Smoke Joint
"Friends and chefs Craig Samuels and Ben Grossman... advertise their smoking as influenced by multiple cultures, including Southern, Latin and Asian, but they call their version 'Brooklyn-style,'" writes Erin Behan of Citysearch. Peter Meehan of the New York Times says, "I'll call it what it is: uprooted barbecue, barbecue loosened from its moorings in tradition, barbecue that ranges to shores where dry-rubbed pork ribs and peel-and-eat shrimp cocktail and jalapeño sauces frolic together."
"I ordered a half rack of spare ribs which had a fantastically caramelized outer shell of spiced goodness and a juicy, smoky bonanza of meat underneath," says Chowhound spicynuts. Beef Aficionado adds, "The beef rib had a wonderfully tender and flavorful interior, ribbons of smoky meat easily succumbed to the slightest fork pressure." And according to New York magazine's Michael Anstendig, "Hacked pork (an homage to South Carolina) is moist and flavorful...and the snappy Black Angus dog may be among one of the best in town."
Jennifer of Who Ate the Big Apple raves about the "perfect sweet tea" and "old fashioned Southern hospitality," and goes on to say, "This place is completely and totally 150% everything I miss about the South." However, 1000 Bars and Beyond complains about small portions and poor presentation — and describes the ribs as being "pretty devoid of any flavor" and "a total rip-off." (It's probably worth nothing that this blogger also gripes that the Smoke Joint's $4 can of Dale's Pale Ale "isn't a real bargain.") Any thoughts on this place?
Reviews (23)
bmfesq wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:22 PM
The place is a flop as far as real good BBQ is concerned. If Virgils and Daisy May are 10s this place is an inflated 5. Mushy mac n' cheese, overcooked ribs and slow service will not impress true BBQ fans.
CHAOCguy wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:27 PM
i disagree. i think the baby back ribs are to die for. they are so tender they fall off the bone. nice spice, great dipping sauces and the 'qued beans are really good with sausage and other meats part of the dish - not just a can of beans some places pass off as "bar-b-qued" beans. i think the service is great and the vibe friendly as well.
PropJoe wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:36 PM
Very good food for the price. Remember folks, this is NY. There's no such thing as good BBQ in this town. Everything is relative. Staff is friendly, place is clean and food is good, not great. Prices are stellar.
tinarina wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:49 PM
I really want to like this place but four times I've been there, the meat is flavorless and overcooked ("falling off the bone" can do that)and some of the sauces are just plain weird.(hoisin BBQ sauce? Yuk.)
I'm not a major stickler for authenticity like my southern husband--I just don't think their food tastes very good.
siulan wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:51 PM
I'm not a big bbq eater, but I really liked the hacked pork and collards. I'd agree, though, that Dale's Pale Ale was underwhelming.
stuyheightshoyaka wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:53 PM
Pretty good as far as BBQ in Brooklyn comes. Friendly people and an attentive staff. It's definitely a place we appreciate when we're in the mood for BBQ.
KPantin wrote a review on July 22, 2008 12:56 PM
I think it's terrific if you're hungry. The meat is okay but the sides leave much to be desired. The mac and cheese is tasteless and so is the potato salad.
jawbreaker wrote a review on July 22, 2008 1:11 PM
I think the food in pretty good. People are pretty particular about their BBQ. The fact that it's usually pretty packed must say something. Service and ambience are awkward because when you wait to buy stuff or get stuff you are in the way of other people coming and going as well as staff.
On a general note, I would rate this "good value;" the current rating system should be better distributed, like:
Rip-off
Overpriced
Good Value
WEP
One of Brooklyn's...
I'll go WEP, because I like it and it's not overpriced, but it's a bit too strong a statement.
Pragonetti wrote a review on July 22, 2008 1:31 PM
I was really excited about this place because of the Hype I heard about it. It did not really disappoint. When I am hungry in Fort Green it is one of my first choices. Get BBQ from here and bring it over to Cafe Cubana for drinks.
I really like the pulled meats. The BBQ sauce quailtiy could be a little better, but it filled niche for a year for me. Now I find myself eating at Look Out Hill in the Slope more. For me Smoke joint is great for lunch and Look Out is great for dinner.
If you need a BBQ fix this place will fill it.
I also agree Good Value should be added to the Value rating system
robin7 wrote a review on July 22, 2008 1:34 PM
I like the Smokejoint a lot and I LOVE the Little Piggy, which was next door. It seems to have joined the main restaurant now, but I would give very high marks to the food at the Little Piggy, great sandwiches, great soups. Love the ribs at the Smokejoint, are they the best in the city? No. But they are good, and the value is great. I can make three meals out of one order. Nice guys too. I'm happy that Fort Greene has a good barbecue place.
daveinbedstuy wrote a review on July 22, 2008 1:56 PM
Stuyheightshoyaka and anyone else in Bed Stuy...hope you know that these guys just opened "Peaches" where Peyite Bassam was on Lewis. Gumbo was great and the roasted potatoes were the best I've ever had (the steak they came with was OK). I guess its a little different menu...more fish too.
houseowax wrote a review on July 22, 2008 2:26 PM
If they filled an olympic sized pool with their mac and cheese I'd eat to the bottom. Love the baby backs,too (although the Asian-style sauce is lost on me). Little Pig was great; I understand they'll still be serving sandwiches and salads for lunch. Furthermore, Ben and Craig are the greatest; they are exactly the sort of business owners that FG/CH needs- committed, competent and friendly.
Karka wrote a review on July 22, 2008 2:38 PM
I've only eaten there once. Its good, not great. A lot of the overheard conversations while eating were about what a real BBQ place is like- so don't take someone expecting to be wowed.
stillhungry wrote a review on July 22, 2008 2:43 PM
gave them a good shake at the beginning. but last 2 visits were woeful. staff is disorganized and harried. food is lackluster. mis-orders are frequent. managers try hard to correct mistakes, but they should try harder to prevent them. it's gotten to be a long wait and a bummer to go there any more.
greenewithenvy wrote a review on July 22, 2008 3:02 PM
I quite like the bbq. The sides are v. nice too. To compare to Virgil's and Daisy's is like comparing apples and oranges. Those are NYC institutions. Smoke Joint is a perfectly solid neighborhood bbq place and I'm thrilled to eat there regularly. And it totally beats the fast food quality, corporate factory-like, tourist hell-hole that is Blue Smoke. My only real complaint about the Smoke Joint is how stingy they are with bbq sauce. You would think the stuff is made of gold. If you ask for an extra one, they huff and puff and roll their eyes. It's not just one employee, but every employee i've ever asked. Someone has got to tell these people to loosen up regarding the bbq sauce.
LadyLibertine wrote a review on July 22, 2008 3:12 PM
We love this place (and Piggy) so much that we factored "proximity to Smoke Joint" into our decision when looking for our new apartment.
bedstuyhoya wrote a review on July 22, 2008 5:03 PM
I think that for what it is, simple BBQ dishes and sides, it is pretty darn good. Not as good as what you get in the Carolinas, Memphis or St. Louis, but good nonetheless. I have had many of the dishes here and find no real complaint. I often recommended it to friends. As for their store around the corner, Peaches, I happen to think Peaches' food is better. Same people cooking, but Peaches just tastes better for some reason.
Recommend them both
Mamacita wrote a review on July 22, 2008 5:08 PM
Meh, is the appropriate word for this place.
Not impressive. Had the catfish sandwich and it was crispy and well battered, soft and flaky on inside, but no flavor. No seasoning on the crust and the fish itself didn't make up for it. Also tried the pork sandwich, sauces were too simple (no depth) and the meat was completely unremarkable. I'm a NC bbq snob so that may have factored into my assessment.
But finally, the one reason I never went back to give them another shot was the Mac n Cheese. It was atrocious and insulted me deeply (LOL!) big thick curly noodles in a watery weird cheese 'sauce.' How can you mess up something so simple???
greenebee wrote a review on July 22, 2008 6:09 PM
This place can be hit or miss, but when it's on, it's on. I've been going for a few years and have had some really tasty BBQ. I've brought friends here, and they have been impressed. Sometimes I buy their sauce for my own BBQ. Their prices are reasonable, as far as BBQ goes, but I notice they've got up a bit over the years. Overall, I think this is a great addition to the neighborhood.
chrishavens wrote a review on July 22, 2008 6:40 PM
Can't compare NYC BBQ to south, reasonably. I like catfish, good beers, nice folks. This place is very good.
rf wrote a review on July 22, 2008 8:28 PM
My daughter and I went there for our pork fix every Friday after Hebrew school last year, haha, and it's her favorite place to eat in the world. I am a bit less enthralled but I really like the ambiance. No complaints from us about the staff, although the space can be a bit uncomfortable. Maybe using the Pig as overflow will help that situation on a busy Friday night--the only time we visited since they started using it that way, we just had some fries to go.
treehouse wrote a review on July 23, 2008 10:43 AM
I badly wanted to like this place. Being from Virginia and having gone to school in Carolina, I have had the opportunity to try it all. One time I had a decent hacked pork here which provoked me to come back a few times. Each time it was different. I can't give a great review b/c of the inconsistency. The last hacked pork I had was more oil and fat globules than pork it seemed. I had to wring it out with my napkin. Gross is right. This has happened twice but other times it was better. One time it seemed to have sauce already mixed into it. I never seem to know what I am getting. I think I will stick to making my own on my roof (don't tell!) next time I get the craving.
There sauces are not my taste (I prefer vinegar eastern Carolina style), mac is so-so, slaw satisfies, collards are pretty delish.
I have always liked the staff and the feeling that someone there is passionate about bbq. The wooden setting and open windows are the perfect ambiance for urban bbq.
typhanii wrote a review on August 28, 2008 1:25 PM
When I need some serious pulled pork and can't go home to KS for it, I will eat here and be satisfied. i always end up spending too much, though.
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