Meet us where the ribs are the number one
Robinson’s #1 Ribs owns the undisputed rib title of best ribs in the Chicago area, thanks to owner Charlie Robinson, who won the very Royko Ribfest in 1982.
Get a taste of those legendary ribs, which Robinson and his wife Helen are still cooking up today in the same special sauce that's been passed down through 14 generations of the Robinson family.
Get a full slab, a half slab or rib tips and see just what makes Robinson's a cut above the rest!
Robinson's has more than just its award-winning ribs. It also serves chicken wings, shrimp, catfish, pulled pork, hot links and more. You can also buy a bottle of the famous Robinson barbecue sauce, which makes a great gift for the grill masters in your life.
Robinson’s Ribs is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
A half slab starts at $18.95.
Charlie Robinson moved from Lambert, Mississippi, to Chicago in search of job opportunities shortly after he was graduated from college. He found a job at an ice cream manufacturer, but it’s where he spent his spare time which brings us to the story of Robinson’s #1 Ribs.
Even while he was laying down roots in Chicago, Robinson’s southern upbringing was ever present - especially in the kitchen where he spent hours perfecting a 200-year-old family recipe. The secret rib sauce was passed down through 14 generations of Robinsons!
When famed Chicago columnist Mike Royko challenged Chicagoans with the first-ever Ribfest in 1982, Charlie was ready to roll out his refined recipe for saucy ribs, which beat 400 other contestants to bring home the trophy.
Charlie opened his brick-and-mortar shop on Madison Street shortly after his Ribfest win, and to this day, he runs the restaurant alongside his wife Helen.
At 848 Madison St., Robinson’s #1 Ribs is about a half-mile walk from both the Oak Park stops on the CTA Green Line and the CTA Blue Line.
