Sanders BBQ Supply Co.

Reviews

• JA

  jeremy a

  5 days ago
  2.0
  Stopped in before the Sox game and Ordered a brisket sandwich and a pulled pork sandwich for me and my wife. BOTH sandwiches were cold, both the meat and bread, and we dined in and had it brought straight to our table. Not sure how they got cold coming straight from the kitchen which made the sandwich just not enjoyable. Brisket didn’t have much flavor and came all chopped up instead of slices. Only enjoyable part of the meal was the Mac n cheese that was really good.
• AA

  Aly

  May 13, 2026
  1.0
  I preordered food 48 hours in advance for a 1:00 PM pickup, and somehow still ended up waiting 40 minutes after arriving. When I checked in, the girl behind the counter rudely told me, “We need another 10 or 15 minutes” as if it was my fault they hadn’t started on my order. Then 10–15 minutes turned into 40 with zero apology or acknowledgment of the delay. What made the experience even worse was the complete lack of customer service. Not one manager came over to apologize or explain the delay. Operationally, this place is a disaster. While waiting, another customer mentioned he had already been waiting an hour for food he ordered at the counter. An hour for BBQ is insane, especially in a city like Chicago where there are thousands of great restaurants that actually respect customers’ time. The food itself was decent overall, but the brisket and pulled pork were both dry. Good food can only carry a place so far when the service and operations are this bad. No one wants to deal with rude attitudes, long waits, and zero communication after placing a preorder days in advance. The owners need to bring in someone who understands restaurant operations and customer service, because experiences like this are exactly why customers won’t come back.
• BL

  B. LáNae

  May 1, 2026
  1.0
  This is my second time visiting this restaurant. The first upon walking in, my mother and I weren't greeted but the guests after us and then after them were. When we got to the register to order, the young lady with the black braids looked so uninterested and irritated especially when I told her that it was our first time there and asked if she had a paper menu because my mother couldn't see the small writing on the wall. She said "No!" "Its on the wall!" Ok so then we were ordering rib tips and she said they were out..ok fine then she says "I usually tell people to look online before coming up here to see what's available". My mother is 82 no way is she looking online just to see what's sold out. So we left. The second encounter was today and the same young lady is at the register taking orders still looking uninterested and irritated, this time we were able to get the rib tips and then we were asked if we wanted a side, I asked if the cornbread was considered a side, she looked at me like I was asking a dumb question and didn't answer she just nodded her head. To be an African American owned restaurant, the young adults they have working really bring the experience down especially being a young adult myself, I would want to have people to return not only for our food but for our service as well. The icing on the cake was yesterday when my pastor prepared an outing for us and made a reservation only to find out they had closed early due to mechanical issues or something of that nature but was not given a call to cancel, we just found out by a sign on the door...Some things are just unacceptable especially when people genuinely want to support.
• LC

  Luke Cronkhite-Medina

  Apr 27, 2026
  3.0
  To start off, the food was good, but there was just some pros and cons to the day I happen to visit. If nothing else, I'd have to say they are definitely worth going to just for the pork ribs and mac n' cheese. The ribs were super tender and delicious, featuring a very apparent smoke ring. They were so tender, I thought I accidentally got beef ribs smoked for 18 hours instead of my pork ribs. The mac was very cheesy and creamy, and while not deep in flavor itself, was still very good and a welcome side to my ribs. The bourbon beans were solid as is, the sweet potato cornbread just the same, and the greens were good enough, but a pinch too salty for my liking. That being said, the pulled pork itself was quite bland and not too exciting, while the chicken tips THEMSELVES tasted fine, were held back from the pre-applied sauce. Their regular sauces they offered were good, but the sauce they used on thr chicken was far too sugary and tasted very overpower, leaving distaste for most bites. Then, the day. It was a weekend at 6pm, and it didnt seem too busy inside even if there was a line. They ran out of brisket, buns, salad, cookies, most of everything on the menu was unable to be ordered because they "ran out" of said product. I'd like to believe them, but they are known for the smoked burger, and refused to allow purchase due to the bun shortage...yet we witnessed them restock the exact buns as we walked in, which then were untouched for service. They could've used the normal texas toast as a bun even, if they gave a choice, but oh well. I wanted to like this place, but frankly, I wasn't able to order anything that I actually heard good things about. I can't confidently recommend giving it a try as I don't know what they will and won't have to serve, BUT, I firmly believe their pork ribs and mac are definitely worth trying if you happen to make it in.
• MS

  Melissa Spagnola

  Apr 22, 2026
  2.0
  We were really excited to finally try Sanders since we’re big BBQ fans and had read so many positive reviews. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t live up to the expectations. We came in on a Wednesday around 11:30 a.m., and the first impression wasn’t great. When we walked in, there was no greeting or acknowledgment from staff, which made the atmosphere feel a bit unwelcoming. For a BBQ spot—where you expect a warm, inviting, “feel at home” kind of vibe—that was disappointing right from the start. We ordered a full slab of ribs, half a pound of brisket, fries, and mac and cheese. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time, but the quality didn’t match what we were hoping for. Starting with the brisket, it was extremely dry—noticeably so before the first bite. Good brisket should be juicy, tender, and sliced fresh, but this tasted like it had been sitting out for a while. It didn’t seem like it was cut to order, and the dryness really took away from the flavor and overall experience. The mac and cheese was also a letdown. It lacked any kind of smoky flavor that you’d expect from a BBQ restaurant, and there was no baked or crispy top layer for texture. On top of that, it was heavily peppered to the point where the seasoning overpowered the dish rather than enhancing it. The ribs were decent but nothing special—fairly average in both flavor and tenderness. They didn’t stand out in any way compared to other BBQ places we’ve tried. The fries were similar: fine, but very basic and not particularly memorable. Overall, it was frustrating because we had gone in with high expectations based on the reviews, but the experience didn’t deliver. Between the lack of a welcoming atmosphere and the underwhelming food—especially the dry brisket—it ended up being a disappointing visit.

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