| Leon's Bar-B-Q | |
| Food-Type: | Barbecue |
| City: | Chicago |
| State: | Illinois |
| County: | Cook County |
| Country: | United States |
| Established: | 1940 |
| Previous-Owner: | Leon Finney Sr. |
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.
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, where he ate 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.