Meet us where the ribs are the number one
Why does Robinson’s #1 Ribs own the undisputed rib title in Oak Park? Because Robinson’s #1 Ribs Owner Charlie Robinson was the winner of the very first Ribfest!
That first competition for the title of Chicago’s rib master may have been back in 1982, but Charlie and his wife, Helen Robinson, are still making those award-winning ribs in an Oak Park kitchen where diners flock to dine on a secret sauce that’s been passed onto 14 generations of Robinsons.
Feast on a full slab of baby back ribs or mini rib tips. Try turkey rib tips or BBQ hot links. Dig into a bucket of chicken wings or make it a chicken and ribs combo. Shrimp, catfish, and pulled pork options are also on the menu here!
Robinson’s Ribs is open Monday through Sunday from noon to 8pm.
A full slab of ribs is about $20. A half slab is about $14. Mini rib tips are about $7. Combos start at about $14.
Charlie Robinson moved from Lambert Mississippi to Chicago in search of job opportunities shortly after he graduated from college. He found a job at an ice cream manufacturer, but it’s where he spent his spare time which brings us to the story of Robinson’s #1 Ribs.
Even while he was laying down roots in Chicago, Robinson’s southern upbringing was ever present - especially in the kitchen where he spent hours perfecting a 200-year-old family recipe. The secret rib sauce was passed down through 14 generations of Robinsons!
When famed Chicago columnist Mike Royko challenged Chicagoans with the first-ever Ribfest in 1982, Charlie was ready to roll out his refined recipe for saucy ribs, which beat 400 other contestants to bring home the #1 ribs trophy.
Charlie opened his brick-and-mortar shop on Madison Street shortly after his Ribfest win, and to this day, he runs the restaurant alongside his wife, Helen.
At 848 Madison Street, Robinson’s #1 Ribs is about a half-mile walk from both the Oak Park stops on the CTA Green Line and the CTA Blue Line.
