I Finally Made it to Milt's

I finally made it to Milt's Barbecue for the Perplexed in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago.  There has been a lot of hype around this place, and it lived up to all of it.  The decor was amazing.  Almost every detail was considered.  The walls are covered in distressed wood paneling and green subway tiles, giving it a warm feeling.  The water pitchers are large swing top bottles, the fries come in the cutest little mini fryer baskets.  The portions were good sized, although the plates were a little small.  They served house made pickles as a starter.  They tasted like a sweet vinegar pickle, which weren't bad, though I prefer a naturally fermented one.  They served 3 different types of sauce: a spicy Memphis tomato and vinegar based sauce, a sweet Kansas City molasses and tomato based sauce, and a Carolina mustard based sauce.

I had the smoked ribs, which were excellent.  They had a tasty rub, a good bark, and pretty looking smoke ring.  My wife and brother-in-law had the Milt's burger which they thoroughly enjoyed, although wife found it a bit over complicated.  My mother and grandmother had the smoked chicken and found it very flavorful.  I had a side of beef bacon, which was tasty, although it could have been a bit crispier.   My wife had sweet potato fries and my brother-in-law had a regular fries and I tasted them both.  They were delicious.  They seemed fresh, well-seasoned, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  My mother had roasted green beans and my grandmother had grilled white asparagus, which seemed well thought out and well prepared.

The staff was cheerful and attentive, sometimes a bit too attentive.  My guess this was because they were so busy, and the waitresses were probably trying to turn tables as fast as they could.  There was classic rock playing at a low volume, which I love.  There were several TVs on the walls which I dislike in  a restaurant.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I give the ambiance a solid 8, the food was a 9, and the service was a 7.  Overall I would give it an 8.  I am planning my next trip to Milt’s.  Do you think they are already taking reservations for Father’s Day?