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    JL Smokehouse

    4.5 (444 reviews)
    Open 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    JL Smokehouse Photos

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    JL SMOKEHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    It's not fast food
    Kyle B.

    This was the highlight of my travel to PHX. Came from seeing Mark Weins(YouTuber) visit. The food was delicious. And I got a chance to meet and speak with JL. Just a really nice, down to earth, conversational gentleman. I ate the restaurant which was comfy and simple. Slow when I got there. But business quickly jumped I will most certainly return!!

    Tonisha C.

    A solid bbq spot. The service was great. The dining/waiting area was clean. They do have music playing in the background but it's not so loud that you can't easily converse with others around you. The wait time to receive our order wasn't too long. The meats were well seasoned with the brisket being a little on the spicy side. The BBQ sauce was not great, too much vinegar not enough flavor.

    This place stepped above and beyond once more food is absolutely excellent and made to eat. Service was incredible as normal
    Richard E.

    Service was great. Food is unbelievable once again ready to eat thank you guys very much for your great service.

    Pulled pork, spareribs, brisket, bologna, mac 'n cheese, beans, roll
    Dan L.

    I'm traveling from our if town and decided to stop here for lunch. It was just okay. The staff was great. Five stars for them. Brisket was fine. Ribs were fine. Pulled pork was fine. Smoked bologna was pretty good. Beans were subpar. Mac 'n cheese was really bad. BBQ sauce was horrible. Way too runny! It came out like water! With the exception of when I make my own, I haven't had smoked bologna in a really long time, so I was stoked to see it as an option. All the restaurants in Oklahoma have it. If somebody told me they were traveling to Phoenix and wanted a barbecue recommendation, I would not send them here. Not bad, but definitely not worth the recommendation.

    Food galore the Slugger Pit Master Picks so fun to try it all
    Krissy H.

    The experience there was truly delightful. Surprisingly, the cornbread stole my heart, even as someone who usually isn't drawn to it. It arrives looking like a pancake, but the flavor is incredible! While the barbecue was good, I found myself slightly disappointed. No regrets, though--I plan to elevate my mac & cheese by adding green chilies for that extra kick when I get home. The potato salad had a sweetness that wasn't quite my preference, but don't get me wrong still good and home made as for the coleslaw was refreshing, especially when mixed with the barbecue sauce. We indulged in a feast of six meats--perhaps too much for just the two of us--but we're excited to transform the leftovers into amazing tacos. After seeing it featured on the news, we drove an hour to experience this gem, and it was well worth it. This place has earned a spot on my list of go to spots. While not a typical date night spot, hints it is a BBQ place and not much to look at again don't get me wrong its fine but it's perfect for takeout; imagine a lovely picnic or a fun backyard gathering. A day by the river with this delicious food would be truly fabulous. as for the service could not ask for a better service they were super sweet .

    Beans, pulled pork sandwich, mac & cheese barbecue sauce

    BBQ Parking behind the building. The inside is like a traditional BBQ joint. You order at the counter. This review is solely for the items I ordered and I have not sampled any of the other food. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and a side of beans and macaroni and cheese. First, let me say the sides are probably enough for two people so bring a friend and maybe each order one side and split them. My meal with a can of soda was just under $25. This style of barbecue appears to me to be more of almost like a North Carolina or vinegar based style with a little mix of spicy. It's definitely a spicy or style of barbecue than something sweet like a baby Rays or other store-bought barbecue sauce you're probably used to eating. Their sauce is thinner and has a pretty good taste and spice to it. The beans have good flavor and are also somewhat spicy so maybe buy yourself a second drink because you'll be drinking it. The mac & cheese was of the right consistency that mac & cheese should be. It was not runny. It had decent flavor and was even tastier when I put some of the barbecue sauce on it. Let's get to the pulled pork sandwich. The portions were fine. It came on a nice fresh bun, but as opposed to being pulled pork, it looked like more like chopped up pork, and to be honest it did not have an overly smoky taste. It was moist and you could tell it was barbecue and not like a pork chop, but it just didn't have enough smoked flavor for me. Some of the bark even tasted almost crispy, like a pork rind. Slathered in sauce it went down fine, but I'm not gonna lie, I was really missing that smoky flavor and a good bark that you typically get from well done barbecue. I'll definitely go back and try some of their other meats and see if they are any different. I'm going to have to take off one star just for the lack of smoke flavor because after all it is barbecue, but all in all my sandwich was decent but not the best I've ever had. I would've taken off half a star for the price because I don't think a lunch should cost almost $25 especially when I know how much pork shoulder costs, but since the sides really were enough for two people, they'll keep their half a star. Give it a try but go in knowing it is not gonna be sticky sweet barbecue. It's going to be more of a vinegar base style of barbecue.

    Brisket bbq taco
    Kalyn C.

    This was our first time trying JL Smokehouse and we had a fabulous experience. All of the food was delicious, and we got lucky and even met JL himself, his wife, and Dee who were all super sweet. They cook from the heart and it shows in the flavor of the food! We got the brisket, pulled pork and ribs, as well as Mac n cheese, bbq beans and a bbq brisket taco. All were yummy but the brisket was our fav - such a yummy flavor in the seasoning and perfectly tender. Food 10/10 Customer Service 10/10 We are excited to come back and try more of their menu, including their sandwiches and more tacos for lunch. We luckily live nearby. Happy to say we finally found a delicious arizona bbq place!

    Menu on 4/9/24
    Jeff B.

    I ordered online for pick up. It said 30 mins. I got two Whippersnapper lunches, no frills. The dude at the counter was effervescent and friendly. Sadly, when I arrived 30 mins later, he told me they were out of collards. I switched to coleslaw but they were out. How about baked beans? Out. It sounded like the cook needed to arrive sooner. As I waited for my order, he told others that they were out of wings and smoked sausage. They better knock me out with the food on this one. My order was ready on time. I checked the order before leaving and everything was fine this time. In all it came to $37.90, which was about right for BBQ. JL BBQ is wearing me down with the restrictions: first it was the hours; now the availability of menu items so what's next?

    Pulled Pork Loaded Baked
    Danita W.

    My daughter and I visited her today and purchases the brisket sandwich with fries and pulled pork loaded baked potato and collard greens. The food was delicious and great flavors. The brisket was moist and well seasoned. The fries were lightly battered given a crunchy texture and the loaded potato was amazing! The collards were ok lack seasoning but added some brisket and seasoning made it better. Overall, great customer service who provided recommendations for sandwiches.

    Heavy Hitter 5 meats!
    Brie O.

    We flew in from Seattle and I was craving bbq. I'm from Texas and if you know you know Texas bbq is the BEST! As soon as we got off of the plane we headed to eat. And there is no better place to be go than an off the grid restaurant to get the flavor of the city. We arrived at JL Smokehouse and we were greeted with the smell of brisket. We ordered the Heavy Hitter. 5 meats and 3 sides. Brisket Ribs Chicken Cut ribs Pulled pork Baked beans Potato salad Coleslaw Meat was tender and nicely seasoned and char in the meat. The potato salad was the best side to me. Nicely seasoned soft but firm potatoes. Coleslaw had a nice vinegar kick in the back of the mouth. Nice and crunchy. Baked beans sweet and a little spicy. Just right. We did not try any dessert we were stuffed from the food. The heavy hitter is enough for 3-4 people. We never finished it all. This was a great experience. Awesome R&B music playing. Staff were extremely friendly and patient.

    My Brisket

    The food was amazing and service was great too. Definitely coming back! Huge portions

    Inside

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    6 days ago

    BBQ is incredible and absolutely good. Flavorful. Moist and tender. Service made feel like I was home.

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    James L.

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    2 years ago

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    James L.

    Thank you. We look forward to seeing you soon.

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    2 years ago

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    James L.

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    2 years ago

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    James L.

    Thank you, Danita, for your feedback.

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    9 months ago

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    James L.

    Thank you Brie...

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    3 years ago

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    James L.

    Thank you, Mike, for your feedback.

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    4 months ago

    JL Smokehouse is totally LEGIT!! Amazing food and amazing flavor!! A definite return customer. Keeping them on my catering list.

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    James L.

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    2 years ago

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    James L.

    Thank you for the feedback. We really appreciate the love

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    2 years ago

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    James L.

    Thank you, Morris, for your feedback..

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    James L.

    Thank you, June , for letting others know about JL Smokehouse

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    3 years ago

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    James L.

    Great feedback. It is very helpful, and this is how our team grow.

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    5 years ago

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    James L.

    Thank you Norm....

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    Thank you, Myshell, for your feedback...

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    Page 1 of 12

    JL Smokehouse Reviews in Other Languages

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    Are your meats gluten free? (no soy sauce etc)?

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    The Macintosh - Bacon Mac + Cheese

    The Macintosh

    4.4(1.3k reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    We've been going here for years and it's a great place with fantastic service. The food is…read moreexcellent overall, my one issue is with the steak. The last two times I been there and ordered the steak it was very disappointing. It's full of fat and gristle. Never used to be like that, maybe they have a new supplier or they are buying a lesser quality product. Anyway always loved this place, so it's just a

    I grabbed a quick lunch here at The Macintosh after shopping at the nearby Trader Joe's. This place…read moreis located in the Town and Country Shopping Center. Even though my time here was brief, I had a nice time here. Service was great and food was delicious. I enjoyed the atmosphere in the dining room. I didn't have time for drinks, but I hear they have a nice selection of drinks in their bar and a great happy hour. The Macintosh is described as a neighborhood restaurant that serves modern American and Southern cuisine. It was once called Grassroots Kitchen & Tap before it got rebranded. They have a diverse menu with a lot of different choices. Shrimp and Grits, Barbecued Beef Ribs, a Chicken Salad and Po Boy Sandwiches are some of the standouts. I settled on the Rotisserie Chicken which came with a side of onion rings. I'm a big pesto fan and loved the buttermilk pesto for dipping. I had a nice time and look forward to a return visit. In addition to happy hour, The Macintosh has brunch on the weekends.

    Photos
    The Macintosh - Happy hour rose

    Happy hour rose

    The Macintosh - Short rib creole poutine

    Short rib creole poutine

    The Macintosh - Interior

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    SugarJam The Southern Kitchen - Grots abd fish

    SugarJam The Southern Kitchen

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    16.7 mi
    $$

    Make sure you make a reservation. They seat big parties BEFORE walk ins. Easy 2 hour (+) wait if…read moreyou dont have a reservation. Aside from that, food is amazing, service was great.

    Sugar jam was a jam and I loved every minute of it! By the Grace of God, we didn't have…read morereservations, but were seated within 30m. We stood around and witnessed all the beautiful people roll in from all walks of life. Food is really that thing that will pull it all together. Pair that with some good tunes and a friendly staff, you're bound to spend the entire day there lol. Let's get to the food- Wings for the table- OK! Crispy, not saucy, just light and airy. It tasted slightly sweet with something else I can't place my finger on. French Toast with the grand mariner sauce- yes please and thank you! I did not taste the sauce, but the French toast tasted good. I had some egg whites and the chicken tenders with it. Not a fan of chicken tenders, but there's no substituting, so tenders it is. Mocktail with lemonade and ginger- I don't remember the name but that was quite refreshing. I would've opted for more ginger b/c I like it spicy , and it got the job done. My other homies had shrimp and grits, salmon croquettes. They enjoyed it. Shout out to our waiter Chance . Quite pleasant and had a great aura. He recommended some spots for us to see/explore and didn't rush us. I'd definitely return should I visit AZ again!

    Photos
    SugarJam The Southern Kitchen
    SugarJam The Southern Kitchen - Parisian French Toast w/ Rum Pecan Maple Syrup

    Parisian French Toast w/ Rum Pecan Maple Syrup

    SugarJam The Southern Kitchen - Crab Cake Stuff Shrimp N Grits

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    Mrs White's Golden Rule Cafe

    Mrs White's Golden Rule Cafe

    3.4(695 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    I worked across the street in the 90s. People in our office would go and report back…read more If they liked you, the food was great. If you were white, they probably didn't like you. Those people got unseasoned, undercooked food. No salt at the table and their waiter would be so rude and aggressive, you were afraid to ask for some. (Clearly intentional.) After a while, friends from the office would go just to report back so we'd all have a laugh about it. Tragic history. Crazy experience. Welcome to Phoenix. At least you have a story to tell.

    Not sure what can be said that hasn't been already. I can't claim to be a soul food expert, but I…read moredo know a great tasting meal when I have one. Popped in before a Suns game, an easy walk past Chase Field. It was good to get away from the usual pregame options. The place was clean and inviting, and had a little bit of a "back in time" feel without being dated. Quickly and pleasantly welcomed and seated. Then came the hard part, making choices. We had fried chicken and fried catfish, with sides of Mac and Cheese, macaroni salad (yep, Mac two ways), greens and mashed potatoes with gravy. All were great, obviously home made from longstanding recipes. Especially into the greens, which were bursting with flavor. The catfish was delish, and my wife called the fried chicken the best she ever had. Saved room for peach cobbler, which was served smoking hot. The perfect sweet end to the savory meal. Next time I'm all in on pork chops, which looked amazing. And we will come on a Sunday, the only day dressing is available as a side option. If you're looking for a meal that feels like a friend had you over for supper, go here! Thanks Mrs. White's family!

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    Mrs White's Golden Rule Cafe
    Mrs White's Golden Rule Cafe - Liver & onions w/rice and gravy and green beans

    Liver & onions w/rice and gravy and green beans

    Mrs White's Golden Rule Cafe - Side of the building makes it easy to find!

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    Side of the building makes it easy to find!

    Nana’s Kitchen - Nanas soul

    Nana’s Kitchen

    4.2(207 reviews)
    13.0 mi
    $$

    Nana's Kitchen is that spot. The food and the service were so good I literally downloaded the Yelp…read moreapp just to leave a review--and that should tell you everything. From the first bite, it was clear this wasn't just cooked food, it was made with intention. Hot, fresh, flavorful, and straight from the soul. Let's just say Tabitha Brown wasn't lying--everything is good. No exaggeration. This is comfort food done right. No shortcuts, no bland plates, just real flavor and care in every bite. Very delicious and absolutely worth the hype. Tips: Parking can be limited and the wait can be long, so come prepared. Stay cool, stay hydrated, and definitely use the restroom before you arrive. Trust me--you'll want to focus on the food once you get it.

    I don't write reviews, normally I would just move on, but this was pretty unethical so I just…read morewanted to let people know. I placed an online order with Nana's kitchen. (the only way you're able to place an order) I went to pick it up at the time that was given on the app, my credit card was charged immediately. When I went to pick up my order, they were closed. The Sign with the hours of operation were posted and stated they should have been open. I went back to my car and called the phone number on the app, which was a recording. I left a message with my phone number for them to call me. The next day I received a text that said my money was refunded which it was, everything but the tip I had left. I never received a call from them, no acknowledgment at all as to why they were closed and why they kept the tip. I am in the F&B business and no, they could have refunded the total amount that was charged to my card, but they decided to keep the tip. Pretty disappointing and unethical. Edit: I appreciate the response from Nana's kitchen, but it was not just a "bank processing delay" I left my phone number on the recording and asked for a call back, which I never got, had that happened I would not have had to leave review. Communication goes a long way.

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    Nana’s Kitchen - Digital Menu Screen Board

    Digital Menu Screen Board

    Nana’s Kitchen - Nanas soul

    Nanas soul

    Nana’s Kitchen - XXL Combo plate

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    XXL Combo plate

    Southern Fried - Fried catfish

    Southern Fried

    4.6(20 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    Great food at decent prices. The manager told me they will be closing at the end of the month, so…read morethat's sad.

    If it weren't for Yelp I probably wouldn't have discovered this little place, even though I drive…read moreby it daily to get home. Tucked back in a small building, just off Southern Avenue, you'll find Southern Fried. It is a small little walk in store front, so plan ahead to order out. We went ahead and ordered online to make things simple and easy. As shown on their building and advertised they show they serve Jamaican food so I was pretty let down when I looked at the menu to discover they do not have any Jamaican food. Seeing pictures of previous Yelp reviews of jerk chicken and oxtail left me bummed. We ended up ordering the fried okra, fried mushrooms, the 2 fish and 5 shrimp combo, along with the fried catfish and fries. We took our food to go and headed home, just around the corner. Once opening the containers i instantly got excited about the mushrooms. Anyone that knows me knows i am mushroom obsessed. With a quick dip in the ranch that came with and popping one into my mouth.... Yummmm! The okra was a bit of a miss. It seems they were still a bit slimy. Moving along to our main courses, I was disappointed to find that our fish was packed on top of our fries and the fries were very limp, soggy and unseasoned. I think packing the takeout differently could easily eliminate this issue. The catfish and shrimp were seasoned to perfection. They both had a perfect blend of spice and a light and crispy batter. I would love to see Jamaican food on the menu, as the advertising is a bit deceptive. Overall I would definitely be willing to try them again and would love to give one of their burgers a taste test.

    Photos
    Southern Fried - Store front

    Store front

    Southern Fried - Combo #2 - 2 Fish, 5 Shrimp

    Combo #2 - 2 Fish, 5 Shrimp

    Southern Fried - Fried Okra

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    Fried Okra

    The Larder and The Delta - Hot toddy

    The Larder and The Delta

    4.7(18 reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$$$

    Took my wife for her birthday dinner here. Tucked away in a beautifully restored house, this cozy…read morerestaurant delivers a tasting menu experience that's nothing short of magical. From the moment we stepped inside, the intimate ambiance and warm service set the tone for an unforgettable evening. Each course was a thoughtful journey through seasonal flavors, beautifully plated and perfectly paced. Standouts were pork cheeks that melts-in-your-mouth. The cocktail and wine that we took were spot-on, elevating each bite and adding another layer of indulgence. The chef's passion clearly shines through every dish, and the attention to detail, from the local ingredients to the printed menu, made the experience feel extra special. It's rare to find a place that so thoroughly delivers on its promise, but this little gem exceeded all expectations. We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit. Highly recommended for food lovers looking for something intimate and exceptional. Well, do note that they don't do anything special for birthdays, at least they did not do for us when I reserved a spot via OpenTable with the details already.

    A wonderful dining experience!…read more Initially, we were sad when we learned that Binkleys was closing. Our first visit to The Larder and the Delta made us feel that many of the aspects of Binkleys that made a meal there so special are still accessible. Chef Stephen perpetuates the spirit of Binkleys. The tasting menu deconstructs and reassembles familiar and unexpected ingredients into unique plates. The menu seems to change frequently. The Cod Cheeks and Wagyu Short Ribs were favorites during our menu. We were able to enjoy cocktails and two plates outdoors before moving to the dining room for the rest of our meal.

    Photos
    The Larder and The Delta - Yum!!!!

    Yum!!!!

    The Larder and The Delta - Snack course

    Snack course

    The Larder and The Delta - Hand pies

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    Hand pies

    JL Smokehouse - bbq - Updated May 2026

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