Ooga Booga Bar-Ba-Q

pleaaaaaase come back!!! really, really miss you ooga booga!!! :(

So mad and sad to see this place go, they had the best pulled pork you can possibly find in Chicago, it was totally southern style worthy. The fries were amazing too. This place was so freakin cheap, and I am not happy they are gone.

I don’t understand the rave reviews. There are definitely far better BBQ places around.
We ordered take out:
Brisket — Very fatty
Chicken — OK, a little dry
Rib — They were out, on a Friday night… they were out! Really?
Deep Fried Sweet Corn — Really greasy, I realize it’s deep fried but it was so greasy, I could barely taste corn
BBQ Sauce — Tasted like Sweet Baby Rays
Oooga Booga Slaw — Now, this was good!
I really wanted to like this place but I don’t think we’ll try it again.

I am very upset that Ooga Booga is closing.
I will forever sing it’s Swine Song!

Sorry Unilocalers… can’t come close to agreeing with the five star reviews for Ooga Booga.
We’ve carried out from here twice — the first time being the better of the two, which was simply two pulled pork sandwiches. I should also note my husband picked up them up, because if I had, there wouldn’t have been a second order. There is no ambiance to be had here but I’ll give them a star for consistency — the interior of the restaurant is equally as dirty and unappealing as the exterior.
Our second order involved what was supposed to be baby back ribs, but I believe I was given beef ribs by error. Whatever — I love me some ribs, so I don’t discriminate, but these were freakin’ abysmal! So tough/​underdone I couldn’t pull the meat from the bones, and fattier than any decently-​smoked rib ever should be. Blech — it turns my stomach just to think about them. I’ve seriously had better ribs at TGI Friday’s.
I’m all about supporting local business but my future BBQ cravings will take me outside of Lockport fo sho.

Where in the world is this place?
It’s hard to find. They barely have signs.
It’s in the middle of nowhere.
It’s a hole in the wall
But it’s a great place to eat solid brisket, pulled pork, corned beef, and probably the best sweet potato fries (coated with brown sugar) I’ve ever had. The sauces are good, especially the mix between spicy and tang. If you’re looking for good BBQ and you’re around Lockport, this is the place to go. Their ribs (if they have them left) are good as well.
Value Pricing.
Good Service.
If you like watching war movies, they’re always playing in the corner.
RC cola drinks.

wow? five stars? what happened here?
First of all let me set the right expectations … this place is a dive, a hole-​in-​the-​wall, a greasy spoon. This is not fine dining and it’s not for Valentine’s Day. This not for vegans or people usually ordering a green salad.
But they don’t pretend to be. This is for your primal instincts. Great variety of meat slapped on a bun, slow cooked to perfection, pulled pork, corned beef, etc. goes well with the offered sides (fried, of course). Waitstaff has a hardy but friendly attitude, perfectly matching the food and the car memorabilia plastered along the walls. If you have that craving and you are in the neighborhood, go here. At these prices you will be back.

My brother LOVES this place! He begged me to come with and I’m glad I did; great food, great prices. Fantastic stuff ;)
Can’t wait to go back. Next time I’m bringing my husband — he’ll LOVE this place!!!

Surprisingly good food and environment for being in the suburbs. I stopped in with a friend of mine for an early dinner, and I got the corned beef sandwich. It was very good, and the meat was much better than I was expecting. Service was good, and the fellow manning the cash register was very nice to us.
I would definitely stop again, and try something else, if I’m ever in the area again.

I really liked this hole in the wall bbq joint. We stopped in for dinner after a trip to the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet.
We tried a few different things on the menu and everything was very good. The ribs had a perfect smokey flavor. The pulled pork was delicious. All the sides we tried were good.
The staff were very nice and made sure we were happy with our order.
Everything was great, I will gladly stop by next time I’m in their neck of the woods.

Fantastic BBQ in the suburbs!
The beef brisket has a nice, smoky flavor, and it was also the most tender I’ve ever had. I also had a hot link, which is from Leon’s, and had a great crispy skin. Their bbq sauce is homemade and pretty good, not the best, but the sauce isn’t the star of the show here, the meat is! I believe the cole slaw is made fresh by them, it’s sort of a blend between creamy and vinegar, very interesting. Pretty cheap prices, a hot link is only $ 2.25!
Although I live pretty far away, I’ll be back whenever visiting my suburban relatives.

Best BBQ I’ve had in the entire Chicagoland are. Food was fantastic, portions ridiculous, and service was amazing. The owner, Bill, was a blast and very generous. Absolutely loved this place and can’t wait to go back.

I love the hole-​in-​the-​wall type of restaurant that has really really great food. My boyfriend has been living in Lockport for a few years now and we didn’t even know this was here until a friend found it on a google search. It’s in a random area next to a dance studio and a now-​closed butcher shop.
The brisket is great, sweet potato fries w/​brown sugar are yum, pulled pork is good, and the ribs are great too. The best way to eat here is to order a bunch of different 1-​serving items and share it, so you get a wide variety of stuff.
The milk pie or whatever it’s called is alright; I don’t think it’s amazing like some people say, but maybe it’s just not my type of dessert.
Most people do carryout here, not many eat in, but i’d rather eat in so I can use as much of their yummy sauce as I like.

Sat 1PM. Spare ribs OK. Overcooked. 4-​stars for sauce — reminded me of Stubb’s BBQ sauce. Baked beans are very good — molasses & rib meat — but rinse-​and-​spit cup serving way too small.
Place was quiet, but a real whose-​on-​first in terms of customer service. I’d hate to see what happens when it’s busy. My to-​go order was waiting under the warming lights for too long, and then given to another take-​out customer until I suggested it might be my order. It was. No sorries or thanks for the business. When I got home, there was no roll.
I probably wouldn’t go back just for the poor customer service.

Another reviewer had it right when he wrote that this is «the best BBQ you’ll *never* find.» Ooga Booga is certainly off the beaten path, but OH MAH GAH, their food is worth the trip.
They offer several different sandwiches, from typical barbecue restaurant items (pulled pork, smoked brisket, etc.) to more unusual fare (hot links, the «Garbage Samich,» which the owner told us is a bunch of random meats on a bun). The sandwiches come in «Regular» and «Ooga Booga» sizes, for those who are extra hungry. I’ve had the pulled pork sandwich and I’ve tasted the brisket, and both were pretty incredible. The barbecue sauce is smoky and sweet and delicious, just the way I like it; if you prefer a spicier sauce, there’s some at the back of the restaurant.
But my favorite: the ribs. You know that movie, «Babe,» about the pig? I used to love that movie. The pig is so adorable. But tell you what, I’d PERSONALLY deliver him to the good people at Ooga Booga if they promised me dibs on his ribs. The ribs here are just… :Homer Simpson drooling noise: …I ordered a half slab of the spare ribs last time, and they were so meaty and tender, it was unbelievable. My parents tried the baby back ribs and declared them the best they’d ever eaten. I’d like to think that Babe would understand.
As previous reviews have stated, this restaurant is really little more than a hole in the wall. The décor is silly, there aren’t a lot of tables, and one of the owners will probably give you some sass. Famous Dave’s this is not. But it’s got character, damn it, and the food is delicious to boot! More than enough reason to make the drive out to Lockport soon, eh?

Took a road trip down to Lockport from the North-​side of Chicago to try Ooga Booga. It was well worth the drive. The BBQ was really good. Christopher loved his beef brisket sandwich. The meat was tender and flavorful and the sauce was really tasty. The fries were decent, but nothing spectacular.
I opted for the combo platter so I could try a little bit of everything. The pulled pork, brisket and chicken were really good, especially the pulled pork. I was not as enamored of the ribs because I found them to be a tad dry. The deep fried corn was melt in your mouth good, I could have made a meal of just the corn and been happy. The cabbage n’ kraut was also extremely good, as well as the BBQ beans.
Aside from the ribs, my only other disappointment was the buttermilk pie. I got 2 orders to take home, as well as BBQ chicken for mom. The pie was very sweet, almost like a shoe-​fly pie and not at all what I was expecting. It was just too sweet for our taste.
The place itself was cozy and quirky. Yes, there was lots of nascar stuff, but to me it added to the charm of the place. It was located in a strip-​mall that was off the beaten path, but we had no problem finding it.
We combined our trip down here with a bit of sightseeing. All in all, it made for a really nice day. I had dinner last night from my leftovers, and have enough for lunch today, so we certainly got out money’s worth at Ooga Booga. I am sure we will be back again some day.

This is undoubtedly the best BBQ you’ll *never* find.
That’s right, consider yourself lucky if you get the chance to taste the best BBQ pulled pork sandwiches in the Chicago area. I used to think Uncle Bub’s in Westmont was the King, but not any more. The décor leaves something to be desired (unless you’re a Nascar fan), but who cares? You’re not there for the decorating… you’re there for Hickory flavored Nirvana. And you’ll get it. Every time.
Gonna be out in Lockport any time soon? Well, take a map if you want to check this place out. Unfortunately, the sandwich sign off of 159^th st. is gone now, so one wrong turn and lunch may turn into dinner before you know it!

I have to agree with everyone’s comments — this is a great place and yes, a little off the beaten path. Since I was prepared for the owner based on the comments of my fellow Unilocalers, I immediately fessed up and said we were first timers. He showed us the menu and my wife and I settled on the 3 C’s sandwich (pork/​brisket/​cornbeef) cole slaw and beans. Come hungry, cause you get a lot of food. Everything was great… the meat was tender and delicious and, with sauce on the side, you can add it to your liking, The slaw and beans were also delicious. The samplers looked great too… maybe next time.
AND…you have to try the buttermilk pie — it was something we had never heard of and it’s to die for… so save room!
We will definitely be back!

My wife and I just left Ooga Booga BBQ. I randomly found this restaurant with a quick search on… you guessed it… Unilocal!
This is the only BBQ place in Lockport, and is 5 minutes from my house. Delivery is available — so long pizza and chinese!!!
We were greeted by co-​owner Bill, whose wit and sarcasm, threw us off initially, but comes to be expected and returned by the regulars.
We then had the pleasure of meeting Pete, the other co-​owner and had a 10 minute conversation about his travels across the midwest and southeast, researching his craft of BBQ.
My wife ordered the C-​C «samich», pulled pork, brisket, and corned beef. I ordered the sampler with brisket, pulled pork, baby back ribs, and smoked chicken. Our sides were sweet potato fries, beans, and cole slaw.
After informing Pete of my intentions to share my thoughts here, we were served some kraut & cabbage, which was seasoned with brown sugar, which I only found out, after tasting the sweet flavor, expecting the usual sour of the kraut. The taste and texture was incredible, and I could likely eat a pound on my own.
We also were brought some deep fried corn, no salt, no butter, and my wife ate both ½ ears… easy to say she enjoyed it.
We ordered our dishes with the sauce separate at the recommendation of Bill, who found pride in the quality of their meat, so we complied!
We discussed some competitors and made some comparisons. There is something about smoked chicken that just does it for me, it was great. The ribs were seasoned very well, and required little to no bbq sauce. They were tender enough to melt in your mouth, but had enough turgor to pull off the bone, like ribs should be eaten. The brisket had a great smokey flavor, with good moistness.
The local feel and diner-​style atmosphere of the Ooga Booga made for a great dining experience, and the quality of the food doesn’t hurt either. The food seems well crafted, with well calculated smoke times, which don’t give the meat that «overly-​smoked» flavor that some bbq joints are guilty of. I felt there was a nice hint, but not overpowering by any means.
I will be hard pressed not to order 5lbs of their smoked corned beef come St. Patrick’s day. I’ve had corned beef in NYC (reviews upcoming) at Carnegie and Katz’s, and the silky and buttery texture and flavor is outstanding. Ooga Booga’s got it. My next trip will be for a corned beef samich. Simply amazing. I encouraged Pete to offer Pastrami… we’ll see if he heeds my request in the future.
The only downside (4vs5 stars) is the location and visibility, which cannot be seen from 59^th/​Rt. 7, which both Bill and Pete acknowledge as a challenge. Although after nearly 4 years of serving great bbq, it is clear they have been able to sustain and survive despite the location. With the help of you reading this review, and a growing customer base, I hope they will increase their visibility soon.
They also cater (hog roasts & backyard bbqs), and provide some services to Rt. 66 speedway and the Joliet Jackhammers, so even if you are not in Lockport, you can see what Ooga Booga is all about.
I’ll definitely go back. Thanks Pete & Bill!

I saw a sandwich-​board sign for this place set up on 9^th Street months ago while driving through Lockport, but didn’t get to visit until now. Wish I’d gone sooner! Digs aren’t fancy (décor consists of Nascar memorabilia and a giant mural of a pig on the wall), but the food speaks for itself.
The pulled-​pork sandwich was divine: a mound of meltingly-​tender pork piled on a soft-​yet-​supportive bun; be sure to slather it with the smoky-​sweet sauce provided at your table. Extra-​crunchy fries were a perfect accompaniment. Buttermilk pie with slivered almonds and an almost caramelized top brought the meal to a satisfying close.
Bill, the proprietor, was a chatty, affable fellow; he said they’ve been suffering because of their off-​the-​main-​drag location (that sandwich-​board sign I saw in the summer is no more thanks to a city ordinance on non-​permanent signage), and that is a real shame because of the quality of their food. They clearly have some devoted fans; when we walked in some guys were waiting to take their order to go and asked us if we’d been there before. When we said no, they proceeded to rave about everything, so that was a good sign right out of the gate.
In addition to the pulled pork, the menu also includes ribs, chicken, hot links, fish and chicken sandwiches, corned beef, and more. They cater parties, weddings, birthdays and cookouts in all seasons, according to Bill (he said he loves to barbeque in the snow), so the next time you need barbeque for any size crowd, look to Lockport and Ooga Booga.