Merle's in Evanston is sometimes claimed to have the best barbecue in the area. Based on only a single visit, I'd have to say it's not bad at all but there's certainly better. Merle's is a real sit-down restaurant (with bar). The menu is interesting, heavy on the barbecue but with quite a number of other choices. They have several types of ribs (baby back, beef, St Louis) and pulled pork, pulled beef, and sliced brisket. Some interesting sides like red rice, garlic mashed potatoes (good!) and succotash. A free plate of crackers with a cream cheese dip was a nice touch. Service was efficient but kind of mechanical. I really got tired of at least three different people cheerily asking numerous times if everything was okay (oh well, at least they asked). I tried the combo plate of pulled pork and pulled beef (with 2 sides; $9.95) and was pretty satisfied. Two nice little piles of shredded meat with a chunk of toast and a side. Both meats were quite lean (some might say a little dry) and tasty but without much smoke flavor. The meats were surprisingly similar to Hoxies'. The sauces, too, were somewhat similar (and not bad at all). My guess is if you like one of these places you'll probably like the other. Strangely they don't have barbecue sandwiches on their menu but they are available for takeout ($5.95; ouch). I look forward to a return trip to try more of their menu. Merle's 1727 Benson Av Evanston 847-475-7766
Chicago, IL