South Side restaurant Sanders BBQ Supply Co. has been turning heads lately following the release of the New York Times’ 2025 Best Restaurants list, which named Sanders one of the 50 best restaurants in the United States, along with Cariño in Uptown. The Beverly-based restaurant, which just opened in June 2024, was also honored as a 2026 Jean Banchet Award nominee this month.
Among its quick rise to the top, the restaurant is preparing for its next big moment: opening a second location in Hyde Park. Slated for an early 2026 open date, the forthcoming spot, dubbed Sanders BBQ Prime, brings the restaurant’s signature smoked meats to the neighborhood, but this time, with an elevated twist.
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Just like the original concept, a partnership with pitmaster Nick Kleutsch, Sanders BBQ Prime’s menu will be influenced by central Texas-style cuisine. This iteration of Sanders will serve plated dishes instead of the OG’s counter service. Diners can expect a BBQ-meets-steakhouse experience with steaks anchoring the menu and high-quality starters like beef tallow-smoked popcorn from chef/owner James Sanders.
The restaurant will be located beneath the soon-to-be-closed Promontory at 5311 S Lake Park Ave W in Hyde Park. The space previously served as a restaurant and pop-up space before its closure in 2020. Now, The Promontory is closing for good at the end of 2025.
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Lauded as one of the best barbecue restaurants in Chicago, Sanders BBQ Prime is a welcome addition to the Hyde Park neighborhood, especially with The Promontory’s closure just before its arrival. According to the restaurant’s team, they are still ironing out the details, but if it’s anything like Sanders BBQ Supply Co., it’s sure to make a saucy splash.