Veteran-owned barbecue joint makes move into Rockford

June 5, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Rockford, Business, Top Stories, Restaurants, Featured, Eat & Drink, 815 News, Rock River Current

Whiskey Hotel Barbecue pitmasters Will Hendrickson and John Bunger stand outside the food trailer on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at American Legion Post No. 1207, 1011 S. Alpine Road, Rockford. The Midwestern barbecue restaurant has recently started serving in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A barbecue joint that drew a following in Roscoe for its hand-trimmed, hardwood fire smoked meats is making its move into Rockford, where it hopes to build a new fan base and cultivate support for veterans.

The veteran-owned Whiskey Hotel Barbecue has now stationed its massive, 1,140-gallon L-Block smoker and wood cabin-style food trailer outside of American Legion Robert C.A. Carlson Post 1207, at 1101 S. Alpine Road across from the former Colonial Village Mall.

You can grab food and go, sit on picnic benches outside or take your food inside the American Legion. Whiskey Hotel Barbecue owner Will Hendrickson, an Army veteran, said he hopes that helps more people see the American Legion as not just a place for veterans to gather but as a spot for the community to celebrate and support veterans.

“Every dollar spent there, whether they’re grabbing a beer to go with their barbecue or by becoming a member, in large part goes to support veterans in many ways,” Hendrickson said.

Whiskey Hotel’s move into Rockford comes about a year after it opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant at 5522 Elevator Road in Roscoe. It continues to serve at that location, although it has scaled back service to Sundays in Roscoe. It operates from the food trailer at American Legion Thursday through Saturday.

“We have a loyal fan base up there. The decision to come down this way and leverage our trailer more wasn’t something I came to easily, but any business needs to be nimble and our trailer allows us to be,” Hendrickson said. “It’s exciting sharing what we do with new people, always is.”

It started service about a month and has attracted attention because of the massive smoker, which Hendrickson built from an anhydrous tank with his cousin David Hendrickson, resting at the roadside.

“Obviously, L-Block being the big smoker out there is kind of a big calling card,” said John Bunger, co-pitmaster. “You’ll see them drive by and look around and then say, ‘I finally decided to come in and see what you got.'”

Whiskey Hotel specializes in South Carolina pulled pork, chopped brisket, Kansas City style burnt ends and other barbecue. Hendrickson recommends new customers to start with the pulled pork sandwich, which you can get with a bag of chips and a pop for $10.

That pop, by the way, is a Faygo beverage. Hendrickson likes its eclectic flavors and that it sets them apart from most places offering Pepsi or Coke. It also ties into his goal to source as much product from the Rockford region or Midwest as possible. For example, Cattle & Cream in Cherry Valley and Eickman’s in Pecatonica are some of its meat suppliers.

“Faygo is a Midwestern company. They’re coming from right over in Michigan,” Hendrickson said. “Also, we’re weird.”

Hendrickson said he hopes to expand offerings in Rockford in the future. For example, right now its meat candy is only available on Saturdays.

“In a perfect world I’m cooking a whole hog every week here,” he said. “No. 1, that’s delicious. If you’ve ever had proper eastern North Carolina-style whole hog, it’s one of the best things in the world.”