10-25-2024 7:05am

Whiskey Hotel Barbecue fires up new evening service and bar this November

Whiskey Hotel Barbecue, located at 5522 Elevator Rd in Roscoe, is set to launch a phase two opening this November, introducing a new bar, expanded evening menu, and a blend of smoked favorites with fresh, seasonal dishes.

Since its grand opening last April, the restaurant’s evolution from a simple tent setup to a full-fledged eatery has been a story of growth and adaptation. Owner William Hendrickson and his team are excited about this latest chapter.

“Many of our customers have heard me say this before, and it’s just generally true — we are sailing this ship as we build it,” the restaurant owner said. “From when we started off under tents, then moved into the trailer, and now we’re in a restaurant. This is a continually improving operation.”

In addition to its brick-and-mortar location, Whiskey Hotel operates a food trailer, serving its beloved smoked dishes in the Menard's parking lot in Machesney Park. “The Menards sort of residency over there, it’s really about just getting to that next layer of customers that live around the area,” Hendrickson said. “We even had people coming up a couple of times from Rock Island. We are the newest game in town regarding barbecue, and not everybody knows about us yet, so we’re being strategic about where we do events and our trailer.”

The restaurant is known for its commitment to quality, and using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. “For all of our frying, we’re using tallow from local sources,” said Hendrickson. “When we cut a meat, or whether we’re getting a whole pig coming in here, absolutely everything gets used. To some degree, we cook the meat, crisp the skins to make cracklings, take the bones, and make stock out of everything.” He noted that their most recent whole hog came from a farm in Pearl City, where the animals are well cared for: “That pig lived in pig paradise—didn’t have a single bad day.”

With winter approaching, Whiskey Hotel plans to adapt its menu. “Our direct heat pit is one of the most cold-susceptible things, so the first thing we’re going to have to take off for weather reasons is whole hog,” said Hendrickson. “But the goal is that as we take some of those things off the menu, we’re putting other things on.”

The upcoming Rathskeller sandwich, inspired by the once-iconic Rockford institution, will be a highlight of the new menu. “This sandwich I’m making is my ode, my tip of the hat in respect to that [place]. We’re smoking our corned beef, so it’s a bit of a spin on the classic Reuben,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson shared that the new menu will feature items beyond traditional barbecue, especially as the seasons change. “We’ll be introducing smoked fried cheese curds and smoked Italian beef, which puts a little twist on the classic,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to try things that aren’t necessarily barbecue but still taste great smoked.”

“There are so many things that taste good smoked, that smoke and barbecue methods lend themselves to so well, that I don’t serve because it’s not barbecue,” Hendrickson explained. “But with the bar menu, I have no such hang-ups about what is and is not barbecue. We’ll even serve things that aren’t smoked exactly… I’m excited because I’m kind of going to let myself loose in the kitchen.”

In addition to the evening menu, Whiskey Hotel will introduce a bar featuring a curated selection of beverages, including Shiner and the popular Yingling. “If there is an official beer of barbecue, it’s probably Shiner, so we’ll have that on tap,” Hendrickson said. “We’ll also be adding Yingling once it becomes available in Illinois.”

The restaurant plans to blend counter service during the day with a sit-down setting in the evenings. “It might be a little confusing at first for customers… but we’re here to help everybody adjust,” Hendrickson said. “We may have to start shutting down the kitchen prior to us being done, but we’re going to put that off to the last possible minute… it’s kind of baked into the plan that this is going to be a late kitchen.”

Hendrickson hopes the new bar will be a welcoming spot for sports fans. “If there’s a Blackhawks game on, you definitely know it’s going to be on here,” he said. “We want to be a great place to watch a football game on a Sunday.”

Additionally, the venue plans to collaborate with local musicians, adding live music to the atmosphere. “It’s going to be in the vein of stuff that we do… sort of small, local acts,” Hendrickson said. “It’s all about creating an inviting space.”

Hendrickson’s vision for Whiskey Hotel Barbecue remains rooted in quality and community. “We’re not a corporation with big backing; everything we’ve built has been a steady, hands-on process of growth,” he said. “We know we’re not the perfect sports bar yet, but we’re working toward it. If the customers can be on this journey with us, then that’s the best thing for everybody.”

For updates on the new evening service, menu changes, and events, follow Whiskey Hotel Barbecue on Facebook or visit their website.