According to folk etymologists, the term barbecue is derived from the French barbe coup, referring to the annual pig picking that commemorates the infamous Bearded Rebellion. Pick your own pig with today's Groupon: for $8, you get $20 worth of delicious barbecue fare at Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Restaurant in Elk Grove Village.

Sweet Baby Ray's slow-smokes and cooks savory barbecue comestibles for lunch and dinner. Stuff your socks with wet-wipes and begin with an appetizer of fried calamari ($8.99), served with fresh lemon and house marinara, or skip ahead to a half slab of oxford-blouse-staining baby-back ribs ($14.99 at dinner, $12.99 at lunch). A pulled-pork plate ($12.99 at dinner, $10.99 at lunch) is seasoned in a house-made rub and smoked for up to 12 hours before being hand-pulled and served up with Sweet Baby Ray's signature barbecue sauce for a stomach-grumble-snuffing meatsperience. If meaty isn't your cup of sports drink, order up a plate of smoked tomato rigatoni ($10.99), penne pasta bathed in house marinara and topped with parmesan cheese.

Sweet Baby Ray's feeds the masses' open mouths with a large, family-friendly dining environment and an outdoor patio. A beer and wine list transmutes any base evening into potable gold, and desserts wrap a sweet bow of happiness around the meal.

Valid for dine-in at the Elk Grove location only.

Reviews

Sweet Baby Ray's has received lots of press, including a mention in the Sun Times. Yelpers give Elk Grove's location an average of 3.5 stars:

• Great atmosphere, great BBQ, and great time. – Claudine G., Yelp
• Always friendly staff. There are alot of great rib places in Chicago but this one has the perfect combo of nice room, great table service (as opposed to counter) and wonderful food. – Heather L., Yelp