Rib tips are the chewy, saucy, slightly messy cut that Chicago barbecue was built on. They come from the end of the spare rib, and on the South Side they usually land on a bed of fries with a slice of white bread on top to catch the sauce.
The best ones are cooked in glass-front aquarium pits, a smoker style that has become a Chicago signature. These seven Illinois joints keep that tradition going, and each one gives you a different reason to grab extra napkins.
1. Lem’s Bar-B-Q, Chicago, IL
Ask a Chicagoan where to start a rib tip education, and 75th Street comes up fast. Lem’s is a family-owned South Side institution with a historic, no-frills setup that has stayed true to the old way of doing things.
Do not expect a dining room. Service happens at the counter, there is barely any seating, and you will probably wait outside with music playing while your order comes together.
The menu sticks to what matters. Rib Tips N Fries, Large Tips, BBQ Ribs, and the Tips and Links Combo Special are the headliners, and portions run large.
Ask for Sauce on the Side if you want to control the drench.
Hours run noon to 10 PM most days and until 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Tuesday is closed.
I would aim for a weeknight evening, since Friday night and Saturday afternoon get crowded.
2. Alice’s Bar-B-Que LLC, Chicago, IL
Some places look so plain you might drive right past them. Alice’s on East 43rd Street is one of those, a simple smoke shack with roughly 45 years of neighborhood history behind it.
Tender rib tips and hot links are the core of the order here. The menu also covers wings, cheeseburgers, seafood, and Turkey Tips for anyone skipping pork.
Plan for a wait of around half an hour, because the food is not rushed. Rib tip snack specials make it easy to grab a smaller portion when you are not ready for a full feast.
Late hours are a big plus. Alice’s stays open until 11 PM Tuesday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, with shorter Sunday hours and Monday closed.
Curbside pickup and delivery are available too.
3. Honey 1 BBQ, Chicago, IL
Hickory is the word to know at Honey 1. This Bronzeville storefront on East 43rd Street smokes its barbecue classics over hickory and serves them from a casual counter with wood tables.
The Rib Tips with Fries and Bread is the classic move. Sides get real attention here as well, with battered fried okra, baked beans, and potato salad that make a combo plate feel complete.
Prices are friendly, usually around 10 to 20 dollars per person. Waits tend to be short, often about ten minutes.
Watch the clock on weekdays, since Monday through Thursday closes at 7:30 PM. Friday and Saturday stretch to 11 PM, and Sunday afternoons are a popular time to stop in.
4. The Slab Bar-B-Que, Chicago, IL
Here is a small detail that regulars notice right away. The Slab wraps each paper tray in aluminum foil, neatly and completely, so your sauce stays on the food and off your bag.
That care shows up in the barbecue too. This Black-owned South Shore spot on East 71st Street serves jumbo rib tips with plenty of sauce, plus ribs, chicken, and hot links.
The sauce leans vinegar-based and tangy.
Order tips cut thin if you like more crispy edges. Turkey Tips and the Turkey Tip Link and Wing combo are good picks for non-pork eaters, and hand cut fries come on the side.
Street parking is usually easy, and prices stay reasonable. Saturday hours run until 11 PM.
5. Coleman’s 2 Ribs & Tips, Chicago, IL
The name tells you exactly what to order. Coleman’s 2 Ribs and Tips brings the rib tip tradition to the West Side, on West Chicago Avenue in the Austin neighborhood.
This is a family-owned, takeout-only nook focused on Southern-style barbecue. The tangy sauce gets plenty of attention, and it pairs with ribs, tips, chicken, and wings.
Fish fans have options as well. Perch and catfish share the menu, which makes it a handy stop for mixed orders.
Expect a wait during busy evenings, especially Thursday through Saturday. Coleman’s is closed Sunday and does not offer delivery, so plan on picking up.
6. I 57 RIB House, Chicago, IL
Road trippers heading in or out of the city on I-57 have a solid reason to exit at 115th Street. I 57 Rib House sits right off the expressway in the Morgan Park area, with a parking lot that makes quick stops easy.
It belongs to a small cash-only chain, so bring bills. The setup is no-frills and quick-serve, built around classic barbecue and fried foods.
The rib tip and hot link combo is the order many people come back for, sometimes after years away. A Chicken Tip and Turkey Link Combo is there too, and extra bread is available if you want more to soak up sauce.
Hours are simple, noon to 9 PM every day of the week.
7. Hecky’s Barbecue, Evanston, IL
Not every great rib tip lives inside Chicago city limits. Just north in Evanston, Hecky’s on Green Bay Road has been a long-standing local favorite, known for its classic house sauce and the family’s deep ties to the community and Evanston youth.
Look for the Mutt if you cannot decide. It stacks rib tips, smoked chicken wings, and a pork hot link on fries with a slice of bread.
The Combo Rib Tips and Hotlinks keeps it simpler. Smoked chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, mac and cheese, potato salad, peach cobbler, and sweet potato pie round out the menu.
Hecky’s is closed Monday, open 11 AM to 8 PM Tuesday through Saturday, and opens at 3 PM on Sunday. Street parking is usually easy, and dogs are welcome outside.
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