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.

old fashioned proper soul food bbq!!! there were 3 of us - the shoboat is outstanding - you…read moreabsolutely cannot go wrong

Great spot! It's got a cool feel inside, like a Texas barbecue house with military flavor sprinkled…read morein. Not really something Rockford has otherwise. The staff are super friendly, and the food is tasty. They never freeze anything and it's all cooked on site. We got the brisket (our fave even though it was a little fatty) and the turkey, which was a little dry on its own but with the sauce it was great and flavorful. Speaking of, they have a lot of different barbecue sauces to try, I liked the smoky mountain the best, and would recommend if you're into smoky rather than sweet. But there's something for everyone's palate. Definitely want to come again and try their other meats!

Great Place to have a good dinner, lunch, and brunch. The restaurant was clean, and the staff is…read moresuper friendly. Had the brisket sandwich, Mac and cheese, cornbread, and a corn. Love you can refill your soda, and lots of different BBQ's sauces you choose from and to try. Will definitely be back to try the ribs.

Very delicious food! We had the bowls, brisket pizza, and both brisket and pulled pork tacos…read more The bowl is corn bread base with a layer of meat, a layer of beans, and a layer of cole slaw. Each section was delicious and spot on for Carolina BBQ. Together I loved the mix! My husband was on the fence, but he doesn't like his food to touch. Next time he will get a dinner plate. My daughter had the tacos and they were very accommodating for her allergies. Brisket Pizza-- so yummy, sweet BBQ sauce, cheese, and smoked brisket. Just a great sweet and salty combination. We will.definitely go back for more of this delicious food.

Why do I do it. Why do I continuously bludgeon myself ordering barbecue with only halfway…read moreexpectations so I can make false claims about how good the food is, and have an excuse to fall back on? I got this off of grub dash or whatever delivery service it's called. I really wanted barbecue, but I didn't expect to get mostly unpalatable, stringy meat substances. Before you guys read this & judge me, I do a LOT of smoking. I have some stuff I've smoked, in my profile. I have Backwoods Lil Chubby G2 competition reverse flow water smoker, smoked tons of meat and have been in competitions, so I know my stuff. This isn't my stuff. I ordered the three meat combo, with brisket, pulled pork and chicken. I'm not too sure where the brisket is? Was it that stringy beef meat stuff? I couldn't tell the difference between that or what the pork was supposed to be. The chicken is obvious, and while we're on the topic, the chicken is the only thing that had a distinguished flavor of smoke. As far as the other 2 meats, other than a hint of smoke, bland and flavorless. Meat portion size is insulting. I basically paid $30 for five sides and cornbread. Cornbread is actually really good. The highlight of the whole meal, and the only thing that I actually finished. I can't wholeheartedly say that the mac and cheese is made in house, nor the pasta or potato salad or beans for that matter, but I could be wrong (but I'm pretty sure I'm not, seeing the caliber of this food). I was reserving one star, out of consideration for this place, in case the brisket wasn't as tender as it should be, seeing how I had this delivered 11 miles away, but then again, I don't even know where the brisket was. If you're shredding or chopping your brisket (who does that!?), you need to close your doors, because it's obvious that you don't know how to smoke brisket. Brisket is meant to be sliced, not masked by chopping or shredding, then thrown in a steamer tray. I ate about half of it, and tossed the rest out. Headed to Denny's for another lackluster supper. Obviously the people on here raving about how good this place is, haven't had barbecue outside of famous Dave's, Dickies or some other low end franchise. Very disappointed, and waste of money. Sorry Ritchies.... Live and learn I guess. ***DISCLAIMER*** This pure, uncut, honest review is federally protected under Federal Law by way of Bill #EO14149. Removal or alteration of this review by Yelp and/or their affiliates without Expressed consent by it's author is strictly prohibited by FEDERAL law. VIolators will be prosecuted, and litigation imminent.

The bbq from the smoking' coop is the best. Very flavorful and moist. I usually purchase the…read morepulled pork and use it to make sandwiches at home. I highly recommend this place!!!!

This is a fun roadside stop with a cool atmosphere being in a barn with rolled up doors so you can…read moreenjoy the weather. Service was incredibly quick and the prices are hard to beat for BBQ. If you need a quick BBQ fix, stop in. I really wanted to love this place but found it fell short in a few areas: the pulled pork sandwich meat lacked much flavor, as did the sauces. Nothing stand out. The pork was very juicy and had a nice amount of fat. Slaw was also just okay.

I've had the opportunity to travel and experience barbecue culture in Texas, Tennessee, and South…read moreCarolina, and a lot of what people around here call barbecue doesn't really compare. I'm happy to say that's not the case at Whiskey Hotel Barbecue. I had shredded brisket, Mac and cheese, and the carrot slaw. The slaw wasn't overdressed and had a nice crunch, the brisket was tender and had good flavor, and the Mac and cheese was creamy. You order off the board based on what is available, so it helps to go early if there's something you really want, but I don't mind being flexible because I'd rather have fresh food and understand you can't just make smoked meats on the fly. The employees recommend sauces and how they liked to serve items. I'll definitely be back! They said they'll have a different menu during winter.

I love it, service amazing ,food amazing eat the banana pudding ,building has some games the…read morebuilding it is cute again I love it.

The Manager Kyle a.k.a Famous Kyle was so helpful in getting my rewards for me since my bar code…read morefrom Madison store wasn't working. All the employees was very helpful in providing input as well. This is my go to place for delicious bbq and the whole chicken is so awesome. I mostly order the feast for 2, which last me for couple of days. All the food is GREAT!!!! YUMMY AND WELL PREPARED.

Another trip to Famous Dave's in Rockford and another great meal…read more First off, the service was wonderful. I'm sorry I forgot his name but he was great! We had the Baby back ribs plus two meat platter. We actually added a third meat for $4 more. Besides the baby backs, we had brisket, chopped pork, and burnt ends. All of the meats were fantastic! For sides we had the Wilbur Beans and red skin mashed potatoes, along with the pickled onions and hell fire pickles. We love them all. I love going into Dave's and walking around the restaurant looking at all of the cool vintage signs and pictures hanging on the walls. The pictures of Dave in front of all the old historic bbq joints all over the country are really cool too. Stop in at Famous Dave's in Rockford and have a great meal like we did.

Best barbecue in Rockford hands down. I would recommend this place to everyone his side dishes are…read moregreat best collard greens and macaroni and cheese

Service is friendly jerk chicken was good 4 stars there. I had the st. Louis ribs the first time ok…read morebut kinda dry and tuff some parts were moist overall ok. Had the rib tips large size boney and dry some were very good. Sauce needs some ump kinda bland. Really just an ok place. Yes I'm from Chicago and know what's up

Everything from the food to the experience is wonderful! 2…read morepeople can have a feast for around $100! The decor is really nice and you get the feeling of privacy despite other tables being there. It's like you're in your own little work in your booth. I love it! My only warning is that you better be ready to have a forearm workout from grilling your own food, but it's SO worth it!!! I go whenever I can!

The customer service was less than pleasant and the food was unfortunately not up to our Korean…read morestandards. I was excited to try something local but unfortunately it seems the establishment is trying their hand at the Korean food experiment for the first time.