- Credibility:
IRVING PARK — Smoque BBQ is temporarily closed after a Saturday night kitchen fire damaged the restaurant and forced the Fire Dept. to come out.
On its Facebook page, the restaurant at 3800 N. Pulaski Road said it hopes to re-open by Tuesday, but encouraged fans to check first before coming. It plans to give status updates on its voicemail. It was forced to close Sunday to make repairs.
Owner Barry Sorkin told the Tribune heat from the stove leaked between stainless steel panels into a wall, and slowly smoldered.
“It’s was an accidental fire that originated in the kitchen,” Larry Merritt said, a spokesperson for the fire department. “No injuries and no transports were reported.”
“We will keep our phone message up to date with our status,” the message said. “We apologize for any inconvenience.”
The restaurant opened in December 2006 and specializes in slow cooked barbecue. In 2012 it won Bib Gourmand status in the Micheline Guide. Its barbecue has been showcased on Food Network’s “On the Road,” WTTW Chicago’s “Check, Please” among other shows and publications.
Do stories like this matter to you? Subscribe to Block Club Chicago. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.
