Rib tips may be the Windy City's cut of choice, but that means little to Chef Brian Bruns, whose brisket ranks among the best barbecue in town. Rubbed with salt and pepper before being set in a custom-built, 500-gallon barrel smoker for seven hours, the meat arrives so juicy and tender that you won’t even want for sauce. The restaurant has broadened its culinary scope as of late, but its strength continues to lie in all things meat. Charcuterie is a must-order, featuring the likes of chicken liver mousse wrapped in rich lardo or pork and date pâté.
The rustic space, submerged with natural light streaming in from the windows, is decked out with wood beams and logs at every turn. An open kitchen with a hulking grill steals the spotlight in the back.