This five star review for this little family owned barbecue joint is pretty much dedicated to one…read moredelicious sandwich that they've been serving up for a number of years now. I'm talking about the Sho Boat. Plenty of reviews have already mentioned it, and even though I've had other items on their menu, and they've all been delicious, when you stop by Smokehouse Barbecue, you will notice two things... 1. There is typically a line. 2. 99% of the patrons are getting the Sho Boat. So much so that the woman behind the counter just points to people with her pen and says, "Sho Boat? How about you, Sho Boat?" The sandwich consists of perfectly seasoned chopped pork shoulder. Smoked daily on the pit outside on the back of the establishment. It's an awesome blend of juicy, meaty chucks of pork with just enough fat to pull it all together. It's then covered in a sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce on a nice crusty French roll and served with a side of fries, which are also drizzled in their signature sauce. The Yelp! reviews for this place mostly feature pictures of this sandwich, as you will see here in mine. There's not much else to say that hasn't already been written. Yes, it occupies a side space in a local Shell gas station. Yes, it is family run business by people who are absolutely lovely, super friendly, warm and inviting. Lastly, and most importantly, the sandwich is fantastic! The Food Network has got a TV show where all of the top chefs in America tell you about their favorite places and things to eat. The exact name escapes me, but if there were one of these famous chefs that was from Rockford, Illinois, there is no doubt they would be telling you about the this sandwich. It's that good. Again, their menu features more food besides the sandwich, although it is quite limited... But if delicious barbecue is your thing, and you don't mind waiting a minute or two, then this is a must have. Some of the reviews said this is cash only, however when we were there, they were taking a credit card. There is also ATM inside of the establishment. Smokehouse Barbecue isn't much to look at, but the people that work there know what they're doing, and it definitely shows! No frills... just one of the best sandwiches I've ever had served to you with a warm smile by wonderful people that care.

Passing thru Rockford and remembered a great little bbq joint near 20. Got their bbq pork showboat…read more Just as good as I remembered. They were quick and the food was flavorful. A small family business on the side of a shell station. Worth a stop

I've been trying to make Fort 88 my Friday night fish fry spot because their clam chowder is…read moreconsistently excellent. Unfortunately, the fish fry itself has been very hit-or-miss, and this visit was definitely a miss. The biggest disappointment wasn't even the food..., it was the service. It took quite a while before anyone took my order. Once I ordered, the wait for the food was longer than expected, and the clam chowder didn't arrive until the rest of the meal came out, defeating the purpose of having soup as a starter. The fish was just okay, but the fries were cold. To make matters worse, I was given an empty ketchup bottle. I asked for another ketchup and a refill on my drink, but neither ever arrived. I sat there waiting, and eventually gave up and just asked for the check. What bothered me most was the complete lack of follow-up. There was no acknowledgment that my drink and ketchup were forgotten, even though it was obvious I hadn't eaten the cold fries. No apology. No "I'll be right back." Not even a simple "Thanks for coming in." At nearly $29 for a fish fry, cold fries, and a bowl of soup, I expected a much better experience. Great service can make up for an average meal, but poor service only highlights the shortcomings. Sadly, it's time to start looking for a new Friday night fish fry spot.

Going to make this quick as I've reviewed the a couple of times before. Just had one of the best…read moreburgers ever. March Special suggested by our friendly server was a 1/2 pound burger with cheese, bacon, aioli and a large serving of smoked corned beef on top. Just awesome!

Great place to go if you are hungry! Portions are large and the service is very good. I had sliced…read morebrisket, which was lean but not dry -- and the dry rub was perfect not overpowering. Price was very good for everything you get. I arrived just after six and the restaurant was crowded, but I was seated quickly and the server was at my table within a minute.

Ordered take-out for a party of 9 on Saturday, 9/12. Fantastic choice! Something for everyone, even…read moreour lone non-meat eater. All the packaging for travel was superior, the staff was attentive and super friendly, enjoyed the atmosphere & clean restrooms during our short wait for pick-up. The brisket was phenomenal, chicken & ribs both fall-apart delectable. We sampled a variety of yummy sauces. Everyone loved the Mac N Cheese and we're a tough crowd. Hubs loved the cornbread muffins and I was impressed with the perfectly creamy cole slaw. Plenty of leftovers that we polished off the next day. Would return, maybe to add some seafood next time!

Stopped in for a drink (it was a Friday night!) this bar/restaurant is gorgeous inside and the food…read moreis pretty amazing! We tried the brisket eggrolls as well as the carrot cake (wow!), as well as some burnt ends...we will def be back for dinner as the food looked and tasted fantastic! And the bartender was so much fun! If you haven't been, you need to check this place out!

Pink Heifer is a massive restaurant and bar on Main street in small-town Monticello. We were…read moreimpressed by its renovations, cow decor and cleanliness. The menu was decent with an emphasis on BBQ. My mate tried the brisket and found it average, smoky but not overly salty. The variety of bbq sauces was appreciated. I tried the smash burger and enjoyed all the layers of flavor: nice crust on the meat, bacon, onions, spicy sauce. It was a good bite and the potato wedges were tasty too. We were both impressed by the thick onion rings, especially when paired with the house-made horseradish sauce. Yum!

Food has always been amazing and we have tried several different dishes. Fish and chips is our…read morefavorite meal. BBQ is great also. Service has always been great.

Driving through on our way to Chicago and my husband wanted to check out the Pink Elephant and we…read moresaw this was nearby! Our server Beth was incredibly sweet and always kept our water cups filled which was an absolute lifesaver because majority of the food was incredibly salty. We ordered some cheese curds to start, definitely wanted to have some of those while in Wisconsin! They were a tad salty but melty cheese goodness! I had the rib tip platter and got the corn muffin and Mac & cheese as my two sides. The rib tips didn't taste fresh and were hard, the mac and cheese noodles were the perfect al dente firmness I prefer but the cheese was also salty. My favorite part of the meal honestly was the cornbread muffin that was still warm when it came out!

I agree this is the best BBQ I have had in the area. Little shack behind the bar. Sit outside or…read moreeat it in the bar. Had the brisket Sammy and half slab. Melts in your mouth.

It's a very nice tucked away place and I would definitely give it another shot. I spoke with Nick…read morewho was one of the owners, and got talking about barbecuing. The brisket was better than the pork. The only thing I wished was that I wanted it to be more smoky. The barbecue pork was decent, but I would definitely want to try the ribs during the weekend. He was very nice and very accommodating and added in some sweet pickled jalapeños, which were phenomenal. The brisket sandwich was definitely a good hit. Had the coleslaw and mac & cheese...and that was not bad at all!Had a little bit more mayo than expected with a tad of vinegar, which was OK. Overall, it was a very good lunch/dinner. (by the way, I liked the Kansas City better than the Texas but Texas sauce was also very good! They make their own homemade sauce by the way ) Nick was a great conversational piece and they are going to be starting with a food truck pretty soon which is gonna be pretty neat. He does take a lot of pride in his work, and it shows! So I guess keep an eye open for that. Nice job, Nick. I'll give you the next star an update this review once I have your ribs. Is that a Deal? (because I'm a big-time rib guy.) Thanks again Nick!

First, a big cheer for our server, Alice. What a lovely person. She took care of our little…read morebirthday party, three people, and just made us feel right at home. The weather was perfect, so the manager gave us a table in light shade. It was around 2, so it was warm enough for everyone. The ice tea, and beer were cool and delicious. Our first course, fried pickles and fried cajun fish bites. Crisp bites and juicy pickles......hot side sauces, just enough to keep me happy. Second course. generous crisp cold salads. Third course, we all had different ribs. My Maui Maui ribs, just as I thought, light and sweet and seasoned with a nice pop of hot green. Auntie ate almost all her half rack of dried rub ribs. Filled up, she took some home. I haven't asked my boyfriend about his sweet ribs, but let me guess how tasty they were. ( I meant his meal.) For dessert, we chose key lime pie and chocolate pecan pie, to go. Best birthday party ever. Thank you, Alice, and all who worked to make our meal perfect.....!

Staying at the Hyatt Place in Verona and just across the parking lot and street you will find North…read moreand South Seafood & Smokehouse. Very convenient. Lots of seating in the dining room, bar, or lounge. Staff are very friendly and know the menu. Food was amazing and the portion sizes are very large. I would recommend this for the tasty food, great service, variety in the menu.

I'm always finding new spots when I travel, and this particular BBQ spot caught my interest …read more David Alan's BBQ in Mukwonago did not disappoint. The smoked meats were on point, juicy, flavorful, and you can tell they take their time with it. The pulled pork and sausage had that perfect smoky bite, and even the brisket in the bowl hit. The sandwiches were stacked and messy in a good way, and the sides actually showed up too, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and cornbread all solid. If you want legit BBQ with big portions and real flavor, this spot is worth it. Service was attentive, the ambiance was cool too. I definitely will return when I'm in town.

Had the opportunity to try their Cod fish fry. It comes with three nice sized pieces of beer…read morebatter cod and your choice of a number of different side options. We had their pig tail fries and potato pancakes. The fish was very good, not greasy, cooked perfectly. The pig tail fries were also very good. Had to have the potato pancakes recooked as the first ones were over done. The second ones were very good as was the applesauce. Rye bread is rye bread not much more to say there. Neither of us cared for their coleslaw, which is vinegar based. Overall we give it 7 out of 10. The service was handled by the bartender and she did a great job. The ambiance is sports bar/restaurant with plenty of TVs.

Soooooo upset. My BiL sent me a package, pictures enclosed,…read morefrom Swiss Family Smokehouse. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING on the outside of the box indicated that the contents or the box itself should be refrigerated. So, a week later, I open the box to find four cheeses and a summer sausage, with the four cheeses indicating they should be refrigerated. What?!?!?! THE BOX SHOULD HAVE STIPULATED THAT THE CONTENTS MUST BE REFRIGERATED. Now it's all gone to waste.

Had some fish smoked and boy was it delicious. Will come for their other goodies that they sell…read more It sounds like a whole lot of party food.

Smokehouse processing is the best! Bill and his staff do a great job. I've been taking 1-2 deer…read morehere each year for close to 10 years and they are always fast and the meats always turnout great. You have to get the chili cheese dogs, jalapeño cheddar snack sticks, and old fashion jerky. Everything is vacuum sealed or freezer wrapped and will stay fresh for 1 yr + easily in the freezer. I used to take my deer to pinions but this is way better.