Where Science Meets Soul
Test Kitchen BBQ is a Waukegan restaurant where nearly 50 years of experience meet smoke, soul food, experimentation, hospitality and community.
Our Story
The name Test Kitchen is not just decoration. It describes how we think about food: experiment, refine, improve, and serve it with pride.
Nearly 50 Years of Restaurant Experience
Our restaurant roots reach back nearly 50 years. Test Kitchen BBQ is the current chapter of that experience — built from decades of serving families, adapting, learning, and understanding what it takes to earn a guest's return.
That history gives us respect for tradition, while the Test Kitchen name gives us permission to keep improving.
A Waukegan BBQ & Soul Food Restaurant
We serve customers who want generous, familiar, satisfying food — barbecue, fried chicken, seafood, soul food sides, sandwiches, family meals, takeout, drive-thru service, and catering that feels like it belongs at the table.
Our job is simple: make it easy for guests to eat well, feed their families, and trust us with the food for their gatherings.
Food With Soul
Food with soul means more than flavor. It means warmth, memory, hospitality, and care. It means the meal should feel personal, generous, and worth coming back for.
What We Stand For
How We Serve
We serve Waukegan and Lake County through several paths, making it easier for each guest to choose what works for the moment.
Ready to Eat?
Start with the restaurant menu, place an order, or get directions to visit us in Waukegan.
Planning a group meal or event? Explore TKB catering.