Big Catz BBQ

Knoxville, IL · Barbecue restaurant

Rating
4.2/5
★★★★☆ 4.2
Reviews
20
Rank in Knoxville
#5
of 9 restaurants
City Percentile
25%
rating percentile
Address
Big Catz BBQ, 221 E Main St unit a, Knoxville, IL 61448
Phone
(309) 388-0020
Website
www.bigcatzbbqil.com
Status
Closed · Opens 11 AM

Big Catz BBQ is a restaurant located in Knoxville, IL. It is one of 9 restaurants listed in Knoxville. Its 4.2-star rating is above the Knoxville city average of 4.0 stars. It ranks #5 among Knoxville restaurants by combined rating and review volume. There are 10 photos associated with this location.

About Big Catz BBQ

Big Catz BBQ is a family owned restaurant specializing in smoked pork, brisket, chicken and ribs. We started off as a small home based operation and going to different festivals to set up before getting into the catering business and then in October... More

Hours

Saturday11 AM–9 PM
Sunday11 AM–8 PM
Monday4 PM–8 PM
Tuesday4 PM–8 PM
WednesdayClosed
Thursday4 PM–8 PM
Friday11 AM–9 PM

Customer Reviews

★☆☆☆☆ 1.0 Peace Of mind · Jan 2026

Well-dry burnt, corn bread is cold with hard butter-ribs charred but dry. Cheesy potatoes and onion strings are the best-this is three day old meat 30 dollars for a combo platter-with frozen fried shrimp. 25 for ½ rack of dried ribs-made two days ago, highly disappointed. Will never come back-and to boot they sever me shit rib tips vs the 25 dollar ribs I wanted. Over priced not worth the money, clearly they have cheated out on everything. Go try strictly souther in Silvis 100% better and less money- give it a year this place will be done.

★★★★★ 5.0 Jeffrey Schriver · Oct 2025

Great decor inside & out! Very cool tables and chairs. Nice looking bar. So much to see. Got our food. DELICIOUS pulled pork and brisket sandwich called Beefy Pig and Parmesan and Garlic fries. My wife got a brisket sandwich. The fries were fantastic! Definitely going to go there again. Very friendly service as well.

★★☆☆☆ 2.0 Bill Kusnerik · Nov 2025

First time here, so I had to try the brisket! Big mistake. I've never had tough brisket before! It looked like it was warmed up from yesterday's leftovers in a fry pan or something. I've never had a brisket without any fat at all! Service was great, but I don't go out to eat for the service. Brisket is like the gold standard for a BBQ joint. Do better! Special beans were mediocre at best.

★★★☆☆ 3.0 K R · Jun 2025

A good barbecue joint. Got a pork sandwich that included one side. So I opted for the slower both were good. What was that good was the lukewarm beer I got I only took a few sips and left it. The cooler must be broken or not working that’s why you’re supposed to check food temps and refrigeration logs as a restaurant Owner/manager/staff. So I can say I’ve been there I done that and tried it. I know there’s more than one location so they must be somewhat successful. It’s limited options in the area so if you’re looking for barbecue, it wouldn’t hurt to go there nice atmosphere.

★★★★★ 5.0 Cadence Giddings · May 2023

Love this place! We had fantastic service. The inside was nice and cool on a hot day. They have the best ribs around - the meat was melt in your mouth tender. The sides are all excellent- loved the baked beans. Can’t wait to come back again! They have a large patio outside for dining. The menu has tons of options as well as kids items.

Accessibility & Amenities

✓ Identifies As Veteran Owned ✓ Outdoor Seating ✓ Delivery ✓ Takeout ✓ Dine In ✓ Fast Service ✓ Great Beer Selection ✓ Great Cocktails ✓ Great Coffee ✓ Great Dessert ✓ Live Music ✓ Serves Local Specialty ✓ Sports ✓ Lunch ✓ Dinner ✓ Solo Dining

Services

Barbecue restaurantBarBar & grillCatererTakeout RestaurantRestaurant

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This listing is informational. Contact the business directly to verify credentials, services, and availability.