Leon's Bar-B-Q is a chain of barbecue restaurants in Chicago. As one of the earliest barbecue establishments in the city, it played a role in the development of Chicago-style barbecue.
Leon's Bar-B-Q
Former location of the Leon's Bar-B-Q on 79th St. near Stony Island Ave. in Chicago
The restaurant was founded by Leon Finney Sr., originally of Mississippi, in 1940.[1] It was one of the earliest barbecue establishments in Chicago. Along with other restaurants like Lem's Bar-B-Q, Leon's popularized the "Delta style" of barbecue that predominates in the South Side. This barbecue heavily features rib tips, a cheap cut of meat usually discarded by butchers, which are cooked in an "aquarium smoker".[2] Rib tips soon became popular among the city's African-American restaurants, and today the cut has become more expensive.[3] He originally sold ribs for 30¢ an order, but later closed the restaurant after price controls made it difficult to turn a profit. He eventually saved up enough money to open a new restaurant on 83rd Street several years later.[4]
The restaurant was successful, and at one point operated four locations in Chicago.[5] Leon's restaurants typically served food to customers through a bulletproof glass divider for safety reasons.[6][7] The restaurant was scheduled to be the largest concession at the 1982 ChicagoFest but pulled out of the festival due to an ongoing boycott by African-American activists, led by Jesse Jackson, over Mayor Jane Byrne's actions.[8]
The restaurant chain closed in 2011, but was reopened by Finney's son Leon Jr. in 2017 after a video of actor Denzel Washington looking for the restaurant, which he ate at as a child, went viral on social media.[9][5]
Leon's is known for its hickory smoked[10] rib tips and hot links, which are served over fries and drizzled with barbecue sauce.[11] It also serves fried catfish.[10]
^. Chicago Tribune. 2023-03-21. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
^Block, Daniel R.; Rosing, Howard B. (2015-09-03). Chicago: A Food Biography. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 72–74. ISBN978-1-4422-2727-9.
^Miller, Adrian (2021-04-05). Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. UNC Press Books. pp. 155–156. ISBN978-1-4696-6281-7.
^Moss, Robert F. (2020-10-06). Barbecue: The History of an American Institution, Revised and Expanded Second Edition. University of Alabama Press. p. 209. ISBN978-0-8173-2065-2.
^ abSelvam, Ashok (2017-10-10). "Denzel Washington Prompts A Chicago Barbecue to Announce a New Location". Eater Chicago. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
^Weller, Sam (2002). Secret Chicago: The Unique Guidebook to Chicago's Hidden Sites, Sounds & Tastes. ECW Press. p. 28. ISBN978-1-55022-493-1.
^Stern, Jane; Stern, Michael (1992). Roadfood: The All-new, Updated, and Expanded Edition. HarperPerennial. p. 124. ISBN978-0-06-096599-0.
^Ltd, Earl G. Graves (October 1982). Black Enterprise. Earl G. Graves, Ltd. p. 24.
^"Leon's Bar-B-Q to open new restaurant next month". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
^ ab"Actor Denzel Washington inspires reopening of Leon's Barbeque". 2018-03-16. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
^Miller, Adrian (2021-04-05). Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. UNC Press Books. ISBN978-1-4696-6281-7.
April 12, 2024
leon, chain, barbecue, restaurants, chicago, earliest, barbecue, establishments, city, played, role, development, chicago, style, barbecue, former, location, 79th, near, stony, island, chicagorestaurant, informationestablished1940previous, owner, leon, finney,. Leon s Bar B Q is a chain of barbecue restaurants in Chicago As one of the earliest barbecue establishments in the city it played a role in the development of Chicago style barbecue Leon s Bar B QFormer location of the Leon s Bar B Q on 79th St near Stony Island Ave in ChicagoRestaurant informationEstablished1940Previous owner s Leon Finney Sr Food typeBarbecueCityChicagoCountyCook CountyStateIllinoisCountryUnited StatesHistory editThe restaurant was founded by Leon Finney Sr originally of Mississippi in 1940 1 It was one of the earliest barbecue establishments in Chicago Along with other restaurants like Lem s Bar B Q Leon s popularized the Delta style of barbecue that predominates in the South Side This barbecue heavily features rib tips a cheap cut of meat usually discarded by butchers which are cooked in an aquarium smoker 2 Rib tips soon became popular among the city s African American restaurants and today the cut has become more expensive 3 He originally sold ribs for 30 an order but later closed the restaurant after price controls made it difficult to turn a profit He eventually saved up enough money to open a new restaurant on 83rd Street several years later 4 The restaurant was successful and at one point operated four locations in Chicago 5 Leon s restaurants typically served food to customers through a bulletproof glass divider for safety reasons 6 7 The restaurant was scheduled to be the largest concession at the 1982 ChicagoFest but pulled out of the festival due to an ongoing boycott by African American activists led by Jesse Jackson over Mayor Jane Byrne s actions 8 The restaurant chain closed in 2011 but was reopened by Finney s son Leon Jr in 2017 after a video of actor Denzel Washington looking for the restaurant which he ate at as a child went viral on social media 9 5 Leon s is known for its hickory smoked 10 rib tips and hot links which are served over fries and drizzled with barbecue sauce 11 It also serves fried catfish 10 See also editLem s Bar B Q Barbara Ann s Bar B QueReferences edit LEON FINNEY SR 1916 2008 Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune 2023 03 21 Archived from the original on 2023 03 21 Retrieved 2023 07 26 Block Daniel R Rosing Howard B 2015 09 03 Chicago A Food Biography Rowman amp Littlefield pp 72 74 ISBN 978 1 4422 2727 9 Miller Adrian 2021 04 05 Black Smoke African Americans and the United States of Barbecue UNC Press Books pp 155 156 ISBN 978 1 4696 6281 7 Moss Robert F 2020 10 06 Barbecue The History of an American Institution Revised and Expanded Second Edition University of Alabama Press p 209 ISBN 978 0 8173 2065 2 a b Selvam Ashok 2017 10 10 Denzel Washington Prompts A Chicago Barbecue to Announce a New Location Eater Chicago Retrieved 2023 07 26 Weller Sam 2002 Secret Chicago The Unique Guidebook to Chicago s Hidden Sites Sounds amp Tastes ECW Press p 28 ISBN 978 1 55022 493 1 Stern Jane Stern Michael 1992 Roadfood The All new Updated and Expanded Edition HarperPerennial p 124 ISBN 978 0 06 096599 0 Ltd Earl G Graves October 1982 Black Enterprise Earl G Graves Ltd p 24 Leon s Bar B Q to open new restaurant next month ABC7 Chicago Retrieved 2023 07 26 a b Actor Denzel Washington inspires reopening of Leon s Barbeque 2018 03 16 Retrieved 2023 07 26 Miller Adrian 2021 04 05 Black Smoke African Americans and the United States of Barbecue UNC Press Books ISBN 978 1 4696 6281 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leon 27s Bar B Q amp oldid 1188737697, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
