Really enjoyed the experience overall. The food was very good, creative, and flavorful, and the variety of beers on tap was definitely a highlight as the ambient The only small thing worth mentioning was the service felt a little inconsistent at times. I'm not sure if it was a shift change or just timing, but even though the restaurant wasn't very busy, it felt like we were left a bit on the side for a while. Nothing major, just something noticeable. Also, while the food is creative and well made, some items felt a bit pricey for the portion size (for example, a meatball serving), so value may depend on what you order. That said, it definitely wouldn't stop me from coming back. Good food, good beer selection, and overall a solid spot. read more

Boy I hate writing this. I've been going to Bears since it opened up in its first location, which was shared with another restaurant in an old gas station/drive-in... it was PHENOMINAL back then. I would bring everyone there. When they opened the new location in Windsor , it was still great. It was a birthday outing type of thing. I went again last week, which was likely my final time. For the past few years, I've been giving it a pass... growing pains, maybe? But the food is not what it was. The succulent, juicy brisket that I used to dream of has been dry and cold for the last year or so (probably 3 or 4 visits). The burnt ends, which used to be as addictive, are now no longer made from brisket...but what seems to be cubed chuck...again, dry. Texas sausage and pulled pork are still ok, as are the sides. On top of that, they are always short staffed, and the staff that they do have is not helpful...not friendly.. Just a big NOT anymore. I haven't been to the Hartford or New Haven locations recently, but as far as Windsor is concerned, it will not be going back anytime soon. I don't mind paying the premium prices for quality food and service, but you are no longer premium. Please figure this out. My favorite place no longer exists.. and I really want it to return to the quality of the past. read more

Sadly disappointed. I had the bunt ends and brisket with collard greens and corn medley as sides. Sweet tea to drink. The best part was the sweet tea. Toomuch seasoning on everything but the brisket and it was a little dry. The burnt ends were seasoned after they were smoked so there was too much seasoning on them. The corn overall didn't have a good flavor. I don't think there needed to be meat in the collard greens. I tried all the BBQ sauces but one the sriracha sauce it was out. Only one I liked. The Kansas City sweet sauce. The price was high for the meal. $34.00 for 1 pound of smoked meat and sides plus a drink. Service was quick. Ambiance was okay. It seems they were trying too hard on the seasoning. Talked to another diner and they said the ribs were good. So maybe it's just me. Reviews from past diners were good. So don't just take my review. Go get you some and let me know. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - BBQ sauces. - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

A must try! And then you will be back again and again... The burnt ends are so amazing and the pull pork was amazing! The Bear Attack plat with the Mac&cheese - an absolute masterpiece - probably should be named heart attack on a plate but, hey! You will die happy! Ambiance is very relaxing and the service is pretty good. read more

Return trip. Ran out of chicken so I'm coming back again. Smoked wings are delicious. Plenty to choose on tap read more

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I'm not thrilled with the overall quality of the meats they offer; though the sides are decent and tasty. I'm more into charred, roasted / burnt lean meats. All the meats I tried were full of fat and I had to actually spit a bunch of pieces out and feed the clump to my neighborhood "creatures of the night". Don't get me wrong, if you're into fat then it won't bother you. Also, the portions are very small for what you pay which has always been a pet peeve of mine at places like this. It's like a small sample of 3 choices of meat for $25-30... with a lot of upselling. Crazy!! I'd say give it a try at least once. I forgot to mention that the smoked chicken wings were not good. I had them on a previous visit and they were terrible... so gooey and almost raw inside. I was turned off and almost never returned again, but I had to try the burnt ends and brisket. They're just OK, nothing special. read more

I was here a few years ago and it was way different... a legitimate sit down place with decent food. It's now Cafeteria style barbeque and the only thing you can order sitting down is a cocktail in the bar. The barbecue was good... though smaller portion options didn't seem to be available. The bar service was good. Nothing I would go out of my way to try again read more

Food was decent, not over the top. It feels like they put the minimum into making this just beyond fast food in terms of service. Although, the hand cut fries were excellent. I might go back just for those someday. We only got chicken, and the pulled chicken looked as good as any I've seen, but I had the smoked wings and they were better than expected. Now, the service.....The service is horrible on a level I haven't experienced in a loooong time anywhere. Completely apathetic staff, every single one of them I interacted with seemed like they could give two F's to be there. It was very odd for an entire staff to be so sullen and it lowered my enjoyment of dining out. The ambiance was fine, tables were comfortable and mostly clean. No complaints about the food or ambiance, just the service. They might have been zombies, seriously. read more

As I still sit here and process what I had, I figured it would be easier to come to yelp and type it out... lol. As you enter in the smokehouse, you're met with the southern style smell of a truly delicious smokehouse with an abundance of smoked meats! I checked them out for a dinner snack and they did not disappoint. This place was recommended by a colleague and being from the south myself, I had to try things out! This is an order along the line type of place where employees treat you nicely. I imagine lunch here gets a little chaotic. So because I "judge" places based on their brisket, sausage, and Mac and cheese, I started with the essentials. - Burnt Ends: 8/10.... Good flavor, moist, Smokey, and tender - Texas Sausage: 8/10... good flavor, with cheese inside, but not the normal links I'm used to. -Mac and Cheese: 6/10... has a good taste but lacked a little salt and pepper... if they would cook the noodles in broth, they'd get an 8. Now... stick with me now, so because I read the menu and saw, Mac and cheese, pulled pork, battered in cornbread and fried... I failed temptation and got an order of "Bear Balls." And I was DISAPPOINTED . Too salty and missing something . Similar sitch with the banana pudding... decent for the region but not the southern classic I'm used to. However, I would return and try out additional meats... they seem to have that right! read more

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Being that I'm from VA and VA is not a state known for bbq, I figure it's fair to compare as a reference. Very expensive for smaller portions, and the food I would say is average. Not bad but not great, average. But very expensive for what you get. Customer service was decent. read more

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2 stars because the salad was good The meatloaf was god awful dry and tasteless. The girl at the register never made eye contact and looked like she had just sucked a lemon no hello thank you or anything. read more

A bear themed BBQ joint--yes please! I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was here, especially coming from the BBQ Mecca that is the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The Bear Attack has everything you could ask for in a combo meal (Mac & cheese, cornbread, and your choice of meat) for a very reasonable price, and all parts of it were delicious! The Moink Balls were also a great appetizer, and the garlic parm sauce was a nice touch. The only miss tonight was the blueberry BBQ sauce, which I had on the side. It was overly sweet and needed something to help balance it out (maybe adding chipotle would make it spicy and sweet). Overall I couldn't have been happier with my meal though. If you're staying nearby, definitely try this place out! read more

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Very disappointed about Bear recently. It must have changed chef, or the grill master? We've loved Bear for over 10 years, the meat has always been the same & amazing, but it's changed recently & to the worse, much worse. The brisket looks different, the marinade has a reddish tint & tasted a little sweet where before it's black, peppery & no sweet taste at all. The worst part was how dry it was, very dry vs. used to be very moist, every time! This is not even half as good as the old Bear's brisket. The beef rib had been my favorite forever, but it's changed also. It's drier than before but not as bad as the brisket. It also tasted a little sweet, like slight amount of bbq Souse were used, previous beef rib was super juicy without any sweet taste. It's still yummy though, I'd rate this at 80% of what it was before were brisket at 50% of before. I should also mention I got sick for 5 days from after eating a recent take out order of Bear's pork ribs, it never happened before over 10 years of ordering Bear's take out. I think the quality of food freshness on some take out has gone down hill, that lead me to believe possibly more than the chef had changed, maybe the owner as well? read more

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I thought the food was really good especially since I went towards the end of the night. The staff was very friendly and even asked if I wanted to bring back out more fixings that they had put away? Since I came at the end of the night I really didnt want to be annoying. Loved the choices of sauces. Got it to go but ambiance looked awesome and cozy. Will be back next time I am on my way from the Hartford airport read more

the service was quick & professional , the flavors were delicious and the food was hot and exceeded our expectations. best bbq i've had since texas. my husband had the brisket and i had the pulled pork - amazing! there were a variety of bbq sauces and the cheese curds that came with the poutine were spicy & crisy. absolutely delicious and im hoping they open one up our way in massachusetts. the ambiance was very chill and semi packed but we sat on the side where they don't have the bar. loved everything oh and bathrooms were nice and clean so that's a plus for me ! read more

the meats are juicy and tender; the mac and cheese is homestyle and the chicken wings are large. quick in and out service. not much with ambiance, but you can have a picnic somewhere els, read more

If you're looking for a spot that doesn't mess around, Bear's Smokehouse BBQ is where it's at. It's a total hidden gem that focuses on what matters--and they have so much to choose from on the menu. It's not trying to be "cute"; it's just a solid place with lots of meats that are consistently great. I've been coming here for a while and I have never had a bad experience. The food is solid every time, and it really hits the spot when you're craving real BBQ. If you want a reliable meal that does the job without the fluff, this is the place. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

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I was spending the evening in W Locks prior to a very early flight the next morning but had heard good things about this place. I love BBQ so I had to check it out. Unfortunately the service was awful. I suspect they were short staffed at the bar as it took forever to get a beverage. When I finally placed my order for brisket and burnt ends, i waited almost an hour for the order to arrive. When it showed up, it was wrong. The sides weren't what I requested and my appetizer came after the dinner. For what it's worth the brisket was good but not great. The burnt ends were a bit better but also in the good not great camp. Combined with awful service, I can't muster more than two stars. Not sure I'll go back which is a shame but there are better spots in the vicinity. (Try that Italian spot to the south for pizza!). read more

Everything tastes the same too much bbq or smoke flavor whatever it is drowns out the actual taste of the meat. And no steaks? read more

Not sure where the negative reviews are coming from, but I went here anyway today and it was very good. Had a brisket and ribs family pack, shared with two other people. Wound up taking some home. Service is cafeteria style. Ribs were just right- tender but not "falling off the bone". Brisket was tasty and tender. Sides good too. Also good craft beer selection at the bar. Was pretty crowded on a Saturday at noon so people are aware it's a good deal. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - Order line - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

So this review is something different. The service in the bar area is tremendous, the food is excellent. But my major problem is for some reason they got rid of full service dining. I used to be able to sit at the bar after a long trip and get a beer and order food. Well now they make everyone go wait in line. So for someone in a cane that can't stand long that is tough. Plus you owners are actually stealing from the servers. The money they would get fro food sales that are not getting now. read more

Wow this was really good! I asked one of the workers what his favorite was because I couldn't decide and he said brisket! I don't normally get brisket bc it can be dry but this wasn't!! Would totally get again. It's got a restaurant vibe but counter service and there was a bar if you want a drink my son asked if we can go back read more

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Darleen was the best! She was so personable and hardworking. I really appreciated her work ethi.

Food was decent, meat was tender and the sauces were a must try. The ghost pepper bbq definitely had a nice kick . Wanted a fountain soda, but they had no cups. So $7 for 2 bottles of soda was a little outrageous. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

I have to say this is pretty solid bbq for the Windsor area. My husband and uncle got the pulled pork sandwich and the pork was tender and flavorful. I got the bear bowl and it was GOOD! The beans were on the sweeter side but the meat was Smokey and tender like any good brisket should be. The ambiance is cute lots of play on puns on "bear" hence bears bbq lol. Would come back :) read more

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Disgusting food the pulled pork is dry and they cook the Mac and cheese in plastic bags like it's the most difficult thing in the world to combine pasta and cheese, and it makes it taste like the plastic they cook it in. Their kielbasa is store bought yet they charge like it's not. The only thing they do remotely well is the burnt ends which again they charge way too much for. If you want some real pulled pork that's not dry go to a restaurant called fire on the mountain in suffield. read more

sauces were awesome even though HOT was just warm. brisket was tender yet DRY as a bone. service was awesome though. unfortunately, I'm currently sitting on the porcelain throne getting it out of me in liquid form (all i ate today was your chicken and brisket). i'm sure this is just a one time thing and i will say that next time im in town ill give it another shot cause everything looked sooo good! read more

Great food! I tried it on one of my business trips just from reading the reviews. It did not disappoint.

Did the serving sizes change? Got a Mac attack with brisket and there wasn't much brisket at all. Two very small slices chopped, nothing like the pictures posted here. I was very surprised for the price. Mostly just Mac n cheese. Mac n cheese tasted pretty good. But the brisket was almost non existent. I want what the reviewers have posted in their pictures on Yelp! Maybe management reduced the meat portion. Maybe the server just was spacing out. read more

Bear balls were delicious!!!! Service was great & friendly. Bear attack was flavorful just the right amount of cheesiness for the macaroni. Good seating options, bar is slightly in the middle read more

Walking in to the place, it's a bit confusing. I wasn't sure where to order, where to sit or get my things together. I had no idea where the bbq sauce was but I was just too hungry to care lol. The location was very open and loud, self service dominated. Could really use some better signage or direction for customers. Servers were nice I guess. I can tell they were just there cuz it's a job but not loving what they do. Probably should've sat in the bar area to be served versus ordering at this lunch line and paying at the end. Now for the actual food... It was delicious. Ribs were smoked well, not too tough but not falling off the bone yet. So tried the brisket and burnt ends. Again if I had known where the bbq sauce was, I'd probably enjoy all the meats more. The rub they used was tasty and would come back for more. Had the Mac and cheese and broccoli salad side. It's run of the mill things. The wings were bomb. With or without sauce, loved the taste of the wings. And it was half off wings. Pecan pie was bomb. It wasn't soggy, stupidly sweet or just lacking pecans. Loved the little chocolate bits mixed in with the pecans. Looking forward to returning and actually trying the bbq sauces. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - 3 Meat Combo, Smoked Wings, Pecan Pie - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

Sooo... lesson learned. I'm not actually sure if the first review I wrote was read by someone in charge. Now the bartender is not so busy. You can no longer order food at the bar. Interesting concept I guess. I see other people have mentioned this as well. I'm not a fan. Good beer. Good food. Good service though. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - Wings and fries - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

I ordered the 2 meat plate, with ribs, wings, potato salad, & baked beans. I also had the banana pudding. The ribs were delicious, cooked well, & well seasoned. The wings were EXTREMELY HARD & dry, worst than pork crackling. I was nervous to order the potato salad, but decided to give it a try. To my surprise it was good & seemed to be fresh. The baked beans were really good. I think it was maybe leftover brisket meat in the beans, whatever type meat it was, it was good. Lastly, the banana pudding was decent to not be homemade. read more

We love Bears ! However today I was very disappointed that we could not sit at their bar have some drinks and order our food. To get our food we had to stand in a very long line which took about 25 minutes . We even tried to order pickup and we were told it would be 1 hour. When we did get our food it was delicious . I had the brisket and broccoli salad. My Mac n cheese was disappointing it had no flavor and it was cold. I will try something else next time - maybe they will have sweet potato again next time. We really enjoyed sitting in the bar and before we make the trip in we will check on the bar policy. We may just order delivery... I hope they reverse the decision to have ordering in the bar!!!! read more

A quick update. For some unexplained reason, they have suspended the ability to sit in the bar and order food. You need to stand in line like everyone else, then bring your own food into the bar. This is a recent change, and I just wanted you all to be aware. They have signs posted...but really, who reads signs?? read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - Packed on a Saturday night! - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

Great tasting foods great service well worth the stop if in the area good atmosphere friendly staff

Hadn't been there in over a year, because they had increased prices vs food portions. We decided to try it again, I ordered a chicken sandwich, what a mistake that was. I know they were busy, the person who dropped my chicken and fries in the fryer said he'd bring me my food when it was done. Well after we got through the line, paid and sat down. I walked up there to see where my food was same guy jumped when he saw me, which he obviously had forgotten. Turned got my food from the fryer, put my sandwich together, handed me the tray. I sat down.. it was over cooked so badly the breading came off in dark colored chunks. Chicken was overcooked. I just ate what I could, which wasn't much and discarded it. I never right reviews, but I was so upset after ordering and paying $60 for that. I'll never go to any of their establishments again! I could have gone to McDonald's and got a better chicken sandwich. They pay their employees more than most, their employee should have recognized what he had done, and he should have re-made it. So disappointing! I was rooting for them.... read more

Overall, the meat was pretty dry, and didn't have a lot of flavor. Honestly, I'm only giving it two stars because the employees were really nice. Places like this are why the north gets a bad rap when it comes to food... The overall design was ok but fitting for a BBQ spot. Over all, this place seems like they are trying to copy Mission barbecue but just missing the mark. read more

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - 3 meats. Half chicken, brisket, and pork belly - Southern Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

Been coming here for a long time, a few times a year for work. Been watching the decline of this location in the last year or two. Today I walked in (Friday Evening) only a handful of people in the place. All workers horse playing behind the counter. Order two meat combo, got the brisket right away then the guy yelled that he needed 4 wings, but the horse playing behind the counter was so much that no one heard him. I sat there for a while hoping I was wrong but sure wasn't. After a while one of them asked me why I was standing there and I said I was waiting on wings. Surprised they threw some wings in the fryer and continued playing around. I waited a while but this time instead of waiting forever again, since my brisket and two sides were already cold by this point, I asked them how long it would be? They had completely forgotten the wings in the fryer, they all laughed and still served me the burnt, dried wings. I went to the cashier and it was $28 ($23 plus tax and tip. I always tip since the cashier and one or two of them weren't playing around) for a bit of Brisket, 4 over fried wings and two sides (no drinks). I asked the cashier who the manager was and to my surprise or not, he was one of the ones having a good time behind the counter. I said Nevermind, and walked. This place is in dire need of some more strict management or they will go under very soon. The whole playing around, laughing loudly and horse playing needs to go elsewhere, Im all for having a good time and attitude while at work, but maintaining professionalism at all times should be a priority. The brisket and the sides were good although cold by the time I got the burnt wings. read more

A year ago the food was amazing and I fell in love with their smoked chicken. I got it again at the Big E and it was good. Tonight it was cold, hard, and sparse. Really disappointed. read more