South Loop restaurant Belly Up Smokehouse & Saloon ( 1132 S. Wabash Ave.; BellyUpChicago.com ) feels like it's something straight out of a Luke Bryan song.
That's certainly not a criticism. ( After all, who couldn't listen to the easy-on-the-eyes Bryan? ) But the giant U.S. flag, wood decor, prominent bourbon barrels, water served in rye bottles, and good-ol'-boy music gives Belly Up an unapologetically country atmosphere ( although I definitely wouldn't group it with certain schlocky "theme" restaurants ).
And the food? Well, that'll certainly bring people back—with the best way to start being candied bacon ( strips coated with brown sugar ). However, one of the savviest ( and potentially gut-busting ) ways to sample the appetizers is to order the Belly Platter, which combines four ribs, six wings, two South Loop rolls and fried pickles. ( The innovative-sounding rolls—BBQ pulled-pork wontons, pimento cheese, black beans and avocado ranch—ending up being the weakest of the offerings. They certainly weren't awful, but they didn't soar, either. )
My dining companion decided to try the brisket—and she was thoroughly satisfied. Upon the suggestion of the server, I opted for the shrimp po boy, and that turned out to be a wise choice. I'd return for that. ( An aside: I liked the fact that the hot sauces had animal symbols on them, denoting which is best for beef, pork, chicken and fish. )
By the way, Belly Up has a huge selection of sandwiches. ( The Roadhouse Burger—with smoked gouda, crispy onions, candied bacon and Belly Up Original sauce—sounds SO enticing. ) Also, there are sections labeled "Meats" ( with items such as hot links, pulled pork and fried catfish ) and ( surprise! ) "Greens," with salad options.
We also tried a couple of the sides. The Kansas City-style baked beans were sufficiently kicky and the ( undersized ) cornbread was quite good while the smoked mac & cheese was solid. And if ALL that isn't enough, Belly Up has sizeable dessert options as well.
Belly Up: Come for the food, stay for the atmosphere. ( By the way, if Luke Bryan actually shows up, somebody alert me. )
