Jay's Backyard BBQ

((Updated post)) Finally put some pics up because by the time I get home I'm ready to smash after the wait which is between 20 mins to over an hour. 1st of the month and weekends are usually the longest wait time. I wish Jay's had a way to order by phone or online directly with business. Food: I've had just about everything on the menu with no disappointment. Tips are my favorite and I've had them way too many times. Here's a 1st of the month/weekend tip. Don't go to them an hour and sometimes 2 hours before they close if you want a popular menu item because they'll run out and you'll be disappointed. Best tips in Chicagoland and maybe Illinois in my opinion. Meaty, not tough, not fatty, very flavorful with sauce and without.

I ordered the v.i.p salad you only had a few shrimp left so you added extra chicken and steak and even gave me 3 dollars back. Excellent customer service btw. this is a Obama salad (chivken n steak) it's very hearty the jerk sauce is a gradual heat medium hot with flavorful spices. The 3 shrimp are perfectly cooked the steak is tender the chicken is awesome. Perfect salad I saw a tik tok and came here username cousinnvinnie. Wow just wow 👌 👏 😍

I want a XL RIBS in looks like I got a LG RIBS what’s the difference yes I ate it cause I want some ribs in drove to far to go back had to wait a HOLD HOUR to get them

I have NEVER experienced service this ridiculous. I ordered ribs and egg rolls. They told me 45 minutes for the ribs — fine, I was willing to wait because the food used to be good. I come back AFTER that time plus an extra 20 minutes, and the ribs STILL aren’t ready. Seriously?! Then I get home and taste the egg rolls… DISGUSTING. They were horrible. If you’re going to make people wait over an hour, the food better be worth it — but it wasn’t even close. And let’s talk about the service. The ladies in the back have the nastiest attitudes every single time. Acting like customers are a bother when WE are the reason they even have a business. The disrespect is unreal. This restaurant needs to get it together because the way they’re going, they won’t last long. Treat your customers better and have better time management!!!!

Food is definitely good but I can't lie 1 hour wait for food is definitely too long ..... Need to add doordash, Uber Eats, or doordash

First time going. Got mini jerk ribs, I didn’t get jerk from the ribs, Tasted like a regular rib to me but they were tender and the sauce was good. Got a steak taco as well which was okay with a lil spice kick to it. And also a Obama egg roll which I believe is one of the popular items on the menu. Now the egg roll was a hit , it’s filled with steak, chicken, and peppers. I didn’t open the egg roll to get a picture cause it was gone 😂, but you will like the egg rolls. I might go back and try the chicken and a philly. But if not it will be for egg roll. And the place is just standing area or you can wait in your car, but it was clean.

I heard about Jay's Backyard BBQ from tiktok so I had to give them a try. I ordered the extra large rib tip with extra mildsauce and The Barack Obama Philly and I must say that shit was off the chain. That food was sooooooo good i had to smack my momma LOL... The food was perfectly seasoned with that jerk flavor. Now I'm not a fan of real spicy food but the combination of the jerk flavor with the mildsauce OH MY GOD!!!! if you from out west in Chicago, the best rib joint was Wiley's Chicken and Ribs. But after trying Jay's Backyard, BBQ in my opinion Jay's backyard BBQ put Wiley's Chicken and Ribs to sleep real talk you will not be disappointed....

I am writing to express my concern regarding the food portions provided. The portions were very small and skimpy and did not meet reasonable expectations. I am disappointed with the quality of service and ask that this be improved moving forward.

t the tips are juicy, and fries are great, the sauce is boss! But that slaw is a necessity.

Had the rib tips. Not bad not great just kinda meh. Sauce was pretty good though. Also had the steak plate pretty good nice jerk taste to it.

Very small restaurant and there's no sitting room, standing room only on a deck against the wall. My Wife had the jerk chicken egg rolls and loved them. I thought they had regular rib tips but only jerk rib tips so I decided to try them. They had a nice seasoning to them a little too hot for me after eating a few but the mild bbq sauce was tasty. I'm sure someone who likes spicy food would love them, because even being too spicy for me I would try just one more lol. It was a 30 minute wait for tips the day I tried them but they took my cell phone number and called me when my order was ready

7/16/2024 I am disappointed with the food. Me and a friend came on the recommendation of "Cousin Vinnie" via instagram because it went viral. The order: almost 50$ + / 1-5 Scale 6 piece with half jerk and half mild sauce (1) Philly Cheesesteak egg roll (2) Jerk chicken egg roll (2) Chicken Philly cheese steak (3) Jerk steak taco (1) The chicken, tasted like it was fried in old grease. In addition, the jerk wings are jerk FRIED wings they were aweful... I mean outright disgusting (like it had sugar and onions in the jerk sauce tf???) I asked kindly do they mind replacing them, it was my first time here and I didn't realize all the chicken is fried (when you order jerk from anywhere it's smoked not fried) but my fault huh so... If McDonald's made jerk chicken this is what it would taste like If Harold chicken had a generic brand this place is it. 10/10 DON'T recommend! The old light skin lady with eyebags and see through pink biker shorts with no apron or hair net on immediately said "he ain't gone do that" I said do you mind just asking him. She walked off with a nasty ass attitude, rolling her eyes and flipping her weave (unsanitary btw) I guess since there was no AC then they can't afford hair nets/aprons. She goes back there and tells him something with a bad connotation because the man (owner) said "well idk what she what she want me to do". I'm like???? What did she just tell him?! But hey you don't care about customer service??? I mean I only ask if to replace the 3 jerked wings, it's not like I ate it and asked for a refund dang (courtesy isn't a thing??? No hospitality, no grace???) . But hey you don't care, I don't either. Let this review sit on every page y'all on, respectfully. I'm disgusted at the customer service. I came in excited showed the video of all the things I wanted and everything and you talk to me like I'm nobody??? Or Like I'm trying to get over on y'all or just make a problem. Like I ordered a variety of things truly hoping to give this place 5 stars but hey can't expect excellence from your own people huh. I won't step foot nor recommend it. As soon as someone says anything about this place I'm going to spit to my left and right and pay them not to waste their time, gas or money. And the atmosphere... well it's out west. At least have Air conditioning on while customers wait! It's the summer and they had no air!!!!

I'm so pissed I went to jay's back yard barbecue waited 20 mins only to find out they are out of Chicken Tips Ugh! Damn how they didn't know they were out of chicken tips before I paid for them!! Now I have to wait for a refund from my bank!! I'm never going there again!!! So unprofessional!!!!

Tried calling this place for 2 days with no answer on there end and with the voice-mail full it's a shame you can't patronize black businesses

Good fresh food! Plan ahead, order ahead be prepared to wait. The food is worth the wait!

Drove from Schaumburg just to give them a shot, and it did not disappoint. I ordered the Jerk chicken tips and my wife ordered the rib tips. They are a hit and I will be back to try something else..

First time there today A must visit....they're dabomb.com ordered Small Pork tips sauce on side- 5 Stars JUICY, TASTY and Good Portion (jerk sauce good like I like it) Obama egg roll -4 Stars....Very tasty but seemed reheated but definitely ordering again Obama philly- 5 Stars....Very good... seasoned well, tasty and fresh meat... oh and the young lady passing the orders out was very courteous as well... Great service and Great food can't wait to try them out again

10/10 recommend. Obama rolls are amazing. Ribs ALWAYS delicious. Worth the wait. Best bbq on the west side of Chicago

Food is but poor service. Literally takes 45 mins to an hour to get rib tips. Either get a larger staff or start taking phone orders PLEASE

I wasn't gone do it but they forced me to. So I came from over 20 minutes away because the NEVER answer the phone then the guy say the rib tips gone take about a hour like wtf! I don't live west or have any family left on that side of town so I wasn't gonna sit and wait for a hour maybe more.

Had me waiting on a burger and fries in four egg rolls for 40 minutes unacceptable. I seen like 10 people get their orders before me.which I order before them I was super pissed cause a cook asked the lady why was I looking in back

Best ribs tips on the west side of Chicago. So fire !!! The Obama egg rolls and buffalo egg rolls are yummy. Everything I order from here has been fire. My only thing I would add is to be able to place the orders online if they are not going to accept phone orders. But the customer service here is not lacking very hood people. Still the best rib tips in Chicago. Please go ahead with the hibachi grill idea.

Its really bad customer service to NOT answer the phone to tell people that there is a wait BUT to get there and the sign on the gate says "not taking orders until 6:45" but I walk in at 6:44 and then to be told "oh, it's going to be another 20 minutes... hell if someone would have answered the phone, I would not have driven up there unnecessarily. This is one of my favorite restaurants BUT I will not visit again because it is too much of an inconvenience...I am sooooo disappointed at the level of service

I've been eating Jay's for about 4yrs now. I started eating his food when he was selling dinners out of his backyard!!! Hence the name of the place! So, originally I'd always order the philly sandwiches. Chicken or steak, then he mixed them and named them the Obama and even has 1 with shrimp and the other 2 meats called the Obama VIP!!! I love them. When he was at his 1st location on Madison & Central he started doing jerk philly egg rolls which were a bomb too. The jerk pork or chicken ribtips take the cake!!!!!! His jerk tacos are a hit too. I love Jay's. Everything is FRESH!!! NO OLD FOOD! Jay is the owner & he is in there working busting his ass too! He is very friendly & humble. He always gives free food back to the homeless/community and I know his business is destined for greatness because I've seen him bust his ass for this place!!! I will always support him!!!

Food is always made fresh to order. Everything is delicious the steak Philly is my go to but those ribs omg always tender

Not bad but a couple of things were just "different" in my opinion. The jerk has literally no spice kick to it whatsoever & although I ordered something as strange or what sounded so weird that it had to be amazing, the jerk chicken gyro, the jerk didn't pair well with tzatziki sauce. With those tidbits aside the meats are seasoned well & the seasoning alone might be the saving grace for this place. My expectations were a littler on the higher side especially after watching their episode of "Chicago's best. I was also under the impression that "shrimp" came on the "Obama" options but maybe it's just wishful thinking. During covid they only allow 5 people in the lobby & after placing your order you're asked to step back outside & they'll call you when you order is ready. I was also told after the fact that the egg rolls were supposed to be accompanied by a sweet & sour sauce but I received no sauce with my egg rolls.

Rib tips are a hit! Definitely my go to spot when I make my way on 290! The philly is good too but I was so upset when I got home & they forgot to add the hot peppers I asked for.

Best Jerk Restaurant on the west side! No one has better jerk tips! Even when things aren't perfect, Jay cares abt fixing them! I will support FOREVER bcuz NOTHING is perfect ALWAYS!

Not a big fan of jerk food like that but I always come here when I have a taste for it. The Obama Philly (yes they have an Obama Philly) and rib tips are delicious! Their egg rolls are also fantastic too.

Food always good and has been since the backyard days i knew you were going to blowup food is the best out west obama eggroll ribs and tacos to die for make you wanna slap yo mama keep shining my boy .........Pnutt

Get in your car and drive to Jay's right now. It will be worth every minute you wait for your food. The flavors were incredible. Obama philly, Jerk Chicken, Obama egg rolls: everything we ordered was fresh and 5 stars!

Good ass bbq with a kick of jerk seasoning. It's juicy and on point. Smack-a-lacking.

I had to write this review because I hope the owner will read and correct. He was there at the restaurant chill as ever meanwhile wait times are running 50 min to a hour. The wait is long most of the time but the food is usually good but small portions for the cost. However today after a 55 min wait my ribs are rubbery not done so all I have is the five fries that comes with the ribs. DISAPPOINTED!!!

Stopped in here to pick up dinner for my family on Juneteenth. It was really busy - knew that meant the wait would be worth it & they were offering great specials that day too. Friendly staff, very clean restaurant, & I appreciated all the steps they were taking for health & safety during COVID. Now the food...!!! Our favorites were the cheeseburger, jerk egg rolls, & Obama philly sandwich. The fries with sauce drizzled on top were so good too. Loved supporting this business, we'll be back to try more from the menu!

First time I ordered food was okay. Second time it was delicious omg. Third time not so good. Would be better if food was consistent and hot. I'll give them one more chance to get it right

Jay's Backyard BBQ is a fairly new Black-owned spot that specializes in jerk-seasoned sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and even salad and egg rolls! I had their Obama jerk Philly cheesesteak which has a mixture of diced steak and chicken marinated and tossed in a jerk sauce. Filled with melted cheese, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomato it is the best jerk Philly that I've had (and, surprisingly enough, I've had many). The bread is toasted with butter and the crinkle-cut fries come with their house-made mild sauce. I also had one jerk chicken Philly egg roll and it was as interesting and delicious as it sounds. This is not to be consumed by the faint of tongue! Though the crunchy outer wrap gives the illusion of a regular egg roll, it is SPICY. When you open it up it oozes cheesy goodness and the sweet and sour sauce that accompanies it balances out the spice perfectly well. Jay's also serves rib and chicken tips, gyros, burgers, tacos, and fried chicken so it's the perfect place to bring the whole family if you'd like to indulge.

Jerk chicken egg rolls are really good!!!!!! They are spicy, but the taste is mmmmm delicious.

FOOD IS AMAZING! Literally broke my diet to try the Obama and the jerk rib tips and it was WELL worth it!!! Very satisfied

Food is great but they never have any. They will close the gate and watch you at the door asking if they are closed. They always run out of food then leave out the back door while you're standing there. No warning, no signs and no individual to come out and address the customer.

This food is fire and the customer service is really good. Most places you go to right before they close give you the worst of the meat . Not Jays it was just as fresh as if it was 3pm in a Friday. I really enjoyed the ribs tips. Jay takes pride and joy in his food and you can tell. Thank you Jay! And the young lady who takes orders so professional.

Food was really good the buffalo chicken egg rolls is amazing, really friendly staff I would definitely recommend if you are in the neighborhood

The best jerk rib tips! Friendly and prices r reasonable! And u get a great amount!i live all the way by Six Flags but will drive to get those famous rib tips! Keep up the good work! I c opening up all over the city! I hope one coming out here soon!

Today was my first time trying them the jerk tips with the mild sauce was the best I also ordered 3 chicken wings fried hard but sorry to say they was not fried hard an the chicken still had blood in them me an my 3yr old grandbaby had to throw the chicken away so I will never just by the chicken wings but I will get the ribs again

Been to this location 4 times and ordered twice. Both times ordered barbecue tips and they were Great. Other 2 times had to wait one time close to a hour. Other time waited 40 minutes. Why have a phone if you don't answer? Located front of bus stop parking very limited, sitting in my car waiting for fast food is a no - no . Answer your phone allow phone orders so your customers can walk in pay and leave instead of sitting on Division and Central in a parked vehicle

I attempted to call my order in yesterday 9/26 but no one answered I sent my husband to the restaurant he was able to place the order and the wait was approximately 40 minutes. We get our food home only to find that it does not taste as though it was cooked on a grill maybe they boiled them? The jerk sauce taste like Italian dressing and the meat was very fatty

I drove an hour to try the Obama. Oh my lord. I'd drive an hour everyday or more for this Sammy. Unbelievable jerk chicken. Can't wait to go back. This is a MUST people of Austin and all over the Chicagoland area.

Amazing fabulous food! Never had BBQ sooo good. The egg rolls were delicious. Fresh food. Great restaurant and very nice people. Definitely will be back.

Food is good customer service is bad. You ask a simple question and you get treated like your pulling teeth. To bad ..the food is on point

Every time I came to this restaurant it's been four times I always got fresh food the barbecue rib tips are the best I've had in a long time from anywhere and the surrounding area it's fresh it tastes like barbecue the charcoal flavor and it's delicious the meat taste freshI get mild sauce I've had other items chicken wings fried to order the grease is fresh and the chicken wings are delicious not pre fried fried when you order them all items I've had word the Obama egg roll tacos different kind they are jerk and what does jerk say spicy the rib tips I can eat them they are not spice what all did they food that I've order has been fresh and they fix it to perfection and if they keep serving food like that and they do me right when I come in now they going to have a customer as long as they have their business the freshness of their food and the taste of their food is excellent

No more going to the south side for the quality smoke barbecue taste of tender rib tips...the perfect satisfaction of Jay's backyard bbq is where it starts with and ends!!!

The best rib tips on the Westside of Chicago, hands down!