Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern just opened up less than a year ago on Water Street, but it’s taken off like a 747 jet with a hyperactive nervous system. I’ve eaten there and the food is amazing and the owner and staff are really friendly and it’s a super-fun place to hang out at. And so as this tour is winding down with just two stops to go to, I had to include them and check out what kind of a chicken wing thing they’ve got going on over there. So let’s make tracks and check out the quacks at Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern!
Alright, we’ve parked and now it’s just a quick little jaunt down Water Street to...
The Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern. It’s located in what used to be The River Staiton Building and it’s right next to Martini’s bar.
There’s outside dining available in this patio area that faces Water Street...
But I’d rather sit inside at the bar. That’s where the action is and that’s what I’m all about!
So let’s go in and begin this eleventh week of our winged tour! Here’s the foyer that they share with Martini’s, there’s the entrance to Blue Duck over there.
There’s the hostess station, let’s go say hi...
Hello! This is Juliet looking pretty behind the hostess station. She told us we were more than welcome to grab a seat at the bar. I love that shirt she’s got on and I have to admit I’m a little jealous of those green hands!
Here's Justin, who I met on a previous trip here when the blog was on hiatus. Great to see him again!
The bar is pretty full, but there’s one seat at the end, so let’s snag it before someone else does! It’s best to move quickly and naturally in situations like this, so that’s just what we’ll do!
Bartender Annie is quick with a beer and this night has begun! Things are just ducky so far! Oof, I’m quacking myself up over here...okay, I’ll stop it!
Tyler and Sam were seated next to me and we had a nice chat about Peoria and all the different things that are going on around this town these days. They’re a really nice couple and it was fun sitting next to them.
Hey, here’s a familiar face, it’s Ali, who we last saw at Rizzi’s on State! Sadly Rizzi’s on State closed a while back, but the good news is that Ali has been working at Blue Duck since it opened and Rizzi’s on Sheridan is still alive and well!
So I ordered up a serving and here’s Annie serving it up.
This is really delicious popcorn, it’s served with special seasoning and it’s got both spicy and sweet flavors going on. A real treat for the tastebuds and a nice and light appetizer before the main course of wings happens.
And speaking of the main course, here’s the man who’s going to make that happen, the owner of Blue Duck, Kavan Shay! Kavan’s a great host and he personally walks the restaurant, chatting with patrons and making sure the evening is going nicely. Kavan was the subject of last Sunday’s, “Sunday Snapshot,” and you can read more about him by clicking here. He took our wing order and is going to personally prepare them, so in the meantime we’ll take a little tour of Blue Duck.
They’ve got a nice selection beers on tap here, I count 14 of them!
There’s tables lined up opposite the bar to sit, drink and dine at.
And this stairway leads up to...
The main dining room! It’s late and getting near closing time and as you can see, it’s still pretty crowded in here. This has definitely turned into one of Peoria’s newest hot spots for drinking and dining!
There’s booths and tables along this wall on the other side of the restaurant. As I walked by the booth down there they shouted my name out and it turns out they’re regular readers of MBIP...
That’s Stuart and Angela on the left and their son and daughter on the opposite side of the booth. We had a nice discussion about the blog and dive bars in Peoria. Angela was looking for a good Peoria dive bar to take her sister to on her birthday, so of course I suggested Mike’s Tavern! Great to meet them and I appreciate them reading the blog on a regular basis!
Here’s the Blue Duck menu displayed in wondrous colorful chalkiness up on the front wall. As you can see, there’s plenty to choose from in here and we’ll be back for a full dinner here soon!
Meanwhile, back at the bar...
Kavan has arrived with this week’s order of chicken wings!
Wow, they look fantastic! The wings are smoked and fried and as you can see, they serve up the whole wing in one piece here, something you don’t see often. They look and smell unbelievable. But before we dig in, we must let them undergo that all-important cooling process which allows us to...
Order yet another beer! Cheers!
The wings are served with a house-made red pepper aioli dipping sauce. So let’s give the wings a dunk in the sauce and try them out.
Oh wow, these are definitely some of the tastiest wings I’ve had so far. They’re marinated in an Asian-styled barbecue sauce and the red pepper aioli tops it off perfectly. The wings are smoked and fried and they’re a real taste sensation!
Tyler grabbed my camera and took a shot of me chowing down on the wings! They were so good and I gobbled them down pretty quickly...
Soon all that was left was the ingredients for the weekly bones and napkins shot. This was a real highlight on the wing tour and I thank Kavan and his fun and friendly staff for a great and tasty night at Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern!
Chicken Wing Rating
Four Wings Guitar Picks—These are amazing wings, unlike most places, they serve the whole wing which is marinated in an Asian-styled barbecue sauce and then smoked and fried and the red pepper aioli sauce that it’s served with is the perfect compliment for them. These are definitely some of the the tastiest wings I’ve had on this tour. If you’re a chicken wing eater, you must try them out!
Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern
212 Southwest Water Street
Peoria
309-981-5801
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Related Posts: Twelve Weeks Of Chicken Wings @ No Wake Zone, Mud Puddle Pizza, The 50’s Diner, The Country Club, Boss Hogg’s, Norwood Pub & Grub, A World Of Wings, The River Side Cafe in The Embassy Suites Hotel, Kenny’s Westside Pub and Agatucci’s.