Smoke Daddy's

Division and Wood (1800 W. Division), Chicago

Score: 82 in March, 1999

I'm a barbecue fiend, and this one happens to be close to my house. What I like most about this place is one of the two varietys of barbecue sauce. It's really tasty and different than other sauces I've had. Its not as sweet and most barbecue sauce in Chicago, and its kind of tangy but not particularly hot and spicy. They have excellent ribs along with other barbecue items and different types of homestyle foods. I've actually only had the ribs and the barbecued pork (and the aforementioned sauce).

This is a small place, with usually only one or two waitresses or waiters. The service has always been friendly and fast, and the servers have always been really nice.

It kind of looks like a dive but its clean and comfortable inside. I always go in on Saturday or Sunday afternoon and never have had to wait for a booth or table. They have live music at night and I can imagine that it is more crowded and smoky, but that hasn't been my experience yet. Its in a convenient location and its easy to park nearby.

The clientele varies, but is generally young, fun, and lively.

The prices are pretty reasonable, the barbecue is good, and they have enough other options that even non-barbecue lovers would find something to their liking. Lunch for two is around $24.00.