Guy Fieri Absolutely Loves This Award-Winning Chicago BBQ Restaurant

Think back to when we first met Guy Fieri. Forget all about the culinary acclaim and the entire slate of Food Network shows he hosts and produces. Back when he was still a community organizer with dreams of one day becoming mayor of Flavortown, Fieri was just a dude who went to a lot of restaurants while we followed along. Over the length of 42 seasons of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" he's visited nearly 1,500, so when Fieri recommended a barbecue joint in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, our ears perked up. 

In Season 7, Fieri visited Honky Tonk BBQ (now known as The Tonk) to enjoy their award-winning pulled pork among other barbecue favorites. Owner and pitmaster Willie Wagner spent years perfecting his recipes on the road, cooking out of a portable smoker before planting roots and opening a brick and mortar restaurant in 2007. The restaurant resides in a massive building on Chicago's 18th street that formerly housed a Czechoslovakian social club. So while the menu has changed to focus on Memphis-style barbecue, the spot is still a boisterous gathering space for the community. 

Wagner wowed Fieri on the episode by walking him through the process of preparing his award-winning pulled pork. After putting together the signature spice rub (featuring Spanish paprika, rubbed sage, and three types of pepper among many other seasonings) Wagner removes a little bit of the fat from the pork shoulder before injecting it with a marinade containing Italian salad dressing, apple juice, and the rub. Then it is slathered with a mustard and beer mixture, coated with more rub, and smoked at 215 degrees Fahrenheit for 17 hours. "That's a winner," Fieri said while ribbing a chunk off of the shoulder. "That barbecue has good smoke on it." 

Fans have raved about many of the restaurant's offerings, from the ribs to the brisket to the moist corn bread muffins. Many appreciate how Wagner's sauce-less take on barbecue puts all the focus on the expertly-smoked meat. "Rib tips and hot links are the best in the city!" gushed one Yelp user. "I like that they don't put the sauce on the ribs and rib tips, so you can really taste the delicious meat!"

The food is worth the trip on its own, but The Tonk also features live music many nights of the week. The offerings are eclectic and there is an open jam on Thursday nights, continuing the building's lineage of fostering community. Next time you're in the Windy City, make sure to make a trip to historic Pilsen and check out The Tonk.