Twin Anchors Restaurant & Tavern

In Chicago, barbecue is a tale as old as time. Or, like, 1932, when one of the city’s oldest barbecue joints began smoking its famous ribs and heaping them on oversized plates slathered in “Prohibition Sauce.” One of the oldest continuously run restaurants in the city, Twin Anchors is an endearingly divey abode that befits its Old Town address, and it also just so happens to be one of the most legit barbecue bastions in Chicago, earning top marks from chefs who praise those famed ribs for their tenderness and sauciness. Another expert who raved about the ribs was Frank Sinatra, said to have dined there numerous times over the course of decades. Nowadays, the well-worn tavern-esque restaurant still clamors with carnivorous patrons who come from near and far to experience this bucket list-worthy institution and feast on sticky-sweet baby back ribs, chili, creamed spinach, and other burly Americana comforts.
How to book: Reservations are not available, but walk-ins are always welcome. Delivery is available via DoorDash, GrubHub, and UberEats, and carryout orders can be placed directly on the restaurant website.

The basics: An Old Town fixture since Old Town was young, this handsome barroom has been quietly serving up some of Chicago’s finest baby back ribs for nearly a century. Old-fashioned fish fry, slow-roasted chicken, stellar BBQ wings, and melt-in-your-mouth hand-pulled pork add some color to the downhome Midwestern nostalgia.
What the experts say: “I really think Chicago is on the rise, and that’s not with more barbecue restaurants,” McKenna clarifies with a nod to this humble eatery’s long standing yet understated grip on the city. “It’s more about the people in Chicago and tourists [visiting] Chicago becoming more aware of how great the scene is here.” Helping to set that scene are the legendary ribs, which Bruns calls fall-off-the-bone tender and “super saucy.”
How to book: Call 312-266-1616 for reservations.