I cannot be more enthusiastic about our recent visit to Broken Smoker. In fact, this review is a result of two visits within five days. I wanted to make sure visit one wasn't a fluke. Spoiler alert: This smoker ain't broken! We were really in the mood for ribs and I didn't feel like cooking them myself. Ribs locally can be hit or miss with the emphasis on "miss". A quick Yelp search led us to Broken Smoker in Middleville which was only a quick 20-25 minute drive from Grand Rapids. We were quickly seated on busy Friday night and each ordered a slab of ribs. Sides include hand cut fries, macaroni and cheese, Cole slaw, hushpuppies, collard greens, etc. The ribs were wonderful beyond belief and were very meaty with a nice smoked taste. There were BBQ sauces for every taste. I particularly enjoyed the "Memphis" (sweet) and "Outhouse" (sweet/spicy). We probably could have gotten by with splitting a slab but the upside was ribs to take home to enjoy the next day. I make pretty good ribs at home but really don't think I could come close to these beauties. Enjoying the rest of our ribs the next day, we decided to come back to further explore the menu. Fast forward 5 days and we're back in Middleville. This time I had the brisket sandwich (with great hand cut fries) and my wife tried the BBQ grilled cheese sandwich which came with pulled pork. Most BBQ afficienados know that barbecue is somewhat regional. Texas - brisket, Carolinas-pork, etc. I've spent enough time in Texas to know Broken Smoker's brisket stacks right up with great Texas brisket. Again, a wonderful smoked flavor. My wife was as happy with her choice as I was with mine. There is a "Missing Man Table" (pictured below) that commemorates those who served and didn't make it home. Some places do this on Memorial Day. Nice to see this important reminder as a permanent fixture. Excellent and friendly service highlighted both visits. read more

See all

The broken smoker has some decent meats to choose from! If you don't enjoy very Smokey meats, this place is definitely not for you. We got a 1/4 lb of brisket to spilt, with a order of their cheese fries with brisket on top, and the 2 sides we chose were Mac and cheese and corn bread. The cheese fries were absolutely delicious! The cheese sauce they use it very good! The corn bread was great, and the Mac and cheese lacked some flavor but not too bad. The meat itself was very good, just very Smokey! read more

Broken Smoker - Brisket, Mac & cheese, corn bread and brisket cheese fries - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

Look....I'm not even a huge fan of bbq and as soon as I tried The Broken Smoker I had to come back and share this wonderful place with my daughter! Thank goodness Jimmye didn't keep this a secret from us lol! I'm going to start out with the service because it's amazing! Everyone is so nice and appreciative of their customers! My daughter thought we knew the servers, that's how friendly they are! Please don't change this! We sampled a few things: Fried pickles- wow!!! Fried with a peppered cornmeal batter , mind blown!! The crispy grain gives it a unique crunchy texture that I love! Both times we ordered these they were pipping hot and so good!! Get these!!! Fried Okra- double wow!! Extra slime that's how I like it! If you know you know....you don't see okra on a menu very often in GR so I was very happy. These were also very fresh and tasty Meat- Brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage- you can't go wrong with brisket, it was cooked right! Nice and tender but not too juicy where it's dripping & you still got some of those fatty bites where all the flavor was at. They use a seasoning rub that is peppered but not overpowering. Ribs were fall off the bone, my gosh just so incredibly tender and they don't need sauce in my opinion! Great flavor and spices! The chicken was bland, just a little salt and it would have been perfect. Still it was cooked so well, the juices oozed out as you cut through and it was VERY tender. Finally the sausages, I think this might be my favorite lol. Packed with flavor, so sweet and savory! I guess this is a smoker thing but they were chard & juicy at the same time! I need to get a smoker !!! Why not 5?- I know this is pretty much a meat pit but a side salad on the menu would go a long way for me! I know I'll be back to get through their appetizers and other sides! SYOY! read more

See all

We ordered a large takeout order and it was fantastic. I called early and the day to schedule a large takeout order to be picked up that night. The lady on the phone was very helpful and helped me decide how much to order. We ordered a little bit of everything and we enjoyed it all. Every pound of meat gives you 2 sides, so we had leftovers forever! We had brisket, sausage, chicken, pulled pork, Mac/cheese, beans, coleslaw, cornbread, hush puppies, and I'm sure more. I wish I remembered to take a picture before everyone dug in!The variety of sauces were delicious and it was appreciated that they gave us a ton of it. We will definitely remember this place the next time we are craving BBQ! read more

We ate at Broken Smoker today and had the best experience! The atmosphere is awesome, the food is great, and Kim is the perfect waitress/hostess! My husband and I shared the Sampler Platter, and our daughter got the 1/2 rack of ribs. It was all excellent! We also got the Hillbilly Rolls for an appetizer and loved them! We're originally from Texas and the food here is legit. We will definitely be making this place a regular! read more

Broken Smoker - Half Rack of Ribs and the Sampler Platter. - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

Good traditional bbq place. Cannot evaluate other than bbq foods, but the brisket was very good.

Delicious pulled pork and brisket! Our family loves it and the homemade fries are amazing.

My husband loved it. I'm not the biggest bbq fan but it was tasty. The prices are reasonable and the staff was super friendly and helpful. It's a great spot in downtown Middleville to get good meal. I just wasn't thinking about it. The meats were done well and the Mac and cheese was delicious. We will be back to fill that meat shaped hole in my husbands heart. read more

Broken Smoker - Pulled pork and beef brisket with fries and Mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

See all

Seriously though, A++. Between the Spicy cheese curds, the Mountain Nuggets (Mac and cheese balls) and the worlds best sandwich aka THE GAMBLER. What is not to like?! Small town dining is the best dining especially when the food is this good. read more

Broken Smoker - The Gambler! Spicy sausage, brisket, pulled pork, coleslaw topped with Mac and Cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

We had planned to drive to Grand Rapids for dinner but after a long week we were tired. I remembered the Broken Smoker from an event at my previous job that they catered. Decided to check it out. We were very impressed to see the table set for our fallen members of our military. As we are most patriotic- my husband is a veteran, this meant something to us. Our sever was friendly and helpful. Prices were good and the food was great! I had the pulled chicken and it arrived on a beautifully toasted bun. My husband had the brisket. He was thrilled to be able to get a pound serving. Overall a great place and we will go again. My only disappointment is that we sat in the first room and when I went into the second room after eating (ladies room is in there) I noticed a sign with items that were not on the menu. I would have loved to order the okra! ETA: I heard the chef 86 an item because it wasn't to his standard. I was wicked impressed. In a time when many restaurants are more concerned with food costs than quality it was refreshing to hear that he would rather be 'out of something' than serve something that is below standard. Bravo! read more

See all

Had dinner with friends there. It was so nice having the owner in the kitchen and making the rounds to see that everyone was great. Food and drinks were outstanding. read more

This has excellent brisket! I tried three sauces but the brisket didn't need it at all. It was super moist and had a good bark on it. The Mac and cheese wasn't bad, but nothing exceptional. The beans on the other hand, were amazing. They had pretty big pieces of pork in them and great flavor. Finally, although I was there by myself and not familiar with the area, my server was very welcoming, friendly and helpful. Overall a solid five stars! read more

Broken Smoker - Brisket, beans and Mac and cheese. Mmm - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

Great tasting food! Give it a try fast and friendly. The BBQ was very tender on the pulled pork sandwich. Really enjoyed the Hush Puppies. read more

Broken Smoker - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

The people are warm and inviting, and the food is amazing! Definitely recommend to anyone.

This is a hidden gem! The brisket is some of the best in the area and the staff is friendly and efficient. I have yet to try something other than the brisket but I have tried most of the sides and they are great too. read more

Delicious BBQ, everything in the menu is cooked to just the right temperature. Good old fashioned smoked food

Just Moved up here from Texas and was craving some BBQ. I went to the broke smoker to get my fix and discovered the best BBQ I have ever had. This place is amazing and food was perfect. I am eager to return and try the brisket as they had ran out. Get there early and enjoy perfect BBQ. read more

This is by far some of the best bbq I've had in Michigan. The pulled pork was perfect and the brisket cooked to perfection. If you like southern sweet tea, theirs is wonderful! Great food, great service, beautiful setting in downtown Middleville! read more

The owner is always yelling and running around without a clue. My brisket was DRY AF. When I asked about it, I was told "that's how brisket is" save your money and your time. You're better off going to McDonald's and getting a McRib. read more

Best barbecue around. Great sauces, solid sweet tea, plus they love our veterans. A bunch of patriots just like me. Owner is a very nice guy. They also have burgers so my wife will let me come get bbq and she can eat too. Only thing missing is styrofoam cups. read more

Broken Smoker - Gambler - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

The food and service is incredible and the owner is a true American Patriot with a love and respect for all the service men and women. when I saw the missing man table, I knew I was at the right place. read more

We love the Carolina pulled pork sandwich and their chronic baked beans - Delicious! We've been back numerous times for the Ribs. They know how to smoke them right. Even our kids love eating here. Thanks Broken Smoker for being a part of Middleville! Mmmm mmm good! read more

Broken Smoker - Carolina pulled pork, baked beans and the Ribs... All Amazing! Even our kids love eating here. Broken Smoker you rock! - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

See all

Liked the service but the food wasn't great. Only live 2 minutes away and my food was cold when I got home to eat...? Sauces were ok, mac and cheese and coleslaw had NO flavor we were VERY disappointed. $45 for a pulled pork sandwich, one other sandwich meal, one side, and no drinks.. Probably won't go back read more

Wow! Talk about incredible food & service! The absolute best kielbasa and brisket that I have ever had! The brisket had perfect caramelized bark and was cooked to medium rare perfection. I was sad they were out of the brisket egg rolls, but the entree made up for it. We even bought the sauce, yum! My only suggestion would be to revamp the mac and cheese, it was very bland, but the beans were great and full of pulled pork. read more

Great food, great service! This was our first visit, and we went for an early dinner. Among our group's meat selections were brisket, ribs, sausage, chicken, and pulled pork- all smoked, all so good! The smoke rings were visible, and the meat was so tender it was easy to cut with a plastic knife. They have four sauces you can put on your meat and we liked them all. It was nice to let the flavor of the meat stand on its own and control the sauce on your own. The sides were all nice. The fried pickles were just right- not too breaded and with two dipping sauces. No liquor license, but the sweet tea was good! What made our meal, though, was the service from Hayley and the general friendliness of the place. What a sweetheart! Very old school, great small town vibes. We will be back! read more

This is a great local barbecue restaurant that brings back memories of traveling for business in the South. The owner and staff have always been very warm and welcoming. The owner has created some off-menu dishes and great seasonal picks throughout the year. This is a must if you like barbecue. read more

Outstanding food especially the beans, meat choice we preferred was brisket and pulled pork. Sausages where juicy and well smoked and very good! read more

This smokehouse is one of the best I know! The servers are very friendly, and attentive, and the food is amazing! With a good assortment of options on the menu, whatever you choose to eat with have large portions. For the proportions they serve the prices are great! If you're in Middleville make sure to check out "Broken Smoker " and make sure to try their brisket! read more

Broken Smoker - Outside of restaurant - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

Went for the first time on Saturday. We had a little wait, but it was well worth. This place is excellent. The owners really take care of their customers. Can't wait to return. The food is amazing. I have already been telling people about it. Wonderful place. read more

Meh. It's a cool place for the country but it's no southern bbq. It's cool to hang out with friends for a drink but don't expect Memphis bbq

The food is AMAZING. We had the brisket and pulled pork with the Memphis sauce. It was so tender and delicious. The hush puppies were crispy, the beans had a great smoky flavor, and the French fries were hot and crispy. We left with two take out orders for my sons. We will definitely come here again. read more

Broken Smoker - Pulled pork, brisket, French fries, hush puppies, corn bread, and beans. - Barbeque Near Me - Middleville, Michigan

The food is AMAZING! Customer service is over the top! When I call and order for a pickup, I always end the call with a smile- it's always such a great experience! Their pulled pork sandwiches and their baked beans are to die for!! 10/10 recommend read more

Holy smokes! Pun intended. What Just happened could be nothing short of a heavenly experience! My fiancé wanted me to have a special dinner for my birthday. She made mention of a place the neighbors were raving about a few days back. We perused the menu and she ran and grabbed it as take-out. The 4 of us just sat in silence for several minutes as we experienced something more than a normal dinner, I'm just not sure what to call it. It was a meditative experience that involved food lol! Seriously though, the food was amazing! We had ribs, brisket, baked beans, corn bread, and the sauce we had was called Memphis. I can't speak to the dining experience but the food was 5 star on all counts. After we finished I witnessed my fiancé call 2 separate people to make a referral about this place. I felt compelled to write a review myself which is something I don't do often but the food is just that good. I am fully confident that this place will be a long time success, enjoy! read more

It seems they don't have all meat choices on all days, so I guess you need to be ready of they don't have what you want. Started with the friend Mac and cheese, was super good. Nice and cheesy inside. Shared a combo tray of pork and brisket with collards and cornbread. Biggest take away was nothing was seasoned. Someone in the kitchen must be allergic to salt because the pork and collards were super bland. The brisket was slightly better with a bit of flavor on the crust. The meat was very tender and good texture, but the pork had an almost sickening amount of smoke flavor. I enjoy smokey BBQ, but this was like they soaked it in liquid smoke after pulling. Very strange overall, smokey and bland. The sauces were decent, but again they could have used more salt in the "West Carolina" sauce. Also could have used more tomato and a brighter vinegar flavor. I know Western Carolina vinigar sauce well and this didn't take me back there. Finally, we had some issues either the waitress. She was very nice, but she wrote down our order wrong and gave us 2 portions of pork instead of one pork and one brisket. She also didn't seem to understand the difference between splenda/equal/sweet&low/sugar. Asked if they had splenda or equal and was told yes, then she came with sugar. Sugar doesn't blend well with cold tea, and for some reason they don't have sweet tea and were out of lemonade. Again, she was very nice but didn't seem to really be paying attention or be knowledgeable. I assume it was just an off day. Overall, unlikely to return. Would have liked to try the ribs, but unlikely they would have been underwhelming as well. Hope they can manage to improve so there can be 2 good places in Middleville, but not sure they're going to be a good fit. read more

Got some beef brisket & a couple of sausages, with a couple sides of collard greens. The brisket had a perfect amount of fat and flavor, and was able to be cut with just my plastic silverware -- very, very good. Sausages were incredibly flavorful and delicious, and the collard greens were perfect. I wish I lived closer so I could go more often. read more

Best place to eat in middleville. Always friendly staff Always hardworking Always welcoming Always delicious damn FOOD, MAN. read more

We've been meaning to try for a while now. We got a combo with brisket, ribs, and half a chicken. Also got fried pickles and Mac n cheese. The pickles had a great flavor I haven't seen anywhere before. All the meats were great and we loved the sauces. The smoker definitely isn't broken here, works very well. Great infusion. Good job y'all. read more

This is the best BBQ in West Michigan!!! The owner is a perfectionist. Competition level ribs and brisket. If you like good BBQ, this place is a must. Perfect amount of smoke on perfectly done meats. Next level stuff. There are a few other places that are pretty good in West Mich, this place is a good two levels above any of them. read more

Great food, downtown middleville mi. Brisket and sausage!! Coming back to try more. ..

The barbecue was awesome the macaroni and cheese was cheesy the hush puppies were fabulous really really good meal