Real Urban BBQ, the go-to suburban barbecue destination!

Hey Libertyville residents, have you heard what Real Urban BBQ is smokin'?  14-hour slow-smoked meats that is, sure to please the most sophisticated BBQ palette.

Highland Park native Jeff Shapiro launched Real Urban Barbecue, located at 610 Central Avenue #177 in downtown Highland Park in November of 2010.  In July of 2012 Real Urban Barbecue opened the doors of their second location in Vernon Hills at 1260 South Milwaukee Avenue as a proud member of the GLMV Chamber community.

Shapiro has been winning trophies in the BBQ competition circuit for many years under the team name Dr. Deckle and Mr. Hide.  Well before “Urban Barbecue” became the trend it is today, Shapiro’s feverish passion has had him touring the major BBQ markets of Midwest, the Carolinas, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Real Urban Barbecue specializes in dining, carryout, and catering.  The charming dining room seats a total of 100 guests, which includes a private event space for 30 – 40 guests.  The menu features homemade BBQ sauce and slow-smoked items like ribs, pulled pork, turkey, brisket and chicken slowly rotated on four Cookshack smokers capable of smoking 1600 lbs of meat daily.

Real Urban Barbecue has won accolades including Chicago Magazine's "Hot List", Chicago Tribune's "Essential Barbecue Bites” and the Highland Park Patch’s “Best Sandwich”. RUB has also been voted "Best BBQ" by the readers of Make It Better Magazine, the Highland Park Patch, the Daily Herald and most recently Chicago Magazine. Real Urban Barbecue is the only restaurant to take home awards in both the Judges Choice and People's Choice categories at the 2012 Ribfest Chicago. 

In 2013, Real Urban Barbecue attended the Taste of Oak Brook, Little Bear Ribfest in Vernon Hills, Taste of Highland Park, where they were awarded "Best Service" and Ribfest Chicago, where they were named a finalist in the People's Choice category for the second year in a row.  Most recently, RUB attended the Windy City BBQ Classic at Soldier Field for the first time and received a trophy for first place in the Peoples' Choice category.

For more information, curbside service and catering visit www.RealUrbanBBQ.com or call Highland Park location at (224) 770-4227 or Vernon Hills at (847) 613-1227.  Follow on Twitter @RealUrbanBBQ and become a fan on Facebook.