The kitchen at Fitzgerald's has been
Babygold BBQ since earlier this year, in an overall scene where Q and Smokin' M's persist and
Small Batch has arisen and done consistent if dear takeout business for us during the pandemic.
A bunch of the OP+ boys recently tested out most of the menu together, and while still loving the patio, I don't think it delivers on the pricepoints or promises that it's a notch up (and if one believes our central-casting server who also appears at Autre Monde, competitive with Smoque and Memphis). Pork belly was a favorite at our end of the table, served fresh and thoroughly smoked. The Porchetta special made with the same cut was oversalted and oversauced to my taste. The ribs were fine, and I think very comparable to Q and Small Batch, firm with a heavy grainy rub. The brisket to me was indistinguishable in flavor from Culver's pot roast down the block, a big disappointment, with some bark but very little smoke.
They were out of onion rings ("supply chain is f'd up") but the house pork rinds and trio of dips were solid, even highlights, especially the chips and crackers, which I realize sounds damning with faint praise, but I'd return for all of those and a beer. The wings are jointed / full, tasty but I thought overcooked. Sides were fine, with the pit beans heavily touted but not particularly exceptional.
Much was made of Monse's Tapas Breakfast Bar (as signed), preparing for a soft opening the other direction down Roosevelt. Their current menu reads just Monse's Tapas Bar, and their social media is Monse's Breakfast Tapas Bar, but rather than the potential excitement of either a "breakfast bar" or "breakfast tapas," I now understand those are just unrelated terms (Monse's Breakfast | Tapas | Bar) and that they aim to open 7 AM to 1 AM seven days a week and serve as your new home office, to which I say, blessed be Berwyn.