What a great place to eat with the family. They sat us outside near the games which made the meal just lovely with the children. We really liked the BBQ platter and the Nashville sandwhich! read more

Smoak BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

I've been here several times and had takeout about 7 times. I always go here at least once and often twice when we need to come to mayo in Rochester. Overall the food is good to very good. The bbq meats are very tastee, but at times, i have found the brisket and ribs to be overcooked. I really like their broasted chicken. Super yummy. I have ordered that about 5 times. Most of the time, they nail it, but on one occasion, it was overcooked and dry. read more

Exceptional BBQ. I moved to Minnesota from Texas and have found little BBQ worth eating. Smoak is an unexpected and wonderful surprise. Wish it was closer to the twin cities. The brisket was moist and perfectly smoked with a slightly crisp bark. Both the lean and fatty side slices were perfect. By far the best brisket in Monnesota. Score A. The ribs were nicely smoked but a little tough. Minnesota does have other ribs, these were good but not great. Score B. The smoked turkey was wonderful. Tender with just right amount of smoke. Score A. The chicken was amazing. I have found very good pit masters in Texas that couldn't match this. The breast meat was juicy and tender. The skin had a nice crispness. The smoke level was perfect. Probably the best smoked chicken I've ever had. Score A+. read more

The food generally was good but their biscuits were hard and extremely dry. Don't know if they were old or if they are just that way. Won't order them again. Breasted chicken was good. Said the pulled pork came with a sauce that wasn't included in our takeout. read more

We had the opportunity to get take out from here while in town visiting our son. I enjoy BBQ. this BBQ was good. Not the worst or the best I have ever had. While I did not eat inside the place looks great as a place to sit down and eat. I think that may be part of the reason for the pricing. The service was very quick and friendly at the pick up window. read more

My son lives in Rochester and I came up to visit from Fort Worth, Texas. I was looking through Yelp for Bar-B-Que and saw Smoak and noticed that it is Texas BBQ in Minnesota! I had to try it, and I was not disappointed. We ordered just about everything on the menu and all of it was tasty. The smoked meats are very well prepared. The brisket and the ribs have plenty of bark on them and excellent smoky flavor. The turkey and the pork are also top notch. They have four different barbecue sauces, all of which are good, but we especially liked the spicy and the Carolina. We left quite full, and will be back many times. read more

Smoak BBQ - 3 meat plate and a slab of ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

amazing service, very nice waitress. bathrooms were really clean and taken care of, had 2 tv and some arcade games. the food was really good got me filled up and enough for left overs, great prices. great restaurant overall 10/10 would come back 100%. read more

Just what Rochester needed . Better BBQ. Both my wife and myself have been looking forward to the opening of this new spot for a little while . We decided to go early we went at 530 on opening the evening. It was busy but not crowded. The service was very attentive of friendly. Our server explained the menu . We ordered drinks . My wife loved her MOSCOW MULE . She's ordered a second . I went with the SMOAK BOX OLD FASHIONED (CHERRYWOOD). It arrived to the table in a box which you open to release Smoke . Kinda fun . But it's $10 . We loved our appetizers. Both there PORK BELLY BURNT ENDS and the LOAF OF CORNBREAD were great. We loved the burn ends . The sauce is great . We both enjoyed our entrees my wife's pork plate was great . She really enjoyed her Mac and cheese side . Great little crunch on top . I went with the ST. LOUIS RIBS half rack $19. This was the highlight for me . So worth the value . I took home half the ribs . My sides being the Pit Bean and Fries in beef fat . Both were well executed. Overall this was a great first experience especially on the first night open . Well done ! read more

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So I still cannot wrap my head around why this place is only 3.5 stars on Yelp. It's AMAZING. I went here for happy hour and an early dinner tonight. Cocktails were 5 dollars and draft beers were 3-5 dollars with an awesome selection that included a local selection as well. This alone makes it worth a drive over. I did not love the cocktail I got(the " Ron Swanson") because I thought it was too sweet for me but that could have been personal preference. I ordered the Smoak Brisket sandwich with coleslaw and a side of collard greens. I've had a lot of brisket and this brisket is up there with the some of the best I've had. Tender, smoky, fatty and piled high on a toasted bun covered with layer of delicious creamy coleslaw. The collard greens were bright and vinegary which was a nice contrast to the sandwich. This was one of the best meals I've had in Rochester since moving here three years ago. They also have a selection of their four delicious made in house barbecue sauces at each table so you can sample and choose the best sauce to go with your food. My favorites were the Smoak barbecue sauce and the hot Texas barbecue sauce. This is a five star review because even though the cocktails weren't my favorite the barbecue was stellar. I will be back and if you're on the fence about this place I implore you to make the drive over and try it out. read more

Smoak BBQ - Smoak Sandwich with brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

The service was great at SMOAK. This restaurant is absolutely beautiful. The bar is massive. I look forward to when I can actually sit at the bar & enjoy a meal! The bucket burger challenge consists of two grilled cheese sandwiches, two hamburger patties, bacon, bbq pulled pork, jalapeño cheddar sausage, fried Nashville chicken, cheese curds, & smoked pastrami, topped with two Texas Twinkies & served with a side of fries, & a beverage. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was my favorite part of the sandwich. I loved the variety & the creativity behind the challenge. read more

Smoak BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

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Had a date night dinner here and the food was amazing! Definitely recommend getting the brisket tacos! They were a large portion size for tacos! read more

Don't put your holiday plans in their hands. They'll end up in smoak and ruin. Their fliers for their Thanksgiving holiday meal never said anything about reservations, and up to days prior this was reaffirmed by their staff when asked. Only to end up being turned away at the door, at their announced opening time, because "reservations were needed". Real dirty way to treat your clients! read more

The service here was great and the food I've had in the past was really good. Today I had their chicken mac&cheese wrap. It was good but the spice was too hot for me. But the one thing I wasn't happy about was a charge on my bill for "employee wellness". It's great that you want to take care of your employees but don't give me an extra charge that you didn't tell me about. Integrate it into your prices. You can't just add a made up charge and expect people to be happy about it. I won't be returning. read more

Overall enjoyed the experience at Smoak. Food was a solid 4 as we both had tasty smoked turkey and brisket though the sides were very small. That said enough food. Service was exceptional though so a high 4 would be rating impossible. It was steaming outside so only enjoyed the interior which was comfortable with decent spacing and a nice bar. read more

I stopped for early dinner. I was impressed with the prompt, friendly service. The menu was broad, I ordered my favorites, burnt ends and pulled pork. The food was GREAT. Burnt ends were amazing. It's a clean, bar-type feel that is family friendly. Their sauce was great too! read more

Stopped here after a work appointment. Wanted to do the food hall, but they don't open until 4. I walked through and went to take out area. Ordered Nashville Hot Chucken strips app and soy garlic brussel sprouts pint. One thing that stood out is I did not get that barbecue smoke smell as I walked up or inside. The food was not fast by any means, took about 15 minutes. The Nashville strips were only coated in the sauce and oil. I requested texas and Kansas city sweet barbecue sauce but was given two T sauces. The coleslaw wasn't homemade, tasted like food service institutional. The strips were moist, the texas sauce was spicy in a good way. The Brussels were completely soggy and swimming in soy sauce. This place seemed overpriced and food only ok. I don't think that I'll return. I did get a whiff of barbecue smoker as I left the other door. read more

Tried this place Thursday with co-workers. It was awesome. The waitress for very helpful with the menu, I ended up withpulled pork she recommended and my friends tried other dishes, all were great. Fun evening. read more

My roommate and I enjoy Smoak very much for our dining out options. The wait staff is always upbeat and pleasant, and that makes the dining experience a notch above "good." Living on the NW side of Rochester, this is about a 5 minute drive to enjoy a great meal. I personally am partial to the broasted chicken, with cole slaw and potato salad. I always get an order of their pit beans as well. The quality of the food has always been spot on. I have had that meal several times now and am NEVER disappointed. I recommend it to friends who are looking for a great place to dine out. read more

Excellent dining option in Rochester, they have a wonderful outdoor patio with plenty of room and dog friendly. The staff were very friendly and attentive. The food was great and we did not have to wait a long time. There were 4 different bbq sauces at your table as condiments: original bbq, sweet bbq (my favorite, well balanced), spicy bbq and a spicy mustard. We started with a quesadilla appetizer that was delicious, served with lettuce and fresh salsa with a nice heat to it. Went great with any of the bbq sauces. The pork meat was tender and delicious. Then I had the rack of ribs (half rack is 3 bones, full is 6 - but they are BIG ribs). Absolutely delicious, meat pulled apart, not too smokey and it was great cause you could add different sauces to the meat and each bite could be a different flavor. For the sides I had the mac and cheese and fries - both great. Crispy fries and creamy mac and cheese with a good cheese blend. My bf had the smoked chicken, with coleslaw and potato salad. All delicious. My favorite part about this restaurant is that they have a full dog menu with dinner options for dogs ($7 per bowl) and with dessert options too. Drinks we went during the week so they had a good happy hour ($3 off cocktails, $2 off certain drinks like the mules). We tried a variety of the mules and they were all great!! read more

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A new restaurant in northwest Rochester. We have eaten here once and did takeout once. We were there for lunch and really enjoyed it. We had brisket, ribs and a kids pulled pork meal. Our granddaughter really loved the sides. She did not eat much pork but it was enough for two at home. The brisket and ribs were very tasty. read more

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Lol idk what they're doing over here, but damn it's goood. Take a snack wrap, nachos and pulled pork bbq with Mac and cheese.... Always good. Take a snack wrap is always fire... even day after still crunchy after a nuke. Always excited when ordering here read more

Really like Smoak! I've tried all the meats so far and they are perfectly prepared. Brisket is my faVorite so far, but the salmon is also delicious. Their sides are also fantastic, and the medium size is pretty shareable. Staff is great, friendly and knowledgeable about the food they are serving. I would have given them 4.5 stars if possible, because none of their BBQ sauces are made thinking about people who actually like spicy food. All their BBQ sauces are more on the sweet and tangy side. E Regardless, I know I will be going back. read more

Our waitress was excellent! Friendly, Efficient and Knowledgeable about the menu. The food was AWFUL!!!! There was no taste in the pork quesadillas. The burnt ends had a little more taste(not much) but 4 ends were solid fat! I really don't think they cook their products on site. Frozen and warmed up, would be my guess. The entire experience seemed cheap. Don't go to this restaurant!!!! read more

SMOAK immediately takes the crown as best BBQ in Rochester, and easily outclasses the mediocre competitors that many locals frequently visit. The wife and I shared a lunch consisting of the smoked salmon spread appetizer and a 3 meat sampler plate. We chose the St. Louis ribs, the beef brisket, and smoked half chicken for the mains, with coleslaw and the chili as sides. Portions are huge and we were unable to finish it between the two of us. The brisket was the star. It was tremendously tender, juicy, pliable, and pulled apparent easily using only your fingers. This is not the thin-sliced shoe leather that you're accustomed to from "beef plates" at other Rochester BBQ places, so make sure that you give it a chance on your first visit. The ribs were good, but in my opinion they were missing bark. They had a good smoke ring, they were tender, and most importantly they gave a good clean bite from the bone. A little heavier application of the dry rub and some more char would have put some texture on the outside and would have sent them over the top for me. All other components of the meal were satisfying, especially the chili which had an abundance of pulled pork and a deep, rich flavor. The four house-made sauces gave good variety to the meal, with my favorite being the Carolina mustard. The small side of pickled red onions, carrots and pickles was a great pallet cleanser. The building was beautiful, spacious and clean, and the service was equally prompt and pleasant. We were seated, served and on our way all inside of 45 minutes, making this a place that we'll frequent over our lunch breaks. read more

Smoak BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

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The outdoor area looks cool for the summer! I liked the vibes, except it was on the most random playlist I've ever heard in a restaurant. I was happy to see they had more vegetarian options than another BBQ places in town. The sides were super pricey, I'm pretty sure we paid $8 for just the Mac and cheese pictured. TL;DR: Good place for people to eat meat. read more

Smoak BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

Great place! Stopped here for a lunch meeting. Something for everyone. Good prices, clean, decent atmosphere, and great service.

Wanted to give Smoak a try with a few friends on a Saturday night. I made reservations earlier that day requesting a booth and they were able to seat us in our booth shortly after arriving. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. We waited so long everyone at the table had decided on what to drink and eat. When our waitress finally arrived and we tried to order we found out their were out of mashed potatoes and their Tornado sandwich...great (how difficult is it to make more mashed potatoes?). After some scrambling we ordered. Drinks arrived quickly. The smoke box drinks are a cool concept and the peach julep was yummy. Didn't have much time to to enjoy he drinks when the food arrived. Thoughts on the food: meat was delicious, chili was spicy, picked veggies were awesome, BBQ sauce was average, fries were average (and luke warm), the buiscut was a waist of space...it was cold, hard, and dry....warm corn bread with honey butter would be way better! I might be back some time in the future but probably not any time soon. Hopefully early enough too try the mashed potatoes. read more

Smoak BBQ - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

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Food was very good as usual. It's not cheap eats but you do get quality food for the money. I'm issue this time is not being able to buy and use a gift card on this visit. Buy a $100 gift card and get $20 one free. Sounds great and I wanted to do it. BUT! weightier said NO! You can't do that. I said ask the manager.......got the same answer NO! Seems silly to me. We didn't spend $100 and the gift card would have us back again guaranteed. But it's your loss SMOAK. Rochester has lots of other BBQ options so it will be a long time till you see us again. PS the service was not great, but with COVID19 I understand it is hard to find good or enough help. read more

We had just been to the Mayo Clinic and were wanting something to take to the motel. We got the 2 piece chicken dinner. It was so good I'm still thinking about it. I love all the different sides. When my daughter comes she brings her dog. She loves her meal too. read more

This is the second time in one week. Both times we had the Broasted Chicken. OMG. It is so good. Fresh. HOT, Crispy just like from the movie- "the Help". I can't speak highly enough about the chicken. Service is solid and the restaurant is clean. Now my critique. How can you serve such great chicken and offer a biscuit that is hard, cold and tastes like it has way to much bisquick in it. The biscuits are horrible. Just horrible. You should be ashamed as an owner. Ps. The BBQ is so good. The sandwiches are good. But the biscuits are like bricks. They should be warm, so you can smother them with butter and they melt in your mouth. Come on. Fix the biscuits. read more

Food is amazing, service today was a little off. Just want bbq meal platters of Burnt Ends.

I'm not sure if this was because others had hyped it too much or just because I've been spoiled too much, but I moved up from Texas and this is the first BBQ I tried here in Minnesota. I'm sorry to say I won't be back. The brisket was dry and tasteless, the sauce was tasteless and just pure capsaicin. Not worth my time or money. I'll just smoke it myself, it'll cost less for far better. read more

I ordered takeout and expected something edible, my mistake. you would think for the price ordering flatbread with some brisket would have been a little more to it, there was a spattering of brisket, cold cheese and no sauce! definitely do not recommend and I don't plan on being desperate enough to go back. maybe if 5.00 it would be worth it. read more

The meat was really, really good. I got the pulled pork and sausage and my boyfriend got the tornado sandwich so we also got to try the brisket! For the sides, eh. Potatoes were obviously REAL mashed potatoes which was greatly appreciated, but it needed something. Butter or garlic or anything, they were just pretty plain. The beans neither of us liked at all. Just not what we expected. Our waitress was super nice and was very attentive, she loved our 2 year old and included her in conversation! read more

Smoak BBQ - Combo meat plate : pulled pork, regular sausage, pit beans and mashed potato - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

My wife and I ordered out while we were in town and it was delicious! We hope to be back to enjoy the outdoor area and the great food!

More expensive then the typical BBQ restaurant but after this experience I understand why. This sandwich was worth every penny! Extremely flavorful and did not want it to end. A good balance of heat, sweetness from the slaw, and tang from the pickled vegetables. I will definitely get this again. Hopefully sooner then later. read more

Smoak BBQ - Nashville Chicken Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota

The food was very delicious I got the Nashville which is a spicy chicken sandwich if you do not like spice it is probably not for you because it does have a kick. My mom and brother got the take a nap wrap and they said it was delicious but it did have the Nashville chicken in it. My dad got the Alabama which was a chicken sandwich with a white sauce he said it was good and if you do not like spice that would be the chicken sandwich to go with (it is also their most popular sandwich). The waiter that we had was very nice and they were very quick and there was overall very nice staff there. The mood in the place was kind of chill and there was a bar you could get your drinks at. Overall if you are willing to spend some money out of your paycheck then this is a great place to go. read more

The owners traveled to Texas, Kansas City, North Carolina to sample the best barbeque - and have brought that authentic flavor to Rochester. We stopped in on a Wednesday night for dinner and had a fantastic experience. We sat outside at a table adjacent to the bar (great spot for us). Mitch was our server - has a great sense of humor. Drinks? Being a Northeast Iowa native - I had to order the Toppling Goliath Pompeii. It's an IPA - but not too hoppy. Rick had the Mondavi Cabernet (actually - two of them) No appetizers - just got right down to dinner. I had the brisket platter - generous portion of tender smoked brisket that was oh so flavorful. Other places pour the barbeque sauce on the brisket before they serve it - not here - and for good reason. You need to enjoy that smoky delicious flavor without the sauce. Let the nuances of their rub stimulate your tastebuds and make your mouth say - "thank you - please give me some more". Rick had the combo platter - half brisket and half chicken. He had some nice slices of brisket - AND - half a chicken. The chicken also had a nice rub on it - the skin seared just right - the meat juicy and tender. Both entrees were just perfect. Side dishes? I had the macaroni and cheese - shell macaroni with a gooey cheddar cheese sauce and bread crumbs on top. Perfectly done. Also opted for the bacon/maple brussel sprouts. Finished all the sprouts during dinner. Rick had the baked beans - tangy sauce at just the right thickness, (not syrupy and not so thick you could cut it) and of course - he had cole slaw. Entrees also come with biscuits and a honey butter that has a hint of lemon. Refreshing taste and a great enhancement to the biscuits. What about the sauce? We asked for the Original and the Texas Hot sauce - arrived at the table in pre-packaged condiment containers. The original has just enough brownsugar and spice flavor. Rick loved the Texas Hot - but I thought it was too powerful of a spice for the brisket. Spice on my Thai food? Bring it on. But for smoked brisket - I prefer the original. Neither of us were able to finish our meal. Enough leftovers for dinner when we get home on Friday. I am already plotting how I am going to convince Rick that all the brisket is mine - and he only has leftover chicken. If you are reading this during the COVID-19 days - SMOAK has you covered. All employees are wearing masks, menus are available via QR code, tables are wiped down and sanitized between customers, tables are spread out to comply with social distancing. Next time we are in Rochester - we will definitely return to SMOAK. I want to give those salad bowls a try. That is - if I can be turned away from the brisket. read more

Great service and food tonight! We came earlier in the year (right after they first opened, and it was pretty mediocre then. Probably working out some kinks. ) So I was skeptical about coming back. But they definitely redeemed themselves tonight! The passion fruit mojito was delicious- perfect summer cocktail. The pulled pork and brisket was delicious and loved having a variety of sauces to pick from. The outdoor patio has such a wonderful ambiance to enjoy a beautiful summer evening. Will definitely be coming back. read more

This is $18 worth of burnt ends are you kidding me I got a large fry and some wings or some hot buffalo wings OK the wings are worth the price read more

Smoak BBQ - This is $18 worth of burnt ends are you kidding me my first time ordering from you - Barbeque Near Me - Rochester, Minnesota