Hecky's World Famous Barbecue

If you crave some good barbeque but think Memphis is a bit far to drive, you're right! One of the country's best barbeque haunts looms closer than you think. So climb in your car and aim for Hecky's World Famous Barbeque in Evanston.  

That's right, Evanston.  

A cherished storefront that oozes the sweet smell of smokey sauce, Hecky's is located at the corner of Emerson Street and Green Bay Road.  

The secret of his success, explains owner and founder Hecky Powell is his sauce which is bottled and sold across the country. Hecky's is carry out only, and the store front comprised of a counter and kitchen, is the size of a postage stamp. It has become an institution as well as a hub for neighborhood activism.  

Best known for his pulled pork and baby back rib slabs, Hecky's also serves burgers, fries, chicken sweet potato pie, and believe it or not, veggie burgers. While all the items on the menu are delicious, don't pass up the pulled pork or ribs because you will have to drive down South to even come close in taste and quality.  

That famous sauce--it is sweet yet tangy with smokey hints. One taste and it becomes a life-time craving.  

How did such delicious barbecue find its way to Chicago's North Shore? Hecky Powell and his eight brothers and sisters grew up in Evanston. His recipes come from his mother, a Creole who came from New Orleans. In 1983, with a mere $100, Hecky opened his barbecue shop. A blessing for barbecue fans. And the rest is food history.  

- by Lori Rotenberk , Chicago Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Lori Rotenberk

Lori Rotenberk graduated from Drake University and is a Chicago-based journalist whose work has appeared in The Boston Globe, Newsweek and various magazines. She worked as a staff reporter on The Chicago Sun-Times, the suburban section of The Chicago Tribune and The Des Moines Register. In addition, she has studied fiction writing in adult education at the University of Chicago.