Squeaky’s BBQ will open at 11 a.m. tomorrow at 1633 E. Court St. in Kankakee. They will offer BBQ ribs, chicken, fish and hamburgers.
Dining is available inside, and there are plans to add picnic tables for outdoor seating.
Hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
To order, call (815) 614-3119.
From a reader named Jack:
“Bull’s Pit Smoked Barbecue (125 W. Station St., Kankakee) offers a FRESH tenderloin sandwich that I believe may possibly be the best in all of Illinois, definitely all of Chicagoland. Seriously, It could be ranked among the front runners in Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, or anywhere. It’s not cheap (about $7) but it comes with your choice of two side dishes.”
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 12, when the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold their (second annual?) Tailgate Challenge. The grilling competition takes place behind Commonwealth Credit Union and Brickstone Restaurant & Brewery in Bourbonnais.
For more information on the event, read my blog post about last year’s competition. (In a nutshell, there was lots and lots of awesome food.) You can also see photos on the Your Pix section of this site.
A reader named Donna sent me this via email:
“My husband and I went to Jimmy Jo’s last Saturday evening (21st). Arrived around 7:00. They were already out of pulled pork, bbq ribs and smoked turkey. We had the beef brisket dinner and it was wonderful!
Since they are new in town I’m sure they will get a handle on how much food to make. They informed us that it takes 15 hours of slow cooking for their meats and they don’t want leftovers.”
The weekly Best Bites column that appears in The Daily Journal print edition is now online. You can read it here.
Bull’s on Broadway is now open inside The Spot (1010 W. Broadway) in Bradley. This is the second restaurant for Ryan (a.k.a. “Bull”) Wilder, who opened Bull’s Pit Smoked Barbecue in Kankakee last year.
The Bull’s on Broadway menu is still heavy on the barbecue, but with new offerings, too. Appetizers include Irish Nachos, an awesome combination of French fries, melted cheese, bacon pieces and a drizzle of Ranch dressing. Sandwiches include an Ultimate Grilled Cheese, made with Parmesan-crusted Texas toast, three kinds of cheese and bacon. Then there are the pub burgers. Choosing from the eight options on the menu (including the BBQ burger, Western Burger, Extreme Cheese Burger and Bull’s Gut Buster) is tough, but I can’t resist the unusual, so I ordered The Hangover Burger. It comes topped with cheese and a fried egg, and it was delicious. See photos below.
Bull’s on Broadway is open Tuesday through Sunday. Lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner service starts at 5 p.m. and stays open depending on how busy the bar is. Their phone number is (815) 935-9971.
As for the Kankakee Bull’s location, Ryan is completing the paperwork for a liquor license, and he expects to add beer and wine to the menu by early this summer. He also told me their sweet tea is excellent with Malibu Rum, so expect to see that offered, also. Ryan isn’t sure what he’ll call the concoction, though, so if you have any good ideas, you can leave a comment below.
I learned last night that the new Bull’s opens today in Bradley.
Bull’s On Broadway is inside The Spot, which is at 1010 W. Broadway. The original restaurant, Bull’s Pit Smoked Barbecue, is on Station Street in Kankakee.
I’m heading there today for lunch and will post more details when I have them.
Jimmy Jo’s BBQ is now open — or at least it will be in a few hours. The restaurant is at 665 N. Convent in Bourbonnais.
My husband and I stopped in yesterday for their soft opening (where the employees get to practice on sympathetic customers before working with the general public) and enjoyed a tasty and filling lunch. We both had pork sandwiches, mine Carolina style and Brendan’s Cowboy style. Mine came with cole slaw on top, and Brendan’s came with guacamole. (That’s an unusual topping for pork, I know, but I tried it and will definitely order it next time.)
The pork was moist and flavorful, and there were big chunks of it, not thin shreds. It didn’t come with sauce, which I prefer because then you can really taste the meat. If you prefer wet barbecue, you can ask for your meat “sauced” when you place your order, or add it yourself at the table. Jimmy Jo’s has three sauces to choose from — Chicago, Texas or Carolina. Chicago is sweet, bold and thick; Texas is thinner and spicier; Carolina is a tangy vinegar-based sauce that has the consistency of Italian dressing.
The restaurant, which formerly was a car wash and auto detailing center, now features what I would describe as traditional barbecue restaurant decor — wood paneling, tables with red-checkered tablecloths, and rolls of paper towel at your table to use as napkins.
The menu includes all the usual BBQ suspects (brisket, pork and ribs), plus smoked turkey, chicken and hot links. The sandwich and meal combos come with two sides, including a very nice potato salad made with skin-on red potatoes. Brendan particularly liked the baked beans, which had a distinct smokey flavor, just like the meat. Bottled beer and wine is available.
Jimmy Jo’s opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and closes at 8 p.m. on weeknights and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. They’re closed on Sunday.
To place an order to go, call (815) 933-7500.
Here are photos of the inside of the restaurant and our food:
Jimmy Jo's BBQ
The Carolina (front) and Cowboy pork sandwiches.
