Do you remember the Summer of Barbecue? You know, the period of time in 2010 when every other restaurant opening served smoked meat, and each one touted that it was more authentic than the next one? We’re not sure if the actual fire at Ole Hardwood killed the momentum, but it feels like it’s been a long time since we’ve covered an opening. So even though we first heard about The Original Five last year, it has waited long enough to kind of separate itself from the pack. Of course, every barbecue restaurant needs an angle, and this one looks like it is planning on trying a bit of everything.
The number five in the name refers to the five different kinds of barbecue sauces that are on offer, so you have that to contend with. But you’ll also have plenty of smoked meat options, too. You’ll be able to choose between various cuts of pork, beef, chicken, turkey, fish, and even lamb. The question with any barbecue restaurant that tries so much is whether it can effectively execute the many different meats at the same time. Still, this is the first time we’ve seen lamb on a barbecue menu, so count us interested.
The Original Five opens for good on Friday. In the meantime, check out the full menu below.
The Original Five Menu
The BBQ Equivalent of a Peace Summit [Urban Daddy]
The Original Five, 1030 W Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60607; 312-929-2084
