What I support for this establishment is less about its food but more about its message and the way it serves communities. Ever since 2020, the climate surrounding the George Floyd Square has changed dramatically, and this establishment has become an even stronger integral part of the community as the square itself had represented how the community thrives with its people. A lot of respect for the establishment from that perspective. In terms of food, I would say the soul food, which contained mostly sides, were the main highlight for me. The mac & cheese was salty enough. The fries were solid in a "you can't really go wrong with it" type of way. The candied yams had enough sweetness. The collard greens could taste better but standards must be lower when they're not homemade. I also enjoyed the catfish fillets as they were fried to preserve enough hotness and softness. A lot of what they served, they made on the spot, which was what may be causing longer wait for some. Meat-wise, a lot of items could use further improvement because they were too dry, such as the smoked wings and the beef brisket. The wings were dry to the point that they condensed and got extremely salty. The brisket relied a lot on the sauce and the existing fat on the meat for juiciness while the meat itself didn't have a lot of flavor or juice. As for the ribs, they had some seasoning, and tasted just fine, and weren't as dry. But I have had ribs in Texan barbeque places before and knew what "seasoned" ribs were like and therefore concluded that the ribs here were not spectacular. With all that said, however, I still will return here as often as I can because I love supporting this business. The person serving me was very hospitable and patient. I still got some pretty solid barbeque even if it's not Texas. Besides, outside just the barbeque food, the soul food was solid, like I had mentioned above. read more

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Wanted to love this place for real, but the food for me was just average. Ribs and wings have the smokey flavor, the mac n cheese and the spaggetti was susprisingly spicy. The Brisket was a lil too tough for my liking, their bbq sauce was good, that saved my brisket. read more

MN BBQ standards are super low. 4.3 avg stars?!! Not in a million years. In our quest for great BBQ we finally tried this place. Everything was terrible. Not one redeeming dish. The ribs were old reheated junk and super dry. The brisket was tough and greasy. The sides were unpleasant. We ordered takeout and threw half of the food away because it was gross. read more

The ribs were good, but everything else was legit bad. The chicken wings and brisket tasted like they were made the day before and heated up. Overall very poor quality. Will never, ever go back read more

It had been a minute. I remembered it being good, but damn, in fact the food is great! I had 6 piece ribs, beans and greens and this was a MEAL. Ribs smoky and savory, flavorful from first to last. Beans delightfully sweet and tangy. The greens extremely well seasoned with some heat. I went from so hungry to absolutely ready to lay down for a food nap. This is a true personal-service hole in the wall. They were out of a few things. But what I got was perfect, so why would I care? read more

We were coming to see the George Floyd memorial and spotted this location for soul food. There's parking along the street out front. It's a small spot with no seating. You can call in your order or walk up to the window to order. The website is smokeinthepitrestaurant.com and not the one listed. There's a small restroom inside for patrons. The food was delicious. We got wing and tips meal that included two sides and a drink. Sides were greens and fried spaghetti. The bbq sauce was so tasty and fresh made. Definitely recommend and would return. The George Floyd memorial is right at corner. read more

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Smoke in the Pit has amazing food! The meat has an amazing smoke flavor throughout. The bbq sauce was tasty and enhanced the flavor. There's a good selection of tasty sides as well. I'd recommend this if you're looking for a local bbq joint, that has food made with love!! Only downside is, the restaurant is take out only; otherwise service was fast and efficient. read more

Smoke In The Pit - Rib Tips, Smoked Wings, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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This is THE SPOT for ribs. I've been everywhere in Minneapolis and this is the only place that does ribs anywhere close to how they should be. Perfect ribs! Smokey with the right texture. Memphis level goodness. I've had ribs everywhere and I know this! read more

The food was absolutely amazing! Flavor was out of this world. The service was incredible very nice and kind gentleman! Everything was amazing! 10/10 would recommend! read more

Absolutely amazing bbq! We had the pulled pork, ribs & greens (!!) & it was all delicious! Thanks Smoke in the Pit!

Really disappointing! For starters, I ordered coleslaw but got beans. That wouldn't have been so bad if the rest of the order was good. Chicken wings were my favorite. Good flavor but really small. The pulled pork was fatty but fine as well. The brisket, however, was BAD! It was mainly fat and gristle and really tough. It was basically inedible. Won't order from here again read more

Yelp really let me down on this one... and normally I would grade on a curve when I get BBQ outside of the big BBQ cities. BUT... I had some of the best BBQ I've ever had at another local favorite, FireBox Deli, so I know this city can make good BBQ. Just not here... Look, their fish is OK (over-fried though) and their cobbler is quite good. But the BBQ... from the ribs, to the rib tips, to the pulled pork, to the brisket, to the turkey leg... you get the idea. All bad... I like to find silver linings in food, but none to to be found here. The worst I've had in a long time. read more

Smoke in the Pit is my #1 spot to go to for some serious BBQ. I personally think they have the best meats around. No question. It's a hole in the wall spot located on Chicago Ave that serves up an incredible menu. My favorite meal to order from here is the 3 ribs with fries lunch combo for $7.79. I don't even like barbecue sauce, but their barbecue sauce is an exception for me. It's tangy, smoky, and tastes perfect with the ribs. I don't know what seasoning they put on their battered fries, but these fries have my heart. They're so addicting and come hot and fresh every time I've been. I also really love their brisket, pulled pork, and collard greens here. This place does not have dine-in, and has always been a pick-up only spot even prior to the pandemic. When you enter their doors, it feels like a lobby area where they keep it simple: an order window and a pick up window. You place an order to the right and slide to the left to grab your food once it's prepared. There's free street parking right outside. Smoke in the Pit is a staple in the Twin Cities. Their meat is not only flavorful and juicy, you're not breaking the bank to get some real BBQ. In the summer, I love coming here to order several different menu items and bringing it all to a nearby lake or park to have a picnic. Their food is glorious y'all and I promise you'll fall in love with it too. They have some fried spaghetti that I have my eye on for my next trip. read more

I wanted to venture out and find a great local barbecue joint. I found it! I did take out, and I live 30 minutes away and it was still delicious! The smoked wings, apparently what their known for, was the best thing I had. The wings were big, moist, and had a unique smokey flavor! The brisket was sliced thinly, which was kind of disappointing. I like bigger pieces:) Usually, the sides at barbecue spots are an afterthought. However, the Mac n Cheese was surprisingly impressive. The noodles were still semi al dente, and they weren't swimming in cheese sauce. It's a perfect accompaniment to the robust smokiness of the wings. read more

Smoke In The Pit - Brisket, Smoked Wings, Mac n Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sweet lord how have I not heard of this place before?! TLDR, it's amazing I plan to come back every week. Longer review: Food - incredible. All of it, plan ahead, have backup options. Things will be sold out because it's that dang delicious Service - friendly, welcoming, especially when you see the line out the door. They deserve 1,000 gold stars for making the experience so dang easy Atmosphere - just straight forward and delicious. No frills, all the good stuff though I'm so glad to have found this restaurant, it's incredible. I'll be back, I'll be bragging about it every time I come back. That's all. read more

Smoke In The Pit - Rib tips (bucket), pulled pork, ribs. - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

So I came here for barbecue, but ended up getting the catfish dinner because I was in a fried type of mood. My review is based solely on the catfish dinner. The catfish dinner was fried to golden crisp perfection. It was fresh and tasty. The portion size was sufficient for two meals. I will have to come back again for the barbecue. This barbecue joint was easy to find because it was painted with those pastel colors that stand out from the contemporary brown brick building. read more

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Be ready, as they are generous! The wings are huge and they give so much! My friend and I tried out the smoked wings, fried wings, rib tips, and fries. Our favorite were the fried wings - crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and filled with flavor. The smoked wings were also delicious, but were a bit too salty. The texture wasn't a deal breaker, but it was a bit more rubbery than we had expected and liked. Rib tips were a bit tough to chew but again packed with flavor. Fries were on point as well. Walked in and was immediately greeted with an enthusiastic upbeat hello! Had a short and sweet conversation about our order and she even cracked a joke with us. It was a warm and welcoming vibe! Would love to return and try out other options! read more

Some of the best bbq I've had. If you like a smoke flavor, this is a spot for you. Meat was fall of bone, ribs were 10/10. The meat speaks for itself, and the sides complimented. Sauce on the side was a nice touch because I didn't even want it the meat was so good! Will return. Worth the visit. read more

Smoke In The Pit - 3 rib 3 Wings & 3 Ribs Combo Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I wouldn't come here at the end of the day. The meat we had tasted like it had sat around all day. The ribs were great, fall apart and juicy. But the chicken was too dense on the bite. And the brisket had more of a steak texture than the fall apart texture I'm looking for. read more

Smoke In The Pit - Ribs n Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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It makes me sad to right this review, because I was planning on writing a four star review, but received some not so subtle news from my girlfriend about her smoked chicken wings which was a game changer. After finishing most of the wings she found two feathers on the last one.... not sure how that works, but it is pictured. I got some questions... I've been coming here for awhile as a sub for Ted Cooks, and never been disappointed until now, but I'm just wondering where is the chicken supply coming from? I'm all types of threw off, and debating on giving this place one more try, but I highly doubt it. CHECK YOUR WINGS!! read more

Smoke In The Pit - Brisket Sandwich Dinner Combo, with a bit of the collard green side, and house sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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This food was delicious! The staff was so courteous and nice! I got smoked wings, and try brisket sandwich dinners with fried speghetti and Mac, then fried speghetti and greens respectfully. Both were SO good! Wow! And then I bought a bucket of rib tips and those were good as well! The only downside is I wish they had a Alabama white BBQ sauce to go along with the rib tips. But delicious food none the less! read more

I like reviews to be short sweet and to the point so here it goes 1) this is nice to dump lights it is to go only, you can order ahead if you like to, they do not do curbside delivery though due to some roads being closed 2) their smoke wings are delicious have a heavier smoke flavor so you need to like smoked order them 3) The catfish is a mut get, it is delicious lightly breaded, overall by far our favorite 4) The brisket was nice and juicy and moist 5) their sauce was fine, it reminded me a mixture between Arby's sauce and a barbecue, but the food had enough flavor it wasn't even needed read more

Been going to Smoke in the Pit for years but this is my first time reviewing. I personally recommend going there and picking up your food. Walking thru George Floyd square and sitting there and dining was very powerful. Even in a pandemic, Smoke in the Pit still has lunch specials from 11 am - 2 pm from $6-8 which is a steal. All lunch specials come with French fries which are very solid and I highly recommend adding some hot BBQ sauce to the meal. We got 4 lunch specials for 3 people. Here are my rankings of them: 1. Beef Brisket Sandwich - excellent brisket with BBQ sauce on a bun. Tender meat that left me wanting more. 2. Rib Tips - I have had some tough rib tips in my life, but these were far the opposite of that. Great portion size with juicy rib meat. 3. Smoked wings - I am a far bigger fan of fried wings vs smoked, but these are on point for a smoked wing. Bonus points for the piece of bread on the bottom of the wings. 4. Ribs - Ribs were pretty dry this go around, but I have had much better from them in the past. We were also running a bit behind so could be user error, but I generally prefer the aforementioned 3 over the ribs. Always great to go back to Smoke in the Pit. Minneapolis is not a elite BBQ city so this is always a good choice when looking for BBQ. read more

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This family-owned and operated BBQ spot is a local favorite for a reason! The hole-in-a-wall spot is set up as take-out only. You order, pick up, then enjoy! We decided to go with the 3 ribs and catfish combo, with fries and coleslaw as our sides. Man, everything was delicious!! The food was very well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. The catfish was crispy on the outside and still moist. The ribs (!!!!) were falling-off-the-bone and totally melt-in-your-mouth TENDER! And the fries were crispy and fresh. YUM! Everything was made fresh to order and we could taste the quality and care with every bite. We were honestly very impressed with "Smoke In The Pit" and will definitely be back to this Minneapolis gem. read more

Smoke In The Pit - Outside + beautifully painted mural! - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Definitely a hidden gem! A whole in a wall BBQ place with awesome food.i ordered the Smoked Wings today, which came with a homemade sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. The wings were off-the-bone tender and not dried at all. It was also smokey that I could y stop eating. The BBQ sauce was also very good, a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy. It would have been a 5 starts if they had given a clear instructions on how to pick up orders; there were some people there trying to order/pick up orders and we were all very confused on what to do and how to do things. All and all, it was a good experience and I will definitely come back for more BBQ! read more

Smoke In The Pit - Smoked wings - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Quick and efficient. I called ahead and the time was perfect and spot on. Street parking is available and I had no problem finding a spot. Signage is easy to read and very visible. Food was great! Rib tips came with BBQ sauce on the side, I enjoy the fact I had the option to choose how much sauce I wanted to put on my tips. The BBQ sauce came in great portion. Catfish was classic, packaged well with my tips. I didn't have to worry about food being soggy because it was prepared/packaged well. Yams were phenomenal! I will return, I want to see what else the menu has to offer. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. I enjoyed the entire experience! read more

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Holy cow. First of all we ordered take out via BiteSquad and thought it was at the new hipster corner at 38th and Nicollet. Oh man was I wrong, it's on 37th and Chicago!! Lol hmm can you say "wrong" n'hood? Lol. No fear though I used to live over south and know my way around. It was like a scene out of a movie: pure take out joint; a handful of dudes hanging outside at their only two tables waiting for their food, there is a bare counter, one plant, and a tiny little freaking window; Oh and the giant sign above the building, and the smoke pit smell in the air. I got crazy excited, as this place reminded me of places I used to go to over in the North Side when you wanted CHICKEN and I'm not talking KFC. Like 19th Hole, but without the crazy price tag. Ok...so we ordered cat fish nuggets, smoked rib tip BUCKET (yep you read that right), full side of greens, corn muffins, and large fries. Are you salivating yet? Lol. He gave me a side of their custom BBQ sauce that was the same size container as the greens! Oh last but not least, PEACH COBBLER!! Whaat? Died and gone to freaking heaven. Well you can already tell that the food was out of this world. Being that I just smoked my own chicken the weekend before I now have serious appreciation for the amount of love and sweat that went into this food. It was crazy. If you like BBQ, anything that takes days to prepare, oh man you MUST go here at least once. The food was so reasonable that I'm afraid they might now make it! Lol. Ok, this is a Pilgrimage. And if you worship BBQ, it is a moral obligation. Got it? And write a review once you've tasted heaven. read more

Delicious and they let us order from the lunch menu a half hour after it was over. The food was ready quickly and hot when we picked it up. read more

Smoke In The Pit - Fried Wings. - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Delicious food and great service. Walking distance from our Airbnb, we looked up local restaurants and bbq sounded good. Smoke in the Pit did not disappoint. I ordered the smoked chicken wings dinner with Mac n cheese and baked beans. Yum! My husband got the ribs with fries and the candied yams (prepared perfectly sweet with spicy cinnamon goodness). Ribs were tender, yet firm and seasoned to perfection...great without the bbq sauce, but sauce just enhanced the eating pleasure. We had a wonderful experience at Smoke in the Pit. The gentleman that prepared our food was also so courteous and friendly. Awesome way to start our long weekend in Minneapolis. Highly recommend if you are local or visitors like us. Scrumptious BBQ!!!! Check it out! read more

I was skeptic at first about Smoke In The Pit.The looks of the place on the outside was not welcoming.I was wrong!Looks are deceiving!The outside of the building does not do justice to the food.There is no seating available on the inside.There are just two windows,a pick up window and and an order here window.It is a small space. The food,however is on another level.I ordered the catfish and smoked wings.I was not a big fan of Catfish a few years back. I grew up on the island and am use to fresh salt water fish.Since moving to Mn Catfish has been my go to thing.Smoke In The Pit did not fail. The Catfish was moist and not overcooked.The cornmeal breading was seasoned on point.The fish was flaky and fried to perfection.The smoked wings were good.It was a healthier alternative to the fried wings and I enjoyed it.The sides were seasoned fries,bread and coleslaw.The coleslaw reminded me of back home on the Islands.It was creamy and had a hint of mustard.This was a perfect balance between sweet and savory.Let me not forget the barbecue sauce.It seemed homemade...very simple...but oh so good! I will be going back to try the ribs and some of the other items available. read more

Had the opportunity to visit Minneapolis recently and Smoke In The Pit was high on my list of restaurants to visit. It did not disappoint. I had the beef brisket and macaroni and cheese and they were delicious! Dwight was super friendly and welcoming. I look forward to going back on my next visit. read more

Great food &excellent service! I'm Celiac & Dwight Knew exactly what I needed. Delicious smoked wings! read more

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Literally the best brisket i've ever tasted so tender and the fat just melts in your mouth. and the staff are always super nice

I had a chance to order from here with a DoorDash discount. I got the Catfish nuggets, crispy fries, corn, baked beans and large greens. Also two peach cobblers too! This is my second time ordering, before I had BBQ & wings. No review on that order, bc I ate it! But this was a very satisfying meal. I did think the greens were a little sweet, but I had hot sauce for that, and I recooked them with a little bacon and onions. The cobbler was delicious and I microwaved that with a little butter. I loved the light catfish nuggets taste, and had my own tarter sauce. And I love crispy fries. So in all I enjoyed it and will be back for more. I don't drink soda, but they included one! Thanks! read more

Smoke In The Pit - Greens, corn and greens, two peach cobblers with a soda - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Taken as a whole, Smoke in the Pit is a bit of a mixed bag, but if nothing else I will always keep coming back for at least one thing - the smoked wings. Their wings, which are large, smokey, tender and delicious, are some of my favorites in the city. I'm sure the fried ones are fine too, but I'll likely never find out, because there's no reason to not get them smoked. The ribs have been great on some visits and so-so on others, but at minimum have always been worth the modest price tag. Sadly, the sides are relegated to mostly filler and consist of forgettable mac and cheese, beans and a mayo forward coleslaw. Their battered fries have been the only bright spot with respect to sides that I have tried thus far. That said, given the reasonable prices, I'm content stuffing my face with meat and fries and dismissing the rest. Overall, in a state that doesn't have a lot to offer for barbecue, Smoke in the Pit has some good offerings and makes for very reasonably priced takeout if you're in the neighborhood. read more

I came back AGAIN, before i go hard on my diet again. Yes.. i had a meat patty from Pimento AND fried catfish and fried spaghetti from SITP. They do not go together, but my mouth felt happy. LOL So, just reiterating how good they are and especially friendly the owners/employees are. The quoted me a time a frame and it was sooo punctual, I was surprised. I checked in and he was pulling my 2 fillets out of the grease... and told me, "Right on time." He wasn't kidding. read more

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I cannot claim to be an expert on BBQ, but I know what I like. Smoke in the Pit has never disappointed me. The ribs melt in your mouth. I tried the catfish last week--it was lightly fried and delicious. Their coleslaw is so good that I crave it, it's especially good on a hot day. Beyond the food itself, Smoke in the Pit is a great neighbor. The folks who work there have always been super friendly and welcoming. They make me laugh and engage in neighborly conversation. And they always let me know when something isn't available or will take extra time to make. Always a great experience. I love having Smoke in the Pit in my neighborhood. read more

Try the Alexander's Smoke Burger. Great flavor and consistency. Make sure to dip it in the extra sauce! The side of fries were excellent too. read more

Smoke In The Pit - the outside of the building - Barbeque Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Are you sitting down? No, well, get your butt into a chair as I regale you with tales of damn good barbecue. Now, I'd been eyeing Smoke In The Pit for a few weeks because they're featured in the Resaurant.com app. PSA: They don't accept the certificates as of January 1, 2018. My bestie told me that they had good food one of the occasions where we were gabbing on the phone and I was trying to decide if I was going to cook or go for some grub instead. I'm kind of picky about my barbecue and thought that Dickey's was pretty good stuff. At least the St. Paul and Eagan locations know how to hook it up. Market Barbecue is hum-drum and don't even get me talking about Rudolph's. So, I hemmed and hawed and didn't give it a chance. Guess what brought me out of my snobbery? A snow storm! Yep, this Saturday was not really a day for driving about. Well, it was my volunteer cooking day, and I had to get the turkey chili I'd made to my bestie. And, I'm crazy and love driving in the snow. Maybe New York fried my brain after all. LOL! So, I map out the location and head there. It wasn't an easy drive and I kept telling myself that it better be worth it. I arrive and I scope out the joint. It looks like a little hole in the wall, which raised my hopes that some good food would be coming out of there. Barbecue joints should not look polished and glitzy. If you see a place like that, don't even acknowledge that you saw it. The food will be HORRIBLE. I walk in and the smell made me weak in the knees. I noticed that it looked like they were closing up, so I was starting to feel a little sad that I'd missed my chance for grub tonight. The owner says that he was thinking about closing right before I walked in the door, as he wasn't expecting any customers because of the snow. I then asked about the certificates and got the hand with the quickness. I said that it didn't matter and ordered three ribs and the rib tips. These are staples to try when checking out a 'que joint. My mouth was watering something awful as I watched my food being prepared and packaged. I was feeling good about the $25 I'd just spent and was thinking that I'd skip out of the store like a little kid after I got my food. Well, I made it back to the car (it was an actual chore with the snow) and quickly opened the first container. It was the ribs. Even as good as my driving skills are, I knew that I couldn't drive and eat ribs at the same time. So, I closed it and took out the rib tips. G-d d-mn! I cursed several times after that smoked pork hit my tongue. I almost ran back inside for another set. I fired up my vehicle, with rib tip in one hand, and started off for home. I cannot tell you the number of tips I ate during the drive of 40 minutes. I didn't care about the treacherous conditions, I was literally in hog heaven. Now, there is only one thing that wasn't stellar: The Sauce. It tastes like something ketchup based, and I couldn't figure out the style. I ate everything without the sauce, which I'll hook up tonight so that I can dip the rest of the tips and scare my cats again. They'd never heard me growl while eating before. If you want to really get down with some barbecue, Smoke In The Pit is THE place. They have taken the throne, and I will bow down any time for that delicious goodness. They don't have to worry about whether I'll be back. I might just see if I can find a house nearby so that I don't even have to drive to get it. Oh, and you can get their food delivered by Bite Squad. Go get it. read more

So goood!!!! I loved pork ribs and was looking for good restaurant around twin cities and I am glad to find this place. Definitely will try again! read more