LTH Home

Honey 1 BBQ

Honey 1 BBQ
  • Forum HomePost Reply BackTop
    Page 22 of 26
  • Post #631 - January 10th, 2015, 8:31 am
    Post #631 - January 10th, 2015, 8:31 am Post #631 - January 10th, 2015, 8:31 am
    kenji wrote:What was the place just North of Cabrini Green on Clybourn that was painted purple, it was a tilting frame building with BBQ pit storefront and apartment upstairs. It was the mom's name. This was in the 80's into the 90's. She died then the kid took over.


    That would be Farmer Brown's.

    ETA, you might actually be thinking of Edith's. That was little further north on Clybourn.


    Yeah, Edith's was the place we used to go for bbq when I was growing up. Fond memories of loving it, but I was only about 8-10 years old.
    It isn't that I'm not full...
  • Post #632 - January 10th, 2015, 8:34 am
    Post #632 - January 10th, 2015, 8:34 am Post #632 - January 10th, 2015, 8:34 am
    Pursuit wrote:
    Well, I think I was pretty clear, but I'll try again. It was inexplicable because the tips and links were good, not great, on my visits as I clearly stated, and the rest of the menu was pretty poor. Good + Pretty Poor = middling in my view. Inexplicable because skill was demonstrated in one product, little skill in others, while other joints with similar approaches, in my experience, achieved far better consistency across their menu.

    Is that really so hard for you to understand, or are you just so locked on mocking someone with a different view, that you'd rather post a comment that is virtually fact and content free?

    Look, this doesn't make H1 a bad place so I'm not sure why you seem to take a view counter to yours so personally. I've dined at most of Chicago's BBQ joints and if not hundreds, certainly a huge number of BBQ joints across the country. If anything H1's inconsistency is fairly typical of a vast majority of places out there. This, in my view, makes it middling, and serves to explain why it didn't thrive in its current location. I always found the young kid at the counter to be a nice guy, and I wouldn't have assumed in a million years that they'd blame their customers for their middling success. So why are their fans here so insulted by a different view? It certainly doesn't reflect well on H1, or candidly, this board.


    Pursuit, you've got me all wrong. If you found something I've written to be mocking you, then I apologize. I'm not sure what it was, but I apologize. I'm also kinda baffled as what you saw as virtually fact and content free in the previous post. You don't have to explain your opinion. I'm pretty sure I get it. I think our fundamental difference in Honey 1 is that as you said:

    "Good + Pretty Poor = middling in my view."

    In my opinion of Chicago Aqua q joints:

    Good tips and links + Pretty Poor rest of menu = SWEET! Let's go get some good tips and links, since that is what Chicago Aqua Q joints are there for.

    I think I agree 100% with you on one thing, and I've stated it so many times:
    Whenever one of these Chicago Aqua Q joints gets their stuff together, and starts offering better supporting menu items and fantastic sides, it will be a gold mine. The status quo for these joints has always, in my opinion been:
    1. Rock a good combo
    2. Do decent spares at times
    3. Offer fried chicken wings
    4. Get a freezer, so you have a place to store your bags of foodservice french fries
    5. Serve really gross slaw in little plastic cups for some reason
    6. If the customer asks less than three times for sauce on the side, flip a coin to decide whether you put it on the side or not.

    I welcome your opinion of Honey 1, and as a whole, I was not their biggest fan - I thought they did really decent tips, but their links just didn't take it to the next level like another place I used to frequent. (A moment, please...)

    Let me know of the "other joints with similar approaches, in my experience, achieved far better consistency across their menu." (Please don't read any mockery or sarcasm into this request. I'd like to try 'em out.) I have really enjoyed Barbra Ann's, and Exsenator's, but I'm always on the lookout for more.

    Also, if you were a fan of Uncle John's, do you think he would have thrived in H1's location? (Again, don't read any mockery or sarcasm into this question, I truly wonder what ppl think.) And to answer someone else's question - NO DONUTS, just Mack and his tools.
    We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.
    Pronoun: That fool over there
    Identifies as: A human that doesn't need to "identify as" something to try to somehow be interesting.
  • Post #633 - January 10th, 2015, 8:35 am
    Post #633 - January 10th, 2015, 8:35 am Post #633 - January 10th, 2015, 8:35 am
    Alright kids, be nice. Both sides have legitimate points. Coming from the "I support them" side I'll be the first to admit that the quality of the product (Tips and Links) did in fact vary. But it's been good more times than bad at least from my experience. That's the truth and so is the fact thats how many great BBQ places operate. I found that the best time to go to H1 tended to be a weekend night as they anticipated people stopping in on Fri. and or Sat. thus had fresh 'que good to go. I'm not even sure theres 100's of real deal BBQ spots in Chicago but I've been to most of them at least twice and I cant recall a place thats batting 1.000. But it was never a gimme as far as success goes when your main product is foreign to so many, most people in the area have different visions of what good BBQ is. Most of these people also dont have a clue that BBQ is a very regional thing. I LOVE Texas style BBQ but I LAUGH at those that try and tell me Smoque is legit in that regard, it's not therefore I stick to brisket and sausage etc when in Texas (which I'm lucky enough to get too now then). Same situation for when in Chicago. I stick to the aquarium style local spots and always get myself a combo (tips and links) and more times than not I come away satisfied. All this said you're always going to have people who want to eat chicken wings in Madrid and burgers in Bangkok. Let them be idiots. Best of luck to the Adams Family.
  • Post #634 - January 10th, 2015, 9:55 am
    Post #634 - January 10th, 2015, 9:55 am Post #634 - January 10th, 2015, 9:55 am
    Image
    "We eat slowly and with gusto." - Paul Bäumer in AQOTWF
  • Post #635 - January 10th, 2015, 10:59 am
    Post #635 - January 10th, 2015, 10:59 am Post #635 - January 10th, 2015, 10:59 am
    Edith's! That was it. Thanks. That was a nice little setup with diner seating.
  • Post #636 - January 10th, 2015, 2:01 pm
    Post #636 - January 10th, 2015, 2:01 pm Post #636 - January 10th, 2015, 2:01 pm
    seebee wrote:Good tips and links + Pretty Poor rest of menu = SWEET! Let's go get some good tips and links, since that is what Chicago Aqua Q joints are there for.


    I dunno. Chicago style spare ribs, when done right, are my favorite type of spares (I prefer higher heat barbecue.) Typically, I go tips-links combo at the aquarium joints, but I just love Lem's spares and, despite my disappointment at Honey 1 my last few trips mentioned in this thread, the best spares I've ever had were from them. But only once did I get those magical spares there. My second favorite slab of spares was at Cozy Corner in Memphis--also an aquarium smoker joint.
  • Post #637 - January 10th, 2015, 2:10 pm
    Post #637 - January 10th, 2015, 2:10 pm Post #637 - January 10th, 2015, 2:10 pm
    Had 1/2 slab a couple of weeks ago at H1 mid day on a Saturday and these were done perfectly
    Image
  • Post #638 - January 10th, 2015, 2:12 pm
    Post #638 - January 10th, 2015, 2:12 pm Post #638 - January 10th, 2015, 2:12 pm
    This thread has convinced me to make a farewell visit to H1 tonight (and it'll be a weekend night, so I've got a better chance of exemplary tips/links than, say, at 10:30 am on a Tuesday morning), so thanks. Although I never thought H1 hit Lem's- or Uncle John's-like perfection, it could get close on its good nights. For this alone it'll be missed and as a Bucktown resident I am bummed they are leaving - I think a lot of the commentary here is off, but then I blissfully didn't read the Reader piece where the finger-pointing occurred and won't dwell on it. For what its worth (not much, I suppose), I too grew up in HP and was raised on Ribs n Bibs (once or twice a quarter we'd go get Lem's on 59th and State, which was a real treat), and H1 is a country mile better than RnB ever was in my view, so it was an asset to have in my new neighborhood despite it's occasional ups and downs.

    Amid all the noise one poster raised an interesting question - whether Mack could thrive in Bucktown, and I think the answer is yes. I would love to see him in the empty Homemade Pizza location on Wabansia, open for dinner only, and not diversifing into non-aquarium fare. I know I'd be picking up trays for all our family parties. And grabbing a combo every other week or so on my walk home from the el.
  • Post #639 - January 10th, 2015, 2:12 pm
    Post #639 - January 10th, 2015, 2:12 pm Post #639 - January 10th, 2015, 2:12 pm
    Binko wrote: Chicago style spare ribs, when done right, are my favorite type of spares (I prefer higher heat barbecue.)


    For us amateur pitmasters, what cooking temp are you talking when you say "higher"?
  • Post #640 - January 10th, 2015, 2:28 pm
    Post #640 - January 10th, 2015, 2:28 pm Post #640 - January 10th, 2015, 2:28 pm
    Ahmad Shareef wrote:This thread has convinced me to make a farewell visit to H1 tonight


    I made my "farewell visit" to H1 last night, as I wanted my friend to experience it before the move. Though she was smitten, I was a little upset that we were given lukewarm tips&links. Of course, it was 9:30pm, so I'm not sure what I was expecting...

    That being said, bbq tasted great, and I will be making plenty of trips to their new location when open.
  • Post #641 - January 10th, 2015, 4:33 pm
    Post #641 - January 10th, 2015, 4:33 pm Post #641 - January 10th, 2015, 4:33 pm
    kenji wrote:Edith's! That was it. Thanks. That was a nice little setup with diner seating.


    I wish I had purchased their Frispos machine when they closed. I always thought the fries were pretty good there and one day I figured out where they came from. I would squeeze a bunch of their thin, hot, vinegary sauce on the ribs which sat on top of a bed of fries. By the time I got to the fries, they were nicely saucy and a bit greasy. And Edith was also rather delightful.
  • Post #642 - January 10th, 2015, 9:22 pm
    Post #642 - January 10th, 2015, 9:22 pm Post #642 - January 10th, 2015, 9:22 pm
    deesher wrote:Frispos machine


    I googled Frispos. I remember those fries. Loved them. I love fries, all kinds of them.
  • Post #643 - January 11th, 2015, 6:25 am
    Post #643 - January 11th, 2015, 6:25 am Post #643 - January 11th, 2015, 6:25 am
    For us amateur pitmasters, what cooking temp are you talking when you say "higher"?


    Aquarium Pits aren't normally run at specific temps (pit masters at Aquarium joints have thermometers, but also just know what the fire should look like - just like when you cook on a weber) The heat source is direct heat (think grill) vs. indirect (off-set or heat-deflected cooker). In an aquarium pit, you cook 20-30" (approx) above the fire - so it's less heat than a standard direct intense high-heat grill - but hotter than a standard offset cooker (which runs at about 225).

    I would guess most aquariums are running around 325, judging by their setup. To get more technical, the smoke tastes different at these higher combustion temperatures. The faster the wood burns, the "dirtier" the smoke is. The dirtier the smoke is, the smokier the food tastes. Downside of this style of cooking is you can dry out, or over smoke, the meats if you aren't experienced. Rib tips are the easiest of the Q meats to cook in an aquarium pit, because they are super fatty and can handle that high heat and dirty smoke. On the contrary, meat like brisket is poorly cooked with this method (esp in an aquarium), but there are folks that cook all types of BBQ Hot N Fast. Most direct-heat pits in other areas of the country use the technique of burning the wood in a separate pit until it turns into coals, then shoveling the hot burning coals (now burning clean) into the pit. This technique is more labor intensive, requires an outdoor setup usually, but ensures clean smoke and consistent temps.

    In my experience cooking with wood, there are certain meats that turn out great Hot n Fast, and others that don't. Tips N Links are the best item on the menu at an aquarium joint because that's really all that cooks consistently well at these high temperatures in this style of smoker. Everything else is hit or miss.
    I love comfortable food, and comfortable restaurants.
    http://pitbarbq.com
    http://thebudlong.com
    http://denveraf.com
  • Post #644 - January 11th, 2015, 8:07 am
    Post #644 - January 11th, 2015, 8:07 am Post #644 - January 11th, 2015, 8:07 am
    Binko wrote:
    I dunno. Chicago style spare ribs, when done right, are my favorite type of spares (I prefer higher heat barbecue.)


    I LOVE "Chicago style spares" when done right. My favorite spare prep as well. However, at the Aqua que joints, imo, the spares are usually more hit and miss than tips, so I stick with tips. I'm normally ordering spares as like a side trial order at these joints. I really need to get to Lem's. Hopefully Superbowl day. I normally try to rock aqua q as part of the Superbowl spread.
    We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.
    Pronoun: That fool over there
    Identifies as: A human that doesn't need to "identify as" something to try to somehow be interesting.
  • Post #645 - January 11th, 2015, 9:48 am
    Post #645 - January 11th, 2015, 9:48 am Post #645 - January 11th, 2015, 9:48 am
    rubbbqco wrote: Tips N Links


    From a biz perspective I'd also assume there's a better profit margin in hot links and tips too compared to slab or baby back ribs. Tips/links seems to also allow for a "meal special" with a price point between 6 and 9 bucks. which would seem difficult to do with slab/back ribs.
  • Post #646 - January 11th, 2015, 11:05 am
    Post #646 - January 11th, 2015, 11:05 am Post #646 - January 11th, 2015, 11:05 am
    kenji wrote:
    Binko wrote: Chicago style spare ribs, when done right, are my favorite type of spares (I prefer higher heat barbecue.)


    For us amateur pitmasters, what cooking temp are you talking when you say "higher"?


    I would say around 325, like mentioned above. I don't aim for a specific temp, but when I do ribs, that's usually where I aim to be at--I prefer the slightly grilled taste the higher temps have. Also, I like to cook direct, high over the coals, with the fat falling into the fire, which also gives this "grilled" sort of flavor. For at-home barbecue on my WSM, I do this method more often with baby backs than spares, as they tend to be more forgiving with higher heat, and I think I could use a few more inches in height to have the spares at the ideal temp. (Plus you have to watch out for flare-ups with the fat, so it's a bit less of a "sit and forget about it" method.) With baby backs, I simply prefer the direct smoking/grilling/whatever you want to call it vs. the lower heat, indirect smoking method. But they produce two different products with different flavors, so it's just a matter of personal preference.
  • Post #647 - January 11th, 2015, 1:37 pm
    Post #647 - January 11th, 2015, 1:37 pm Post #647 - January 11th, 2015, 1:37 pm
    Finally made it for lunch today to H1; on the advice of this forum I stuck with the rib tip & links combo. First time having this style of BBQ before, so I have nothing else to compare to, but I enjoyed both the tips & links. Nothing mind blowing by any means, but good. As someone mentioned down thread the links do pack some heat; I did find after eating a link that the taste of the rib tips changed because of my mouth still had a pronounced spicy aftertaste (the subsequent ribs tasted less smoky). Next time I would still get the combo, but eat the ribs first, then move on to the links. The fries were rather soggy, but perhaps they were meant to be that way?
    Twitter: @Goof_2
  • Post #648 - January 11th, 2015, 4:10 pm
    Post #648 - January 11th, 2015, 4:10 pm Post #648 - January 11th, 2015, 4:10 pm
    Perhaps it's time to reminisce for the time when Honey 1 was on Division out in Austin. Those were the days, although I'm sure the Western Avenue location has served Robert much better.
    Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik
  • Post #649 - January 11th, 2015, 4:29 pm
    Post #649 - January 11th, 2015, 4:29 pm Post #649 - January 11th, 2015, 4:29 pm
    Tips and links firing on all cylinders, like chewing moist smoke. They're hoping to be cast in Bronzeville by Super Bowl.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #650 - January 12th, 2015, 1:04 pm
    Post #650 - January 12th, 2015, 1:04 pm Post #650 - January 12th, 2015, 1:04 pm
    My opinion, only - so don't hate on me.

    I live 6 blocks away from the Western location. We would get their food when we had sides in the house but if we needed more than just mains (and wanted BBQ) we'd order from Fat Willy's. Is the food overall better? I don't know. But they deliver and they have a full complement of sides. I only just found out that Honey 1 has delivery today when I looked at their web site. (they are on Grub Hub, but you can't do online ordering, only phone). I know they didn't have delivery for quite some time, not sure when that started. And we'd walk over to pick up, too, we didn't necessarily need delivery - so for us it wasn't a showstopper. But they didn't deliver for some time, and for some folks that is.

    The foot traffic on that stretch of Western is minimal. They are not far from the Western Blue Line, but not very close either. Like others have said, I think people just didn't know they were there, or if they did, why they would want to go. Except for all the people nearby who knew and were really peeved when they opened and had smoke smell in their homes all the time. That was fixed, but it started them off on a bad foot with the immediate neighbors.

    Maybe if they were open later on weekends they might have picked up some of the movie crowd from the nearby theaters? But I think Fat Willy and Owen/Engine have locked that up.

    I would bet that if they were in a place with better foot traffic that we wouldn't be having this discussion. There are other places that failed nearby to that location that did have what you say people want - more upscale ambiance, some with liquor license, and consistent food/service. That's just an awkward area for restaurants. Not really Logan Square or Bucktown, middle of the block, and with awful construction on Western lately.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #651 - January 12th, 2015, 1:30 pm
    Post #651 - January 12th, 2015, 1:30 pm Post #651 - January 12th, 2015, 1:30 pm
    Jazzfood wrote:Tips and links firing on all cylinders, like chewing moist smoke. They're hoping to be cast in Bronzeville by Super Bowl.


    No offense, but that's some unappetizing imagery.
  • Post #652 - January 12th, 2015, 2:55 pm
    Post #652 - January 12th, 2015, 2:55 pm Post #652 - January 12th, 2015, 2:55 pm
    spinynorman99 wrote:
    Jazzfood wrote:Tips and links firing on all cylinders, like chewing moist smoke. They're hoping to be cast in Bronzeville by Super Bowl.


    No offense, but that's some unappetizing imagery.

    How about my personal imagery, "like eating the most succulent fencepost"?
    What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
    -- Lin Yutang
  • Post #653 - January 12th, 2015, 3:04 pm
    Post #653 - January 12th, 2015, 3:04 pm Post #653 - January 12th, 2015, 3:04 pm
    Hi,

    When is the Western AVe location expected to close? I may have missed.

    Regards,
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #654 - January 12th, 2015, 3:11 pm
    Post #654 - January 12th, 2015, 3:11 pm Post #654 - January 12th, 2015, 3:11 pm
    I mentioned above yesterday, that they're hoping to be in place by super bowl, whenever/whatever that is.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #655 - January 12th, 2015, 3:14 pm
    Post #655 - January 12th, 2015, 3:14 pm Post #655 - January 12th, 2015, 3:14 pm
    I thought I read somewhere that they hadn't 100% decided to close Western...
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #656 - January 12th, 2015, 3:20 pm
    Post #656 - January 12th, 2015, 3:20 pm Post #656 - January 12th, 2015, 3:20 pm
    This came from Robert yesterday. Can/will it change? Never say never.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #657 - January 12th, 2015, 3:56 pm
    Post #657 - January 12th, 2015, 3:56 pm Post #657 - January 12th, 2015, 3:56 pm
    Didn't mean they weren't opening the new place--just that the article I read said they were probably closing Western but not for sure (keeping both was a possibility). Did he say Western was closing for sure?
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #658 - January 12th, 2015, 4:01 pm
    Post #658 - January 12th, 2015, 4:01 pm Post #658 - January 12th, 2015, 4:01 pm
    Jazzfood wrote:they're hoping to be in place by super bowl, whenever/whatever that is.

    This year's Super Bowl will be held February 1.
  • Post #659 - January 12th, 2015, 4:44 pm
    Post #659 - January 12th, 2015, 4:44 pm Post #659 - January 12th, 2015, 4:44 pm
    From what I gathered (and I may be wrong) Western is done as soon as he can open in Bronzeville. He's just waiting on the city.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #660 - January 12th, 2015, 4:45 pm
    Post #660 - January 12th, 2015, 4:45 pm Post #660 - January 12th, 2015, 4:45 pm
    Makes sense!
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington

Contact

About

Team

Advertize

Close

Chat

Articles

Guide

Events

more