Big Ed’s BBQ

This place is awesome! They had a band who’s first song was our wedding song. The chili was amazing!
They were out of ends… we will be back.

Wow, this place is great, the baby back ribs are awesome, can’t wait to go back, the 3 cheese mac and cheese rocks, they actually cook it while you wait in the oven. The corn bread is also very fresh and very delightful. Must go if in Libertyville

This is the best bbq I’ve ever had. Ribs are so meaty, never seen anything like it. Sides are great. There’s no ribs in the city that are better than these. Plus, they are priced really well compared to other places, especially in Chicago. Their original sauce is fantastic, and they have many other tasty options. The staff is super friendly. They seem happy and never give you attitude. I’ve been in several times now and it’s always fantastic. I don’t even bother with other bbq places anymore. It’s big eds for me now or nothing. Also, the street it is on is really cool, nice small town vibe, and there is plenty of free parking. If you don’t go, you’re missing out.

The staff is always very welcoming, friendly and provide quick service every time.
My bf and I have been coming here since we walked by the restaurant one summer day and were drawn in by the aromatic, mouth watering BBQ scents. We always order the full rack baby back rib dinner and share it. The portion is large enough for two and we still have left orders at times. The sides are delicious and the complimentary corn bread is good.
The ribs are so flavorful and meaty! Best ribs I’ve had by far. They have a large variety of dips and sauces. The Memphis sauce is one of our favorites but the original sauce is amazing too.
Also, parking is easy to find and this area in libertyville has a ton of local shops worth checking out.

This is one of the best BBQ places I have been to in a long time. It’s a simple place, where you order at the counter and wait for your delicious food to come out.
While debating what to get, I found out that they were out of brisket. At first I was bummed, because I have been hearing that constantly at BBQ places lately. I swear there is a brisket shortage. But they assured me that it was only because of a large catering order that day. They recommended the burnt ends instead. I was terrified to try them because I have had some awful, bitter burnt ends in the past. So they offered me a sample and oh my god, awesome. It has completely changed my perspective on burnt ends.
We also got the pulled pork nachos, which were smokey and delicious as well. I sampled all of their sauces, and each one was unique and pleasant. My favorites were the Memphis Blues and the Kansas City.
The staff were all helpful, friendly, and easy to have a conversation with. I am from Chicago, and this place is worth the drive.

This place has amazing BBQ. My fiancé had the rib tip dinner and hot link sandwich which she absolutely loved. I had the burnt ends which were really good as well. Libertyville is lucky to have them provide quality BBQ in their downtown area. The dining area is also very simple but nice. They informed me that they are opening their new location in Fountain Square in Waukegan. We will probably be going to that location since it’s closer to where we live. I would definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for BBQ in the Lake County area.

Yes this place is worth a visit or two. I haven’t had anything bad is a half-​dozen visits with the ribs especially delicious as a dry-​rub style.
I have yet to try their desserts cause you get just too full! Great.

My wife and I have been here a few times now, and we love it. The burnt ends dinner is amazing, the regular brisket is good, and the sides are very tasty. We liked the BBQ place that was here before them, but this place is even better. They even smoked our Thanksgiving turkey (18 lbs for 12 adults) for us this year, and there was barely any left for leftovers; it was a hit.

I was in errand mode in Libertyville and saw the sign Big Ed’s which I had noticed before, usually at the wrong time of day for a meal.
I stopped in at a very late lunch hour time. Three people were manning the service station, one taking my order.
I had the brisket and it was cooked to perfection, very tasty. Sauce was sweet with some spice according to my taste buds – I liked it. I may have chosen the wrong side, but the feeling I get is that can be a non-​issue with some thoughtful perusing.
As I ate my meal, one of the workers (owner, who knows?) was chatting with some customers, making sure that they were enjoying and liked the meal. The pride showed through.
A good place to stop in for a bite of good barbecue.

Awesome place, I would suggest the brisket nachos, ribs or tips. Check out my photos on here. Great place and very nice people work here. Feel honored to be able to eat this well in your lifetime and thank them all when you leave!!!

My family and I decided to stop in here for lunch after walking down the main downtown area (or it looked like the main downtown Libertyville area — we are from out of town).
At first we were confused because we didn’t know where the menu was but we found it quite quickly because it was on the wall. The only problem I could see with that is that if the store is extremely busy, it could be a pain for people to keep walking back and forth to see the whole menu (especially for the indecisive kind, like me).
We all ordered and the food came out fairly quickly. I had gotten the half rack of ribs with the mac& cheese and mash potatoes. The ribs were delicious and just how I like them — they came right off the bone without a lot of work trying to get the meat off. The mac & cheese was delicious. My sister had gotten half a chicken and she said it was very good.
I would definitely go back and try something else.

Solid 4 stars. The premium Mac n cheese had plenty of brisket and nice heat. Maybe a little more creaminess would have been nice but that’s hard when you have so much brisket in it lol. The mashed potatoes were extremely creamy and had just enough skin to hive a difference in texture. By FAR best potatoe side I have ever had at a BBQ place. The burnt ends were very good, plump, juicy with the right mouth feel of chewy meat and melting fat that makes BBQ worth eating. The only «complaint» would be that I would have liked to have seen more bark on them for that crispy texture too. They are burnt ends after all. Too often I think because of the demand places are just taking extra thick pieces of brisket, curbing them to kind of crisp the edges and using them as burnt ends rather than true ends of the brisket with all the beautiful bark.
The standard sauce was ok, a little sweet and one note for me, but when mixed with the maple chipotle or the hot water sauce it was really delicious.
The place was nice and clean and the staff really friendly and helpful. Definitely look forward to coming back again sometime soon and trying more.

We ordered the half slab and brisket sandwich. We got a bunch of fat on a bone and a lot of bread. The brisket sandwich was described as thinly sliced and piled high, at least they got it half right, the the picture. How can 6 thin slices be considered piled high? Also they give you a plastic cup that you can’t take to go. I thought the choice of cups was odd but after seeing they no longer allow each table to take whatever bottles of sauce to their table, like smokehouse did, and instead have to fill tiny cups it all seemed par for the course. The small amount of meat that we did get tasted good but for the high price and low amounts this was my first and last time there.

Awesome BBQ.
I got the pulled pork sandwich and I loved it!
Flavorful and a good portion for the price, this is a place that I definitely will keep on returning to.
These guys know how to do it right!

I have eaten BBQ all over the country. I consider myself knowledgable on the subject. Big Ed’s is by far the best. I have NEVER eaten brisket as good as what these magicians bring to me every time I’m there.
If you really want to know what the angles eat in heaven, then order the Burnt Ends dinner. It cuts with a fork and is much leaner than most briskets. If there is a downside it’s a limited menu, but that is where my complaining stops.
If you enjoy barbecue and you are in the Libertyville area you are a fool if you go anywhere else.

After seeing the great reviews by Taylor M. and Stacy O. I suggested Big Ed’s for lunch one day with a couple of my friends, especially after an exhausting week. This place has been on my bookmarks ever since their grand opening and I’m super glad that we could come here finally! Big Ed’s has amazingly delicious awesome BBQ. We were a bunch of very happy and full campers by the time lunch ended. Their sauce is tangier which I love but I would also like a spicy sauce option (I forgot to ask if they have one). The folks working the cashiers are super friendly and they genuinely seem happy to be taking your order. They’re also very good at reciting the list of available sides without looking annoyed (+++++).
The pulled pork is fantastic. It’s so tender and juicy and makes your mouth water as soon as you see it. The mac and cheese is the perfect compliment to your meats. It’s not too cheesy or heavy but it still leaves you feeling completely satisfied. I love the sweet potato fries too. Often times, it seems like restaurants forget to salt their fries but not here! They are crispy and salty all by themselves and taste perfect even without extra sauce.
Prices are fairly standard for BBQ and they also have a few family combination options if you’re buying for anywhere between 3 – 8 people. It’s also a great place for kids as they have some kiddie options that sound amazing too. If you’re in the mood for BBQ, definitely swing by Big Ed’s!

At Big Ed’s after Libertyville parade Great food great prices Big Ed was working on some big catering jobs. Pulled Pork was wonderful fresh bun great fries.
Mike Steinberger

I have died and gone to BBQ heaven, my boyfriend is from Kansas City and a self proclaimed BBQ expert. We have been on the hunt for good BBQ but nothing ever meets our expectations. I saw that a new BBQ restaurant opened up in liberty like so I bookmarked it and within a week we were dining in at Big Ed’s.
We always go later, about an hour before closing. Since everything is made fresh, the cashier let’s us know what they are sold out of. The ribs, burnt ends and mashed potatoes are consistently the first to go. But, this is commonplace at any good BBQ restaurant.
I have been back a couple times and tried all my favorites. The burnt ends are great. Flavorful enough to ask for the sauce on the side. The ribs are super meaty. The special mac and cheese has all sorts of BBQ meats mixed in– my mouth is watering thinking about it. The brisket and pulled pork are great too. My favorite item on the menu are the pulled pork nachos. A huge portion of chips with more toppings than you can handle.
The portions here are huge. We ordered an appetizer and two entrees for three people and brought home enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
The folks working here are fantastic. Everyone is super friendly and service is prompt. I love coming back here. Even if it is a bit of a drive!

So, so much better than the previous tenant was.
We stopped in for a late dinner one night this week. They were out of several menu items, which is to be expected at a real bbq place. It takes hours to smoke meat — when it’s gone, it’s gone for the day. If you’re at a bbq place where this doesn’t happen, you’re probably at the wrong place.
I had a brisket sandwich that was incredible — tender, flavorful, and on a soft roll. The husband had a two meat combo, and loved both the ribs and brisket. He ordered the Big Tony Mac, which is more like a casserole than mac & cheese, and very, very good. The cornbread is the best I’ve had in ages. I think cornbread is becoming a lost art other places.
Overall, highly recommend — good food and, despite other reviews, the prices are absolutely fair for the quality and quantity of food you receive.

Top frickin notch. I didn’t think anything would compare to Mainstreet for burbs BBQ, but Big Ed’s wins. The burnt
Ends are exquisite. Ribs are great too, very big and juicy. Nice smoke profile. The sauce gets a 7/​10, which is the only weakness to me (others really like it, i prefer sweeter sauce while this is tangier).
The cornbread muffins are killer, and the mash, and big Tony Mac. All amazing.