E. Dundee BBQ restaurant opens

A new East Dundee barbecue restaurant, Blues BBQ and Grill, is having its grand opening on Monday.

The eatery, at 102 N. River St., will mark the occasion with an appearance at 7 p.m. by Chicago blues guitarist Chainsaw DuPont.

Village officials and business leaders are expected to attend a 4:45 p.m. ribbon-cutting hosted by the Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce.

After a summer of building renovations, co-owner Buzz Doyle, along with founder Patrick Maggi, have opened the restaurant, which includes a menu featuring traditional southern BBQ such as baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken. Sides to share include traditional cut fries and sweet potato fries, and not-so-traditional fried okra, creamed succotash and collard greens. Burgers, sandwiches, salads and wraps also are on the menu, according to a news release.

"We are thrilled to finally open our doors to the Fox Valley," Doyle said. "We've put a lot of effort into the menu, the community and feel right-at-home with our customers already since they have been coming to the Sunday Farmers market. Now we finally have a place to call home."

Doyle and his partners own and operate the Sweet Pop Fizz Candy Bar at 316 N. River St. in East Dundee. The barbecue restaurant occupies the building former housing the Pour House.

Owner said the renovation was expected to cost between $300,000 and $400,000, and involved gutting the kitchen, leveling and redoing the floors and removing a few walls, Doyle said.

Tom Roeser, owner of Otto Engineering in Carpentersville, also owns the buildings at 102, 220 and 316 North River Street. He has called the new restaurant a continuation of his ongoing efforts to spruce up the downtown.

The Blues BBQ business was started in 2004. With locations in Virginia and Maryland, the East Dundee Blue BBQ and Grill will be the business's third location.

The restaurant will be open seven days a week, and can be reached at (847) 551-5061 or http://www.bluesbbqco.com/.