Smoke Daddy (Chicago)

Whether your main dish is a hefty slab of ribs or a meat-free veggie patty, Division Street's legendary blues kitchen will smother it in sweet 'n' tangy, smoky sauce and serve it up warm in a basket. As you sop up the heavenly mass with soft white bread, you'll feel your sorrows drown faster than the fries at the bottom of the pile.

Barbecue here is rich and authentic: Meats and vegetables are slow-smoked daily over hickory, apple and cherry wood. Towering sandwiches (pick from pork, beef, chicken, turkey or veggie burgers) come with a choice of sides, like the outrageous sweet potato fries or fragrant cornbread. Rib and barbecue platters offer tender pulled meats, generous slabs and samplers, and come with two sides; a full plate is enough to feed at least two, but you can keep yourself in check by choosing a half-order. If by some miracle you've got room for dessert, sink your fork into pecan pie or the iron skillet brownie. It's a perfect ecosystem: With all that food in your belly, you'll have no problem downing your picks from the large selection of bottled beers, wines by the glass and assorted liquors…and any sauce-soaked leftovers you carry home will nurse your hangover like a dream. Sandwiches run $7.50-$8.50 and entrees between $12-$20.

Ambience is more functional than suave, with checkerboard floors, wooden chairs and a long bar lined with diner-style stools. The wall is dotted with memorabilia like signed photos and logo aprons, and there's a sink in the back of the bar to help you remember to wash your hands between fondling your rib-tips and your date.

Catch earnest, earthbound blues any night of the week and late-night crowds that stick around for the music. Mostly local musicians play from a tabletop-size stage that's crammed in alongside the diners, so there's not a bad seat in the house to see and hear the tunes. But if you prefer quiet conversation and still want your barbecue, the Daddy delivers orders over $50.