Russell's BBQ Reviews

Great BBQ. Family has been coming here for 4 generations.

Been here forever. My kids loved it . Don't believe it's changed in 50 years. Wood benches and booths. Inside and outside and screened area seating. Feels like your camping. Bbq is good and they have good sides like mac and cheese bites. Good experience and family spot.

Amezing place! Every time we buy from here, food is always delicious. Their ribs are to die for. Excellent service as well.

I don't usually write reviews but this place is horrible I feel the need to warn other patrons... Don't waste your time, money & calories on this place. Pick up some "lunchables" from Jewel and you will be better off. The beef was horrible and we couldn't even get the kids to touch the corn on the cob. I think they bought it on Monday and just let it sit in a pot of water until Saturday.. They served it cold and mushy!! Not even edible!

Eaten here for 50 years, best bbq beef sandwich on the planet. Yea, it s seen better days but food is still the best!!

The best barbecue beef sandwiches.
My mom and dad used to date there back in the early 1950s

I AHave been going to Russels since I was a child. It still is as delicious as I remember it.Definitely my favorite place to eat.

Yes the interior of the place may seem dated, but the food is amazing. I've been eating here for years and nobody comes close to matching the deliciousness of the beef sandwich they serve here.

Friendly environment, service is less than desirable, food is ok. Not keen on their BBQ sauce. But at least try it once. It's all about personal preference

Omg if you havent gone to the place, then what are you doing!! The Sauce is the game changer!!

Not a big. BBQ guy....sooo....always the same,. Pulled pork. Consistently. Good. For years at both. Location s. Mmm. The sauce..

I ve been going here since I was a kid and it s always been a fav. I always get the BBQ beef. They have the best BBQ sauce.

Delicious. It's been in business a long time and never disappoints. Good to know you can always count on them.

Love their ribs. It's a little pricey, but good food.

They're stuck in the 50s. Sometimes it's good, but when you still have the same coat of paint on the walls, especially in the bathrooms, come on.The ribs, boiled, thrown on the charcoal for a second and served with supposedly BBQ sauce that was watery and with grainy cinnamon taste. The coleslaw... I mean the sour cabbage diced. No thanks.

Russells is a Chicagoland restaurant favorite that still delights. The brisket ribs, and BBQ beef sandwiches are very tasty. The physical building is almost unchanged since they opened in the 1930s but it is very nostalgic and doesn't disappoint

Do your self a favor do not order the rib tip plate. Thats all you get is thin slices of brisket ribs.

Nice people and good prices but man is it bad.. Ribs looked boiled, sauce tastes like coriander, cole slaw seems to have horseradish... They do provide nice toys for the kids.. Not sure how they've been in business since the 30's. My daughter did like her burger but otherwise it was a bust.

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

Not too impressed. Never got the coleslaw and the meat was second rate. I used to go to this location when I was younger. So looking forward to visiting again. If I wasn't an hour away when I saw my meal, I would of went back and asked for a replacement meal.

A neighborhood icon serving awesome shredded bbq beef sandwiches. The brisket sandwiche is also great. Love the onion rings. They are a must get.

Great barbecue this place is a No Frills old time barbecue restaurant

Great local cozy place to eat all food is delicious and staff is friendly.

Worst excuse for ribs I've ever been to. Noisy, dirty and no service staff.

What's not to love?! Delicous and dependable. Russell's always hits the spot. Please dont ever change anything.

My father grew up eating this bbq and so did I. It hasn t been in business for 90 years for no good reason. It s delicious!!

I grew up in the city so I know food then I moved to the suburbs and I had barbecue there coming back here having Russell's these people have no idea what barbecue is or should be so yeah... there was a bunch of geriatric people there and they just look like they were eating Cook County food

Very high priced .still.as it was thirty years ago menu wise

R~REAL GREAT PLACE
U~ UNWIND
S~Savory ribs,& chicken
S~ Sweet Cashiers
E~ Excellent Cooks
L~ Love the Managers
L~ Loose Slot Machines
S~ Sharon Stone is in the house

This place never fails to deliver. They serve excellent dishes for fair rates, there is no waiting time even when the place is loaded.

Glad they are open. Food is good as always and as remembered. Just now having had a heart attack 6 months ago, I can't say this is the best foods for me to be eating. I wish they had some more healthier choices. When I do go off the recommended diet, you'll find me here!

This place makes some of the best ribs and they also have some of the best barbecue sauce which I purchased a bottle of because there's sauce it's absolutely delicious and by the way the bottle was only $3 great place for eating and to take family and friends

Always a great place to go! Been goin there for 30 years & will keep going

I frequent this outstanding place from time to time since I love the special air that is exist in this restaurant. The staff is highly welcoming and well trained. The service is remarkablywonderfully fast. Most important, the food you get is excellent. I came more than once and I was always happy. The price is modest. I highly recommend this restaurant to to everybody.

I remember this place when it was in Rolling Meadows 20 years ago. I drove past it recently and stopped back in to see if it lives up to what is remember. Sure was exactly likeke i remembered. The BBQ beef was just as good as i remembered.

Food was ok, corn was nice and sweet, the rolls was good needed some honey butter, ribs was ok think they would have been better if it wasn't close to closing time last very nice people

Russell's BBQ is a part of Chicago's west suburban dining history. If you have not eaten one of their BBQ sandwiches then you better do so post haste. Whenever commuting along North Ave I always turn north on Thatcher to pick up a few sandwiches and their famous sauce.

Russell's is a classic. The flavor remains consistent across generations of ownership and control. People who liked it as children are still taking their grandchildren for the same experience. A few years ago, there was a big change when they added some new meats, they kept the originals.

The BBQ sauce is more vinegar and pepper than the sugary sweet from so many places. The smokey flavor is in the meat, I use their sauce and I enjoy it, but the meat is tasty without any sauce on it at all.

After you order your food, there is a short wait while they prepare it for you, it is not instant, but the wait is not long.

Always a good time and the food is always enjoyable, brisket sandwich is always my favorite!

This place is nice and comfortable . I did not like the food . The staff that take order are ruled and non caring. I hang out in the back where the staff is different and serve drinks. The girl at the front taking orders is terrible.

Russell's has been around for close to 80 years and let me tell you they have some of the best barbecue ever

Always fun at Russels!! Perfect place to meet up with a large group

I didnt think you could mess up a cheese burger, but they proved me wrong. Over cooked my chicken. All it was is fried chicken with bar ba que sauce over it. Not worth my money

My dad used to go to this place as a teenager/young adult. He likes to have me take him here once in a while.

The food is fairly bland for my tastes, but other people seem to love it.

The last time we went the CO2 was out on the fountain drinks, and no one knew how to replace it. The staff didn't seem to know how to deal with the situation, and were not very accommodating to the customers who got flat soda.

Been eating here over 50 year's and never ever a bad meal. My parents and their parents have eaten here.

I went through the drive-thru to get a order of rib tips and they were delicious

My family has been coming here for decades and we have made it tradition. The staff is very friendly. The ambiance is classic old american and of course most importantly. The food is exceptional. The russels sauce is perfect for their pulled pork sandwiches. Without a doubt a must try!!!

Still the same as it was when i was a child.....delicious

Been going there since I was a teen, am now 79. I think ur beef is even better now
Love it!

I've been eating here since I was a kid. I love their chicken, my wife loves their ribs and BBQ sauce.

My boyfriend and his family have been coming here for years, so I was thrilled to try it for myself. Prices seemed a bit high, but the portions were generous. I didn't realize their signature BBQ sauce contained cinnamon (or something equally sweet) and that was very disappointing. I ordered the brisket, which was good, albeit a bit dry and fatty. I remedied the dryness by putting chunks of the brisket in my Mac n cheese and that was absolutely delicious! The restaurant itself is clean (just old) and can accommodate large groups of people easily. Rated so highly because of the nostalgia attached to it, and while I wasn't overly thrilled with their BBQ, I'd love to come back and try some of the other things they offer from their extensive menu.

Love Russell s ..been coming here since we started dating in 1986!

Historical. You gotta visit this place. Great food. Generous portions. Super friendly service. Well worth the trip!

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

My family and I have been coming here for years. It's pretty far now from where we all live, but to us, it's worth the travel to get there.

Honestly the food was good, loved the ribs but not the sauce, being the only black faces in there, me and my Queen, the atmosphere , the customer service and hospitality was great as well!
We have to talk about the sauce!!!!

Pretty good BBQ overall. Sides were delicious! I got the brisket and was very happy with it, but my fiance got the bbq pork which was less then impressive. Upon looking further, we may have got bbq pork which was sliced pork versus the traditional pulled pork bbq sandwich. The pork was very dry and tasteless in our opinion. The house sauce also left a bit to be desired, although the packets of their hotter bbq sauce was very good. The mac n cheese bites were very good as well!

Great restaurant that has been in business over 30 years in the same spot. The food is awesome.

This place has been a family staple for 3 generations. I honestly believe my blood is made up of at least 65% of this sauce. The original pulled pork sandwich is simply bliss. I always get it with Applesauce, of course. I will be a lifetime customer and God willing someday bring my kids here.

My family haven been here for over 25 years! Always consistent!

BBQ this is not. Their "smoked meats" never saw the inside of a smoker. I had the brisket and pork combo and the best part of the meal was the pasta salad and sweet potato fries. The servings were generous but there was no smoke flavor no smoke ring. Their meat tasted like it was braised in water and nothing else. So if BBQ is what you're looking for look elsewhere.

The bbq sauce wasn't good. No hot sauce. Over priced... blah

Excellent Food , we stop there often,
Very good , BBQ Beef , BBQ Pork, and Back Ribs are great .North Ave.and Thatcher
I have been going there since I was 16.

Sides on dinners are stinkin small, mashed potatoes are fake as is the gravy. Coleslaw is a taste of cabbage and vinegar, barbecue sauce is way too thin. Meat is decent. Skip the sides and only get a sandwich. Won t go back.

Good food with ok prices. No table side ordering. The brisket was a bit on the dry side but pulled pork was excellent.

I got there as soon as they opened today I ordered rib tips so they were all hard and greasy like they were old I was so disgusted ughhh

Very good beef and pork sandwiches,also their half chicken & ribs are great.Needs remodeling despertly.still looks like when I was a kid.the food is expensive,and little portions,but it still taste like when I was a kid

Their sauce can literally go on anything and make it better