Today we’d like to introduce you to Barry Sorkin.
Barry, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I had been working for an IT Consulting firm for about 8 years. I had been complaining about it for about 7. I was a backyard BBQ cook and I had thought I’d gotten pretty good at it. It also seemed to me that Chicago was lacking the kind of BBQ I had when I visited Austin, Memphis, Kansas City, and the Carolinas. So I hated my job; I loved BBQ, and I thought Chicago needed better BBQ. From there, it was just a matter of finding the courage.
Once we opened, it was clear that I was not the only one in Chicago longing for better BBQ. Almost immediately, people started lining up. All we had to do was make sure that we put out a great product to keep them coming back!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think anyone in the restaurant business who says it’s been a smooth ride is lying. When we opened, we were woefully understaffed. We working crazy hours just to keep the place from getting crushed under its own weight. It took us about 3 years to get into what I would call a steady state. But let’s be honest. It’s still the restaurant business. There are always challenges. But every year we get a little better at it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Smoque BBQ – what should we know?
Almost immediately, we became known for our brisket. We tried to stay true to the traditional Austin style, but still making it distinctly ours. At the time, brisket wasn’t really part of the Chicago BBQ picture. Chicago had been much more of a rib town. Pulled pork was starting to pop up a bit, but exposure to brisket was pretty limited.
We try to be the place where everything on the menu is great. We make all of our own sides from scratch. We decided early on that there will be no throw-away items. If we put it on someone’s plate, we want to be proud of it. I think people notice those details and it makes a difference in their experience.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3800 N Pulaski Chicago, IL 60641
- Website: www.smoquebbq.com
- Phone: 773-545-7427
- Email: barry@smoquebbq.com
- Facebook: Smoque BBQ
- Twitter: @smoquebbq
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