Russell's BBQ Reviews

I just didn't care for the bbq sauce, it just wasn't to my taste.

Ah, Russell's. Came here as a kid. Tastes exactly the same 50 years later. Brings back great memories. Nothing like it in the world. You haven't lived until you taste their beef or pork sandwich. Just sorry the pickle on the coleslaw has been changed from sweet to dill. And they "remodeled" some. But still amazing. Worth the half hour drive.

Been going for 40 years...always stop in any time on town !!!

Have Loved Russell's for years, always always great.

Service and food are always great. Had something new this time and was really good.

Wife's family have gone here for years. Not typical BBQ; unique but very tasty. Love the pork sandwich but it is not like other heavily sauced pulled pork.

Great food.
Throwback place with lots of history.

Sadly the new owners changed the food, the sauce is now diluted and the cole slaw taste "different" I've been going here about 45+ years. I saw the owner on a show and my feeling is he doesn't have a clue on AMERICAN DINING EXPERIENCE. when you start cutting the original recipes to save money watch out it's a slippery slope to failure. I'm saddened because my parents went here back in th 30's it's a family tradition but since the food changed I really haven't gone back. Nostalgia is lost with the new owner. I was frightened this may happen and I'm just scared it's going to eventually succumb to "Vive Mexico Taco"

My Grandparents grew up in Maywood. They started going when they opened. I have been going to Russell s for 60 years. Can t tell you how many time I ve gone. I now live in Davenport and go there every time I m back in area. My kids and now my grandkids are addicted. Food is always the same. Fantastic beef and there sauce makes the sandwich an original. Fries and apple sauce round out the meal. Wish you had more locations. But eating outside with picnic tables has become a tradition. Keep it going for many years to come.

This is a family favorite. It's the place to go when we're near. I always get the bbq beef.

RIB TIPS SUCKED. WORST I EVER HAD. STICK WITH BBQUE BEEF AND PORK. LOVE THE COLESLAW.

Russell's is still the best I've been going there for over 50 years

I have been going to Russell's since I was a child. The fact that I still go there many years later speaks volumes.

Best BBQ! Going here for many years! One of a kind!

Russell's BBQ was yummy. A bit far from Elgin but the drive was fun with my girl friend. The pork sandwich, baked potato & apple sauce were delicious!

Classic bbq joint. Been going here from childhood. The sauce is out of his world.

Was shorted on order,then got something to go, and got home only to find shorted again, poor customer service when called

Food was disappointing. I loved it years ago, but had not been there in a very long time.

IF I COULD GIVE THIS PLACE MORE THAN 5 STARS I WOULD!!

Been going here for over 30 years the food has nearly changed and is still the best barbeque I've ever had!

I have been going to Russell's since I have been a kid (many yrs). This location has always been very consistent with their food. I decided for Mother's Day I wanted ribs. We ordered and I was able to get over the fact that we waited longer than stated for the order. We got home and sadly the ribs were overdone and tasted burnt. My daughter's were the same. Will I be back...... of course! I feel like it was an unfortunate first experience (and on Mother's Day) but worth the review to just say it was a disappointing experience. I hope not many other people had the same experience!

Good food, friendly staff, efficient service. We decided to eat there because we knew they have had outdoor seating for years. Our family has eaten there for decades, and hopefully will continue for decades more.

Dry over cooked Ribs.
First time customer.
Thanks for the experience.

Grew up going to Russell's love their sauce
So f- ing good you could drink it my favorite is the
Outstanding half BBQ chicken
The beef sandwich and the sliced pork sandwich are also great I think they've been in business for about 100 years
Prices are on the reasonable side

The food is OK. Reliable eats... their portable point of sale terminal doesn't support tap to pay from Google pay app. Come ON!!!!

Got the bbq sampler. It had brisket, pulled pork, ribs and sausage plus 2 sides. It fed 2 people easily. 4 bbq sauces on table to suit everybody's taste which are also for sale. Loved it here! Will definitely go back!!

Made to order, varied menu, great prices, friendly service

I only tried the pulled pork sandwich so far but that was amazing. soft and moist along with the bbq sauce they provided delicious i will be returning.

Service was warm and welcoming. They have a drive thru to pick up the amazing ribs!

Been going here for ages, since I was a little kid...always consitent great food!

An acquired taste, but once acquired, addictive. A selection of food but famous for their pork and beef sandwiches and their ribs. Beer, wine, desserts available. Easy parking. Handicapped accessible.

Good ribs, great sauce, slaw is OK. To be fair, I think it's just because I prefer KFC style slaw. It's good, but totally different.

They need an online menu, but are willing to walk you through over the phone.

Great food and prices!!! Staff could be more helpful and friendly but I dont go for the people I go for the food!!! Best brisket in the area

The food is great and the service is fast. Best ribs I ve had in the area.

Ive been going here since i was a kid. This is a great place to have a bit to eat and enjoy great tastings food.

Food still pretty good. I have not been there in many years. The wife said we will be back.

I have loved this place since I was a kid. It still tastes the same today, which is amazing in itself, it just takes me back. My favorite thing here is the BBQ beef sandwich combo. Make sure to put plenty of their BBQ sauce on it!

Where do I begin? The restaurant looked nice and the menu seem to have good choices, but what a waste of money. I only ate it because I was hungry. Everything it's so expensive but it's not even worth it, the food taste worst than McDonald's. My son who loves chicken nuggets didn't even eat them because they were so fake, and I do remember asking the lady behind the counter if they were real chicken and she said yes. I can still remember how sick I felt that day. I don't like to leave bad reviews but I'm sorry, I wished I had a better experience.

Somethings never change. Tastes the same since I was a kid.

Food is just as good as the old days, but the price of the food has gotten out of hand.

Been going here for over 40 years hasn't changed a bit still the best

Not very flavorful, For a BBQ place there is no distinct smell of smoke. Needs updating

Been going there since I can remember.. don't change a thing

Food is not good and staff looks at you "funny" if you don't look like them. Not friendly. Was expecting confederate flags hanging everywhere because the energy was there

Omg, you can never go wrong going to this place! Been going since I was a kid.

What a dump!

Large menu board but some items weren't available on my visit.

A grilled cheese sandwich was two slices of non-melted cheese between two slices of toasted bread. Talk about yummy. A shrimp dinner came to the table without cocktail sauce. The grilled cheese sandwich had to be remade and the sauce had to be asked for. It would be nice if the cashiers taking the food orders knew if substitutions can be made.

The washrooms - - both the men's and women's - - are so small it's impossible for more than one person to be in them at a time without bumping into each other. They're also not clean. How come? There's plenty of room on the east side of the building for expansion, and I'm sure a staff member could them -- hopefully not the people making up the orders. Couldn't help but believe the restroom fixtures are all from the 1930's. What it seemed to me is that the current owners are just milking the place for all the money they can get.

Sanitation - - One Word: Disgusting! One wiping cloth was used to clean all of the tables that had been used, and at no time was a table or the cloth observed being sprayed with a disenfectant. The wiping cloth, between table wipes, was hung over the top edge of the garage can that was mounted on a rolling cart until it was needed to wipe the next table.

BarBQ sauce dispensing - - also disgusting. It's in a plastic squeeze bottle and one patron was observed running the tip of the dispenser over a portion of his sandwich that he had just bit into, I mean making contact of the dispenser to the sandwich! I have to wonder what the next patron's going to catch?

Overall, I and my family members will never go back to that store nor will we ever recommend it as a place to eat to anyone. The Russell's of today is by no means the Russell's of yesteryear and the place my parents took me and my siblings.

If it closes, like the one in Rolling Meadows did, I will not miss it.

We enjoy eating here when we are in the area. Good BBQ

We've been going to Russell's since I was a kid. Same great BBQ beef sandwiches & sauce. Prices have remained reasonable. Service is great. They've changed with the times. Love Russell's!

There is no other BB-Q restaurant like Russells.
No one tastes just like theirs .
No one s facility and signature smokestack is just like theirs .
History just like theirs .
Chicago is Russells.

I haven't been to Russell's since the Rolling Meadows location closed 6 or 7 years ago, so when I happened to be in the area of the surviving location today I was happy to stop in. I was very disappointed with the visit. I ordered the sliced brisket sandwich, which consisted at least 30% fat. I love BBQ and know that brisket is fatty by nature, however every other place will at least trim off the giant chunks of fat before putting it on the bun. I threw away several pieces of "meat" that were complete fat.

The physical location is an absolute dump. You can tell they haven't put a dime into basic upkeep of the restaurant, except for the cheap and sticky clear plastic tablecloths which drape every table. The men's bathroom smells of sewer gas and the toilets and sinks are clearly not cleaned with any regularity. The floors and counters throughout the place are grimy.

I get that this place has a loyal customer base as an institution to people who grew up in the area and remember their childhoods spent dining there, but one would assume that the owners would put at least a modicum of pride into their establishment.

For the same price, there are several other bbq places in the general vicinity which provide a much greater overall value for their customers.

Great local place, consistent quality food every time I eat there.

My family has been going here for decades. Their beef sandwiches are delicious, and I really like their barbeque sauce. My dad loves their ribs.

This place is a historic hidden gem. My grandfather took my dad there when he was a kid and passed that tradition down to me when I was little. The food is always amazing and the service is always quick and friendly. I recommend the beef sandwich dinner for first-comers. The barbecue sauce is a hit-or-miss for some folks but I love it and I think that's part of what makes this place unique. The sauce is not comparable to anything else I've had. The place still looks pretty original to how it was built in the 1930's and you can see photos of their WW2 victory party on the walls. How cool! Definitely worth a try.

Good bbq in the suburbs of Chicago. The meat was tasty and moist. Their side dishes were delicious also. It reminds me of a hole in the wall where only locals go.

$ 17.56 wasn t that good over priced! Maybe it would have been better on the weekend won t be finding out

Not as good as years ago. They totally ruined the best cole slaw ever

Been coming here for 50 years and is excellent everytime!!

The customer service is constantly prompt, excellent vibes, very friendly staff members. Will come back again when I arrive in town.

We drive from Ottawa Illinois. My sibs and I grew up going there... Love love love the food

I have to come here whenever I'm in from Dallas. A family tradition for 4 generations.