace from Buffalo style wings. The rice also brought fire and I enjoyed it about as much one can a side of rice. The meal was a pleasant surprise as other reviews I read were mixed. But I think if I stick to this order I'll be happy.
Peri Peri Wings and Spicy Rice from Fogo's
Fogo's Peri Peri
4915 Oakton Street
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 675-5000 Website
It had been a little too long since I stopped into Barn and Company in Lincoln Park to say hello to pitmaster Gary Wiviott while enjoying a drink with some nice ladies in sight. Gary wrote the book Low & Slow which to this day is still one of the main resources I use for smoking meat in my yard. But as even he will tell you practice makes perfect. I've always found the food here to be good but they're really hitting their stride. This is fully evident in their now perfected wing recipe.
A new LP favorite with both college kids and neighbors
I stopped in recently while making the rounds the morning and afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday and met up with Gary who had to send out some food. The wings are as good as ever. They're taking them to another level by making a deep green brine with sage, thyme, coriander, pepper seed and a another ingredient or two I'm probably forgetting. They then take the wings and soak them for 24 hours in a even mixture of the brine and buttermilk. The next morning they're wiped off and dry rubbed before a trip to the smoker. Then just before serving they'll flash fry the wings to retain the crispness in the skin. The final result is a wonderful blend of both smoked and fried chicken which comes in wet and dry flavors. I recommend the Buffalo (made with real butter) and the BBQ which are served dry tossed in house rub. Easily some of the best in the city.
Wing Plate at Barn and Company
Barn and Company
950 W Wrightwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 832-4000
I wasn't sure if I should share this new
find in Stone Park in the 'Wing Fling' posts or the 'Shrimp Shacks of Chicago' but it's worthy of both. Located in a small strip mall
you might not ever think twice about this place unless maybe the name
catches your eye. It did mine as they had the "coming soon" sign up for a
while. Last week I was told of this new place I should try near a
site and sure enough this was it.
Stone Park
I
stopped in for early lunch around 11a after being up all morning and
starving I was told to give them a little time as they were just
getting the fryers going. Fine by me. I'm all for making sure the fryers
are up to temp before serving soggy shrimp. The lady working the front
was really nice and told me how their homemade soups have been a big hit
around that way with all the locals and people that work around the
area. I didn't try any but nice to know for the future. I opted for a
1/2 lb of jumbo shrimp and a 5 piece wings.
Jumbo Fried Shrimp
They
did an excellent fry job with both the shrimp and wings. Shrimp had a crunchy medium battered exterior and didn't dry out on
the inside. The wings are cheaper (5 for $3.25) and better
than most every bar in the city that has a weekly wing special. They're as good as most others I can
remember. They have a variety of sauce options in-house that I look
forward to trying the next time I'm out this way. Other seafood options
include catfish and cod and they also do boneless strips made to order
and have fresh cut fries and specials. They're open until 4a Thurs-Sat. Good stuff.
House Hot Wings
Shwings
1743 N Mannheim Rd
Stone Park, IL 60165
(708) 483-8595
Today we're headed further south into the Chatham neighborhood for a taste of the Islands. If you've ever ridden down 79th street from the lake west you'll happen to pass quite a few jerk chicken shacks. Some come and go while others stay. There's also grocery stores and a couple bakers specializing in African and Caribbean goods. Just off 79th street on Martin Luther King drive is The Bay Restaurant.
Located in Chicago's Chatham Neighborhood
What caught my eye here is the tall chimney connected. We smelled some smoke and saw some signs for their offerings including jerked this and that. Myself and a buddy stopped into place an order for some "Up Scale Carry Outs". They have a lunch menu that includes specials as well dinner portions and meats as is. We were tempted by the jerk shrimp stir fry and also the jerk pork fried rice but went with an order of jerk wings, order of jerk rib tips and a 1/2 jerk chicken dinner. The nice lady working the front told us it would be 30 minutes on the wings because they're grilled to order. We took a little ride around and came back.
Made to Order Grilled Jerk Wings and Jerk Rib Tips
Worth the wait. They we're prepared perfectly. I would of liked them a little hotter but otherwise great as is. Rib Tips weren't quite as good but still tasty. I should of got the jerk sauce on the side. Now the jerk chicken dinner was top notch. What it lacked in spice it made up for in the flavor in the paste and the smoke in it was perfect. Underneath the chopped up chicken is rice and peas and my choice of sides were mac & cheese and jerk beans. The chef behind was cooking up some fresh goods that smelled great so hopefully I can make it back here for some more of their jerk. You should too.
1/2 Jerk Chicken Dinner
The Bay Restaurant
7915 S King Dr
Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 783-8542
With football season now in full swing and wings being one of those things people enjoy eating most while watching, today's post takes us to a great place for some take out lollipop style wings with some Asian influence to them. So we head over to 18th street in Pilsen today to check out 'Take Me Out'. One of my favorite places to eat in the city.
Locals favorite on 18th street
Take Me Out as the name suggests is a little wing stop with a few other options on the menu. You dont have to take them to go though as they do have four or five tables for you to enjoy their specialty wings and shrimp while dining in. Started by the daughter of the man who owns Great Seas, she decided to bring her dads hugely popular Asian style lollipop wings aka 'Hotties' to the southside. The menu is small with the wings and shrimp being your options and the choice of white rice or fried is the other. Don't sleep on the shrimp as I tried them recently and found them to be very enjoyable to the point where it'll be tough not to get them next time.
Shrimp Hotties
But as good as the shrimp is, the wings are even better. Just like her dads these hotties here are a mix of both sweet and spicy with perfectly fried crunch to them each and every time. AKA lollipops because of their unique appearance. Only drumettes are used and they cut the bottom so that they're shaped like a lollipop when fried. Different levels of heat are offered. I believe these Korean style of wings to be the best non-Buffalo variety in the city. One of my favorite stops and I encourage anyone who hasn't been to do so soon. You wont be disappointed.
Lil Hotties from Take Me Out Wings
Take Me Out 1502 W 18th St. Chicago, IL 60608 (312) 929-2509 Website
Football season is here and there's no better time for most fans than those first few weeks. That's when everyone's teams still stand a chance and in the cold weather places its still nice outside. So some people like to go out and spend their Sunday's chowing and boozing while cheering on their team which here in Chicago we know rocks the orange and navy blue. One of the most popular gameday snacks are chicken wings and downtown at Jake Melnick's they claim to have the best.
Corner Tap on Superior and Wabash
I hadnt been into Jake's in almost five years. The last time I was there we did a thing for Redeye where we tried out what are supposed to be the hottest wings in the world. They have the gimmick of making you sign a waiver and I'll admit this, those wings were damn hot. Most regular folks looking to eat wings there order from elsewhere on the menu. We started with their fries which are house cut but came limp from a shit fry job done. A waste of $6 is what they were. Of course we had stopped thru not for the fries but to try their acclaimed wings and see what we thought.
Fry Basket
Well first off they dont tell you how many come to an order but when you see the price ($10.95) you might expect maybe 10 like I did. Nope it's eight to an order but dont worry, they only use jumbo wings. I'll give them credit for that, these wings looked like they trained for the Olympics with Lance. I dont like super big wings, they tend to get rubbery and resist from coming off the bone when cooked. Also they cant ever seem to be fried til crispy as they're too big. All these were problems with their fried buffalo style. I liked the Poncho's wings better which come marinated with garlic and cayenne and are grilled. If I had to for some reason go again, I guess I would get those. Toons is a much better option.
Combo Wings Basket (Poncho's and Buffalo)
Jake Melnicks Corner Tap 41 East Superior Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 266-0400 Website
Hello loyal readers, welcome back! Sorry for the delay but you needn't worry, I was out of town eating at more great spots to share with y'all here. In the meantime, football season is here baby! I've been waiting to post about today's place up until the season began so with that we head to the southside, South shore neighborhood to sample some of the city's best wings. Make that some of the countries best. Wings Around the World puts BW-3's in it's place, in the garbage bin.
Located on 75th street in Chicago's Grand Crossing neighborhood
WATW is a small tiny little storefront that puts out some huge flavor. There are no tables so I usually enjoy my wings on the hood of my car. NO! it is not unsafe to do so. The neighborhood is fine and never has there been a problem. The owner is also a great guy who puts out some mean wings. In fact there are near or over 40 different selections for you to choose all categorized by country of flavor. From China to Jamaica and all stops in between they got you covered.
The menu along the wall
I'll be the first to admit I am nowhere near having gone thru all the flavors but the ones I have tried I quite enjoyed. My first visit ever was without a camera but we all really enjoyed the lemon pepper from the American section. Unique flavor profile made these wings ones that you remember and I still do. My favorites are from the US portion and of course the Jamaican. They make quite a few variations of jerk sauce and do a nice job at that. The wings are nice sized and cooked to perfection. Sauces are all homemade.
Jerked wings
If you find yourself in need of some chicken wing trays this football season I'm going to suggest, fuck that, tell you that WATW is the best spot for you, even if your on the northside. You see, wings are all they do so they do them well. It's that old restaurant saying "you pick one thing, and you do it well" and then your spot should do the same. They don't mess around here and the people of the neighborhood support them because they do it right. If good old Buffalo style is your preferred choice well your fine on that since they do some of the best Buffalo wings anywhere near Chicago and if they were located in Buffalo, there too. Check them out will ya.
Buffalo Wings fresh from the fryer
Wings Around the World 510 East 75th Street Chicago, IL 60619 (773) 483-9120 Website
-KingT's Wing Fling
Well today we head north to Howard street and the into the Roger's Park neighborhood to a popular place amongst the locals called Zipz. Located not too far off the Red Line stop it's a Chicago fast food place with just about everything on the menu. It's been around since 1980 and has seen Howard street grow into a more respectable place and luckily has survived and is still an option for cheap quick eats in the area. This is the type of spot that you will find in many hoods throughout America. It's also a place that many people are also scared off by from the looks and it's customer base but you need not worry 'cause everyone loves Zip'z Express.
a favorite stop of locals around Howard street
Whether you want gyros, fried fish, Polish sausage or hot dog, a pizza puff, fried rice or maybe some tacos, they got them all. It's Asian owned so they actually have an entire part of the menu dedicated to Asian food which is what drew me in there when it came highly rec'd over on LTH for their chicken wings. A couple months back we featured a spot famous for their Korean wings called Great Seas and when discussing them Zip'z came up as another spot with some great Korean fried wings. So it wasn't long before I was off to try this spot that I had driven by many of times but never made it inside to try anything.
"Oriental" part of menu at Zip'z
So on my initial visit I was taken back by the menu and all of its offerings but knew I was there for the Korean style wings which came described on the board as "Zip'z oriental wings are fine examples of Korean fast-food style chicken wings. They are sweeter and more citrusy than Great Seas wings, crunchier too. By default they are pretty hot (although I always ask for them spicy). They are not shaped into those little drumettes either (but they are cheaper)." I actually ordered chicken wings on my first visit and they came out fried with hot sauce on them. I then looked at the menu closer and saw they also have Oriental chicken aka Oriental wings. Well it wasn't a terrible mistake because the whole fried chicken wings were perfectly fried and the only thing holding them back from Harold's territory was the sauce. It was pretty standard, but the wings were damn good. I was not disappointed.
Zip'z Chicken Wings
Since I ordered a 5 piece wings with fries and pop that came out to $5 with tax and I wasn't stuffed, I had to get the Oriental wings and I'm damn glad I did. They cut these wings at the joint and you can get them with white rice (fried a little extra) or fries and they come in a number of sizes from 8 pieces ($5) to 50 ($25). I got a ton of white rice considering the price with my eight piece order. Everything was described as is above in the quote and this was the best meal I had for $5 in a while. I am intrigued by the other Asian offerings on the menu and think the fried rice might be good but I cant pass on the wings when I'm stopping in. These are legit.
Zip'z Oriental Wings
I'll be back for more real soon. Zip'z is one of them places that had some character. All the people coming in and out were regulars and knew the happy Asian couple who own it and were happy to be seeing them. On my first visit, one young (and pretty dumb) dude even decided to empty a Swisher Sweet and then proceeded to fill it in the corner while he waited for his chicken sandwich, he then stepped outside and lit it while he waited. Oh Howard street, you haven't changed all that much after all and I like it that way.
Great Korean style fried wingsZip'z Ice Cream and Chop Suey
1635 W Howard St.
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 465-8868
-Grubbing in Chicago Where the locals eat and drink.
Get your drinking faces on and while your at it work up some major munchies because were headed to a classic Chicago neighborhood bar that takes both its drinking and eating very seriously. In fact its the last of that type on the stretch of Southport that goes from Addison down to Irving and is filled with commercialized, corrupted scenes of spots where there are more Blue Moon's and Martinis drunken than Guinness' and shots of Jameson consumed. Where you'll find more sushi and salads than chicken wings and burgers. Like the rest of the city, the business district of Southport has a whole bunch of trendy bars, boutiques and hair salons. Not much going on in these parts for the All American male, unless you like to go to see play's, but then I guess your not really an All American male who loves good regional food like Po' Boy's and BBQ and prefers to eat them with classic American microbrews while watching some football or taking in the scene on Southport on a hot summers day. I keed, I keed. Which brings us to the last of a dying breed and one of my favorite Chicago neighborhood bars.
The best bar in Lakeview
Toon's has been around since 1989 but the corner of Southport and Byron has been home to a bar since the neighborhood was heavily populated with Germans back in the day. I guess from the story's I've been told was that Doninger's Tavern was a low key place with quite a few local "drinkers" that had only one bartender who was quite a character himself. So then when Doninger's was no more, it was bought by a longtime friend of mines dad who turned it into Toon's. The name came from the cartoons that were once painted on the outside wall of different bar paraphernalia like beer mugs and cocktail glasses and I always loved driving by it as a kid. As time went on the bar was eventually sold by my friends dad to one of his longtime employees who worked at his other bars and he pretty much kept it the same. Which was the way to go. The current staff here is super freindly and ready to make sure your first visit makes you a regular.
Toon's has two rooms and has always had a real shuffle board
Danny Beck is from Kansas City and along with his partner Dene Lencioni they are the current owners of Toon's Bar & Grill. When you hear his story or at least when I did, I thought damn dudes done it up bigger and badder than Bourdain. Over the years he has lived a life most people would only day dream of while sitting inside your cubicle. Danny went to college at KU in Lawrence so the fun started in his early 20's attending a great university in a really live college town. What was that? You bet it is-Toon's is a KU bar and you can catch all Kansas Jayhawk basketball games there and there's not a better spot to do so. Toon's will be rocking come March when the conference tournaments start and then after them when people start dancing to the madness. Do I think KU will win it all? no comment.
Watch all KU games at Toon's while you eat and drink like champs
It was after his days at KU that Danny decided to live up life the right way. Screw getting a real job and working 9-5 and never being able to rise up from where you started. Danny took his ass to the Caribbean where he lived and worked in St. Thomas for a couple years before relocating to Florida. He spent his time in both spots working in the restaurant/bar game and then after a few years decided to make his way to Chicago. Danny then settled in working at both Toon's and Nick's Beer Garden, which is also where his partner worked. Danny also attended classes at Kendall college learning the tricks and trades of the culinary world. After making a name for himself he was then given a job to be in charge of Planet Hollywood Chicago and then moved to Las Vegas to run the PH there. After Vegas it was a stop in Nashville and then back to Chicago to run the House of Blues and eventually he would buy Toon's with his partner Dene and settle down with his family here in the Windy City. It was his goal to have a neighborhood place with a nice selection of good beer on tap and also a place where to go with that good brew, you can get some great grub. Toon's has 15 beer's on tap.
Great Lakes Xmas Ale on Tap during the Holiday Season
But what about the food? It's amazing how much good eats come out of that small ass kitchen. The kitchen over there is smaller than most little brats from the Northshore's closet space. I'm talking maybe 10 by 10 feet at most so they got some grill space and a fryer and some room to prep what needs to be done and it leaves very little room to move. Danny is a student of food and loves it like me. During his time at HoB and while in the south he developed a love for New Orleans style food and all things Cajun. So part of the menu is influenced by this cuisine like the fact that since late January up thru Fat Tuesday the specials board has featured different gumbos in celebration of the upcoming Mardi Gras season. You would never expect it by just looking at the bar from outside but inside they serve one of if not the best bowls of gumbo in the city.
Toon's usually has Gumbo on the specials board
"No shorts cuts" should be the motto over there and the Gumbo is an example of why. It's not easy to make a real deal batch of goodness and it takes time and passion. Its also one of those foods much like BBQ and chili that can cause a war of whats real, whats not and how its supposed to be or or how its not. Well your going to get a gumbo with a broth deep in flavor along with whatever is in it on the day you visit. I've enjoyed a chicken version and a shrimp, sausage and crawfish one as well. You cant ask for anything better on a cold winters day watching the snow fall away with an Abita at your side. Its smokey, rich and full of flavor.
The Insides
Its not just a NOLA themed menu there's also all the classics of good American bar food. One of the more interesting things to try is their chili. I usually don't like it from most spots in Chicago and wouldn't expect a bar on the northside to do anything close to good but Toon's once again proves why you don't judge a book by its cover. I never would of thought of it but they use crumbled Italian sausage as their base meat in the chili and its served with the must haves of cheese, sour cream and chopped onions and with a side of tortilla chips. The onion rings are about the only thing they don't do from scratch and its easy to understand why when you see the space they would have to toss and coat onion rings all day. Nonetheless they still have an excellent beer battered brand that you must eat with the housemade BBQ sauce.
Beer Battered Onion Rings go great with the house BBQ sauce
I'm always having trouble deciding what to order when I'm over at Toon's but one thing I usually just cant pass up are the real deal New Orleans style cheese fries. Just like the ones you'll find at the bars in New Orleans being chowed down by hammered patrons in them. In New Orleans cheese fries are done by loading a blend of shredded cheeses on top of a mound of fries, they are then placed under a broiler and melted down into one of the best drunken eats of our great states. I've been to NOLA and I don't remember the cheese fries at F&M being nearly as good as the ones at Toon's. One way to tell if a places takes its food seriously is the use of fresh cut fries. I wouldn't hesitate to call Toon's spuds the best bar fries in Chicagoland and their cheese fries the best in Chicago. If you like chili cheese fries, you gotta get them at Toon's. Other apps I have to have are the pulled pork quesadillas and the fried shrimp on a bed of those fries. Hell even the pickles that come on the side of every dish ordered are some of the best I have ever had, made in house. Next time you stop by, tell them you want them fried!
Toon's New Orleans Style Cheese Fries
Pulled Pork Quesadilla's hit the spot, Monday's all apps are 1/2 price
Popcorn Shrimp with dipping sauces and their perfect pickles
-KingT's Wing Fling
When I told you Toon's had the barfood down pat the wings are where we start. I've been on my wing fling for years now and have sampled Buffalo wings from 100's of spots around town. If your a Winger like me and also love your sports then you might of heard the recent "best Buffalo Wings in Chicagoland" contest over on Sportsradio 670 the Score. Well when you include places like BW-3 and Wingstop in the discussion, you've already got me questioning your knowledge and have people questioning the nomination process. Guess where I go when I have to get my wing on? I have always loved the Birds Nest and their most excellent wings but over the past year they had their title taken by Toon's. Where I go to calm my wing fiends. In fact one of my friends who is as knowledgeable as it gets when it comes to regional eats and is from Buffalo originally said this "No doubt about it, Toons is this Buffalonian's current choice for wings."
Real Deal Buffalo Wings from Toon's and the best in city
Word spreads fast when around Chicagoland because Toon's wings have been featured in the Tribune and named best in city by 100's of food lovers like myself in a very short period of time. Your going to get textbook Buffalo Wings when you eat them here. The wings are big and meaty so its important they are fried perfectly, well they are. The next step is the sauce which needs to have the perfect balance of hot and sour and made with the basics, butter and vinegar laced hot sauce. Everything about Toon's Buffalo wings are the best in city. Even the blue cheese dressing is the real thing with chunks of blue cheese and by far the best of its type I have had. Danny also makes an in house KC style BBQ sauce that can be had on the wings. His BBQ sauce is some of my favorite out there and if you mention chibbqking they'll make you up a batch of KC-BBQ wings that they finish on the grill. They aren't on the menu due to limited grill space. I'm getting really hungry. Not surprisingly The Score's Wing contest didn't even include Toon's or Bird's Nest as contenders. Pfffft!!!
KC BBQ Wings, Thursday is Wing Night ($2.50/basket)
-Got beef? The burgers of Chi
Just like any other joint that is considered to have good bar food they do up a fine burger at Toon's. Nothing frozen or pre-formed here. If you decide to go the route of a burger you'll get a fresh hand patted, half pound beauty available in a variety of ways and served with the fresh cut fries and plenty of them perfect pickles all on a wonderful bakery baked bun. If you go on a Wednesday they'll be just $4 along with $3 drafts, cant beat that. Especially when those $3 drafts include some real nice beers.
Surf & Turf: Toon's burger paired with fried catfish
KC Burger Special comes with bacon, cheddar and plenty of BBQ sauce
Wednesday is burger day at Toon's ($4) pictured is a black and bleu burger
-The Sammy's of Chi
Continuing with the theme of NOLA and other southern delights on the menu are the Po' Boy's and other sandwiches which are all outstanding. You will also find a wonderful ever changing selection of sammy's on the specials board along with the everyday goodies. One of my favorite sandwiches is the fried oyster Po' boy which is on special thru Fat Tuesday and always ordered with extra pickles by me. When it comes to the sandwich selection you pick which one sounds good and it will be. There's a fried buffalo chicken Po' Boy that is excellent as well as a grilled Cajun dusted Po' Boy that is as good as any grilled chicken I've had. Not pictured is the catfish Po' Boy and that's great too. I haven't tried the grilled portabella shroom sandwich but I bet I'd like it if I was a veg-head.
Fried Oyster Po' Boy on special thru Fat Tuesday
Buffalo Chicken Po' Boy
Grilled Cajun Chicken Po' Boy
Its not over folks, Toon's takes all of its space and puts it to good use. This is why out back behind the bar in the little two car parking lot you'll find a smoker where they do up real smoked BBQ items such as ribs, pulled pork and turkey breasts smoked with wood and those are just the everyday items-food specials come from the smoker too. Screw the fact there isn't but room for a 10 by 10 foot kitchen, they just smoke some BBQ out back. Once again you would never know it (unless you got a whiff of the smoke from out back) but the longtime corner bar at Southport and Byron also has some of the best BBQ in the city and certainly the best of any bar. Danny is from KC and is a true student of BBQ. He's been all around the country in search of it and seeking out tips and advice from some of the best like Mike Mills on how to perfect it. So there isn't a day that goes by where you wont find Danny and his top notch staff smokin' out back.
Along with those many fine sammy's mentioned above there's another one to be had. The staff will smoke turkey breasts and uses the meat for an amazing turkey sandwich that is sure to have even someone like me who's not big on turkey, loving it. When I had my 1st fried turkey about 6 years back I knew I was done with the baked stuff. Great stuff it was moist and full of flavor from the homemade rub with the perfect touch of smoke, which goes really well with turkey. You can try it the Jive way and the pulled turkey comes topped with BBQ sauce, provolone cheese, bacon and fried onion straws or get it with just the BBQ sauce on top.
Turkey Breasts Smokin' away
Pulled Turkey Sandwich made with smoked turkey breast
I've had the ribs quite a few times from Toon's and never had a bad batch. Sure like any other real deal BBQ place the goodness can vary depending on when your getting them since you don't make real BBQ in 15 minutes. I've had them fresh off the smoker and when ordered from the lovely female servers and they always make my mouth drool. I think the best batches have perfect smoke flavor and were just in between from being too chewy and too loose making them just right. When you consider this is a neighborhood corner bar (in Lakeview) putting out ribs like that, its damn impressive. Look I love Twin Anchors and its history and old school charm and will even eat their tasty Baked (not BBQ) ribs (if your paying) but there's no way they have the best ribs in Chicago and there's no way they have the best ribs at the bars. That honor belongs to Toon's. Danny being as he is from KC has even spent the past years perfecting a KC style BBQ sauce that is one of my favorites out there.
Toon's Ribs are real smoked BBQ, nothing baked or boiled here
Friday is rib Night ($10 for 1/2 slab)
Smoked Ribs ala Toon's
But even after all the great grub previously pictured we haven't even gotten to Toon's signature move in the food game. Going on for over ten years now has been the Toon's all you can eat crawfish boil done up just like they would down in Louisiana. In fact its gotten so popular that its not just a one time thing anymore they have quite a few during the crawfish season. With it being the very early start of mud bug season there was a small boil of 250 pounds there on Super Bowl Sunday and it was da bomb. Who Dat?
a cooler full of mud bugs, sausage, corn and potato's
In just another fine example of taking everything seriously Toon's will order their crawfish from Louisiana and have them delivered live the day of the boil where they are picked up at O'Hare that morning. When they get back to the bar with the mud bugs Danny and his team of super cooks get to work by throwing the crawdaddy's into pots of spiced water along with halved heads of garlic, corn, potatoes and three types of sausage. The tubed meat's thrown in were andouille, kielbasa and Child's Play hot dogs (the cheap turkey/chicken/pork kind) of which the Oscar Meyer like hot dogs actually came to very good use. One of Danny's buddy's Mark introduced me to this little trick to make cheap hot dogs actually edible. The dogs absorbed a high percentage of the spicy crawfish infused cooking liquid thus packing them full of flavor with everything in the pot making its mark in them.
Video from Super Sunday
The boils work like this. You pay your $25 and you grab a seat at any of the tables layered in newspaper and take a bucket and throw what you in it from the cooler and bring it back to your table and dump it out and start chowing down. Also included in this wonderful must do eating deal are all the red beans and rice you care to eat. Its all in the family with the Beck's as Danny's lovely wife Annie takes care of a few of things fro the Bar including the creamy red beans and rice packed with the perfect amount of smoke flavor from a whole lot of sausage. I would pay $20 to eat the beans and rice alone all day while I drink $3 High Lifes and watch sports.
Mrs. Toon's magnificent Red Beans & Rice
If your looking at these crawfish boil pics and starting to get an itch for them well you need to mark off Saturday March 20th on your calendars. That is the date of the next crawdaddy extravaganza over at Toon's and it also happens to be the Saturday of the opening weekend of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament. I can hardly wait. Come catch me and lets throw a few back and kill some crawfish and watch our tourney sheets closely. I also have a special offer to all my readers from the peopel at Toon's. I met Danny thru the neighborhood and being known by the same people and he's a big follower of S'C&C and would like to offer all of its readers a 20% discount on all food bills thru next Friday. So in case you were wondering where you were gonna spend your Fat Tuesday...you now know. Holladay.
Toon's annual crawfish boil is a blowout each March
Toon's Bar & Grill 3857 North Southport Avenue Chicago, IL 60613-2823 (773) 935-1919 Website
