Grandpa John's Rib Shack in Peoria Carries on Family Tradition

Tasty BBQ in the Genes for Robinson Family of Peoria

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’d rather eat the regular fries at Grandpa John’s Rib Shack than their famous sweet potato fries. I know, I know. It’s almost sacrilege to say that. And it’s not that the sweet potato fries aren’t great – they are – but the regular fries are so fantastic that I have a hard time believing it.

The good news is that I don’t have to get in my car and schlep all the way up to Willow Knolls Court to get a fix. The Robinson Family was kind enough to take pity on us poor central Peoria residents to open second restaurant at 200 W. McClure Avenue, the site of the former Hardee’s fast food restaurant joint.

Now, there are other barbecue joints that are operating not far from this location. But none of them have food that is anywhere as consistently good as what we get from Grandpa John’s.

I’ve eaten there several times since it opened about a month ago. We thought it about time to offer up an official review of Peoria’s newest – yet oldest – rib joint.

Since I was eating of the River City Times dime, I ordered a regular combination dinner ($14.95) which gave me choices of two kinds of meat and two sides. I ordered rib tips and pulled beef. For the sides, I ordered cole slaw and sweet potato fries.
You see, while I loooooove their regular fries, I owed it to our loyal readers to give the sweet potato fries another try.

My opinion hasn’t changed: I still find the regular potato fries to be superior. The sweet potato version are still tasty and crisp and I have no argument with anyone who prefers them to the regular version. But I’ll stick to the regular fries next time I dine there.

I’m not alone. The guy ahead of me in line at the counter ordered nothing but an order of regular fries ($1.69). The sweet potato fries are $1.79.