Monday, January 30, 2017
Fat Willys Rib Shack
Fat Willys Rib Shack
Location: 2416 W Schubert
Cost: About $25 per person
Im not sure what it is lately, but Ive been craving BBQ like crazy. After a long shift at the hospital, I coaxed Jeremy into driving me up North to get some ribs. Id heard about this place, Rubs, but it was a bit more of a drive than we were up for. Instead we decided to hit up Fat Willys in Logan Square. We ended up punching the wrong address into the navigation and taking longer than it wouldve to drive to Rubs, but lets just say the adventure helped us work up an appetite.
Logistics
Fat Willys is hidden around the corner from the bowling alley and the movie theater on Western. The restaurant has this somewhat enclosed patio out front, and once you walk through it theres a rather eclectic variety of seating and decor inside. The waiter was quite the bro and gave us some solid suggestions. As far as cost, Id say it was intermediate for BBQ. To give you an idea, a slab of ribs dinner ran around $25.
The Food
It was pretty late by the time JR and I got to the restaurant, and we were in no mood for messing around with apps. We dove straight into the main course. Jeremy got the Hot Links, and I got the Baby Back Ribs. The links had a nice smoke to them, but if anything the casing was too firm.The ribs made me work to get the meat off the bone. The smoke ring was hard to assess with the sauce load on the ribs, but the sauce packed a sweet and spicy kick. For sides, we went with the Mac n Cheese, the Baked Beans, the Mashed Potatoes, and the French Fries. The mac had a good caramelization across the top and plenty of creamy cheese filling. I was hoping the beans wouldve been sweeter and maybe a bit less grainy.
Overall
In a city known for such blasphemy as boiling their ribs and relying entirely on sauce, Fat Willys sets itself apart. The flavors are complex, and the meat is well prepped. I was plus minus on the sides, but left the meal happy. Im giving them 3.5 out of 5 Pearls.
Cost: About $25 per person
Im not sure what it is lately, but Ive been craving BBQ like crazy. After a long shift at the hospital, I coaxed Jeremy into driving me up North to get some ribs. Id heard about this place, Rubs, but it was a bit more of a drive than we were up for. Instead we decided to hit up Fat Willys in Logan Square. We ended up punching the wrong address into the navigation and taking longer than it wouldve to drive to Rubs, but lets just say the adventure helped us work up an appetite.
Logistics
Fat Willys is hidden around the corner from the bowling alley and the movie theater on Western. The restaurant has this somewhat enclosed patio out front, and once you walk through it theres a rather eclectic variety of seating and decor inside. The waiter was quite the bro and gave us some solid suggestions. As far as cost, Id say it was intermediate for BBQ. To give you an idea, a slab of ribs dinner ran around $25.
The Food
It was pretty late by the time JR and I got to the restaurant, and we were in no mood for messing around with apps. We dove straight into the main course. Jeremy got the Hot Links, and I got the Baby Back Ribs. The links had a nice smoke to them, but if anything the casing was too firm.The ribs made me work to get the meat off the bone. The smoke ring was hard to assess with the sauce load on the ribs, but the sauce packed a sweet and spicy kick. For sides, we went with the Mac n Cheese, the Baked Beans, the Mashed Potatoes, and the French Fries. The mac had a good caramelization across the top and plenty of creamy cheese filling. I was hoping the beans wouldve been sweeter and maybe a bit less grainy.
The Hot Links
The Mac n Cheese
The Mashed Potatoes
The Baked Beans
The Baby Back Ribs
Overall
In a city known for such blasphemy as boiling their ribs and relying entirely on sauce, Fat Willys sets itself apart. The flavors are complex, and the meat is well prepped. I was plus minus on the sides, but left the meal happy. Im giving them 3.5 out of 5 Pearls.
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