The sun came out today I stopped here had some of the best smoked chicken wings and great conversations with a bartender and a local that bar is huge! Love to be there and watch my Huskers some day!GBR and prayers to Dr.Tom Osbourne!! read more

My wife and I decided to try this place for lunch and we were pleasantly surprised in all facets. The inside of the establishment is pretty big with a rustic feel but sports-bar leaning (hence the name after Walter "Smoke" Justis). A Reds game was playing while we ate but the place never got too rowdy or too loud, considering a decent amount of people were there to watch the game. Service was very quick and super friendly. I got the smoked meat plate triple while my wife did the single. Her pulled pork was tender as ever yet I contested my chicken was just as such. The jalapeño cheddar link was delicious and not too spicy but the smoked turkey totally blew me away with its smokey deep rich flavors. The house sauce was a bbq type that was slightly spicy (cracked black pepper type). The cornbread tasted fresh and homemade and Mac and cheese was superb. The rest of the meal definitely didn't disappoint but wasn't as extraordinary. Fries, collard greens and potato salad was as good as any you'd get at a bbq establishment but paled in comparison to the incredible meats. Pricing was extremely fair and felt like I was getting a steal for the amount and variety of smoked meats we had. Drink service was also quick and easy and when a server was too busy they sent either a bus person or cook to send out drinks or food so everything was fairly fast. We are absolutely coming back to try more of the selection they offer and are excited for another fantastic experience! read more

Smoke Justis - Smoked Meat Plate Triple- Pulled Chicken, Smoked Turkey, Spicy Jalapeño Cheddar Link, house sauce, fries, Mac and cheese, and cornbread. - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

See all

Absolutely killer wings and more bourbon than you know what to do...besides drink it! First time there and I'd 100% recommend the wings, fries and potato salad!! Prices are very fair, great atmosphere and service was pretty good! Definitely will be back! read more

Smoke Justis - Smoked Wings - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

First off, there's an incredible ambiance, the place has two sections, the sports bar and the traditional bar setting, the last one being the most recommended to try one of their Bourbon flights. Although it may be a bit pricy, I think the experience will be worth every penny. We ordered the smoked nachos with pulled pork, the smoked chicken wings and finished with a Smoked platter of pulled por and brisket. All the sides and dipping sauces are fresh and very tasty! The cocktails made to perfection. Dusty one of the servers treated us like if we were friends for life! He was great at recommending drinks and food. And made us feel very comfortable at the place. Warning! Items on the menu like baby back ribs and onion strips are sold out pretty quick so be there early so you can enjoy the full menu. read more

See all

Really good smoked meats, sides, and drinks. Came as a table of 7 to celebrate the holidays with family; this is a great restaurant option for a larger group. It is very spacious space with a lot of seating. The server was friendly and attentive. Everyone at the table really enjoyed their meals. The triple smoked meat plate was plenty of food for my husband and I to share for dinner. Every cocktail we ordered was tasty. Both bars are large and welcoming spaces with a good variety of beverages, beers, liquors, etc. to choose from. read more

Smoke Justis - Smoked Meat Plate Triple w/ brisket, turkey, and chicken - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Had the best waitress her name is Rachel, big personality, super friendly and on her business. We were well taken care of!!!

We stopped in for Wing week on a whim. They were prepared for wing week. Their wings were perfectly smoked. And we got our wings in less than 10 min. Our server Jake was awesome. I'm writing this review because that's the kind of service I feel like you should always get. Great beer and of course a great bourbon selection! read more

I could have sworn I'd reviewed Smoke Justis after a previous visit but I guess I forgot to do it! The first time I visited, my husband and I split a triple choice smoked meat plate, which we customized with 1/4 pound each of brisket, baby back ribs and turkey. It comes with three sides and we opted for macaroni and cheese, cole slaw and potato salad, adding one order of corn bread. It was more than enough food for two and a relative bargain at about $20. The brisket was the best part followed by the ribs. The turkey was a bit dry. The sides were good not great. Still, a decent price for a good meal that we paired with beers from the extensive draft list. We ate inside on that occasion and I have to say, I am not a fan of a place filled with televisions but I get that other people like it. I angled myself away from the TVs. On this visit, we sat outside and we each ordered the brisket grilled cheese, which comes with a VERY generous serving of brisket. The meat is smothered in caramelized onions and white cheddar cheese and served in toasted white bread with a side of au jus and a heap of lovely, crispy skinny fries. The sandwiches and fries were great. My only recommendation would be to have some horseradish available to add a little pop. Again the beer list was great. Our server was attentive and took good care of our dog, who was welcome at the outside table. read more

Smoke Justis - Smoked Meat Plate Triple - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

See all

We popped in this afternoon on a football Sunday to meet a friend from out of town. We were seated immediately and instantly loved the atmosphere. There were plenty of different games on and people cheering for their teams yet we could talk across the table easily. Our server came and took our drink order promptly and returned them. We were busy talking and told him that we would order later and he was cool with that. When we did order it wasn't long before our food was out. It was hot and presented well. My wife ordered the brisket grilled cheese and our friend and I both ordered the smoked wings. I had seen previous reviews from others saying they only got 8 wings in the pound that is listed on the menu. Let me tell you that these are big wings and there is plenty to eat. I actually left one and I am a big guy. My wife only ate half of her sandwich and brought the other half home. We talked about our meals on the way home and how the smoked wings were probably the best we have ever had. This was our first time there and I'm sure we will go back at least for the smoked wings. Her sandwich was delicious and I know because she gave me a bite so I will probably eat the other half for lunch tomorrow. Don't miss this place if you're out for a good dinner because it will deliver a good meal, a good atmosphere, and great service. Well done! read more

Enjoyed this place. The place is pretty big. They have a good bar and the service was good. The food was decent. The cole slaw is forgettable. The max and cheese was good. We got the two meat platter and they up charge for both brisket and ribs, which I thought was a bit much. It makes the two meat platter almost $30. I judge a BBQ joint on their rubs and brisket and while these were pretty good, I'm not sure they were worth the price. read more

Smoke Justis - Smoked Meat Plate Double - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Food was amazing and great service! Buffalo chicken did was 10/10 and drinks were great! read more

Smoke Justis - Buffalo chicken dip - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

See all

I think the sunny weeknight evening ALONE brought a steady crowd of people to this restaurant. We were seated promptly outdoors next to our car, with bees and flies swarming around near a trash can, flower arrangement, and our food. I guess you can expect that!?!? The aroma of smoke permeates the perimeter of the place. I couldn't wait to order something smoky and satisfying. We ordered the wing special for Wing Week. $7 for 6 wings (they call that a pound, which normally runs $16 - not worth $16, even if they say because of the size. Don't they know that small size matters in wings quality, chicken quality period!), mac n cheese, greens, slaw and a dry piece of cornbread. I heard a lot of good things about Smoke Justis food but maybe we came on an off-day. They could have doused the cornbread in butter to keep it from being dry. The slaw was a flavorless chopped cabbage with very little dressing in it. The greens had too much vinegar and weren't quite tender enough and the mac n cheese was dry and not creamy. The drink was pretty good. Nice kick to it. read more

Smoke Justis - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Love this place! Have been wanting to come here for awhile & finally tried it and were not disappointed. A GREAT place for baseball and softball lovers. The building is beautiful and the interior design compliments it well. Staff is friendly and the food was excellent- best BBQ sauce I've had in awhile. We'll return often! read more

Visited Smoke Justis for lunch. The ambiance is fun and lots of seating! I tried the Mac & meat bowl. It had Mac & cheese with your choice of pulled meat & their house made bbq sauce. I got it with the pulled chicken. The meal was pretty good, really liked the pulled meat, but didn't love it with the Mac & cheese. Also, my food could've been hotter. Next time I would just get a straight up pulled pork or chicken sandwich. Our server did and good job & was personable. They have a wide variety of beers and full cocktail menu. Fun place! read more

If you are a BBQ connoisseur... this place won't score any points. The meat is way over seasoned and dry... almost like it was two days old... best bet is to order their chicken wings or flat bread. Oh pass on the banana pudding... it's just banana flavored pudding... read more

See all

My wife and I stopped in on 10/24/25 for lunch. . Asked Jade if a low table was available because my wife is recovering from a hip replacement. It would have been a wait but Jade was able to accommodate her by getting her a barstool that was more comfortable for her hip. Thank you Jade read more

Let's get the bad out of the way first: the wait times are pretty bad, parking is a headache, and it's a touch on the expensive side. I bring that up for the sake of saying: Smoke Justis is a sit down BBQ place. Don't expect to get in and out in a half an hour. That said, Smoke Justis is really good BBQ. Maybe not the best in Kentucky, but pretty high up there. The sides are plentiful, there are tons of options, plenty of beers to pair them with, and everything has that sweet smoked flavor added to it. Servers are quick to attend to you, and keep the drinks coming. My guts and the brisket had a bit of a disagreement, but I'm chalking that up as a fluke. Smoke Justis is good -- expensive, but good. read more

See all

We went there to hear some music and have dinner. The food was just okay. The restaurant was a little loud. The bar is pretty cool. They have lots of bourbons including some local brands I have never heard. I would recommend if you want to taste a variety of bourbons. read more

Smoke Justis - Local bourbons. - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Fun fun place and packed... there's a side more chill bar with a guitar player that I saw on my way out. Try the Happy Hour bourbon pour tasty (it's 35.00 not 75.00 reg price and 25.00 at HHr)... still a great discount and tasty and smooth... bbq was 3 star for me and tasty... liked the mustard bbq sauce... read more

This place has great food and a lively atmosphere. A little too loud inside as it was game day. We sat outside. The brisket chili is amazing. The server was friendly and helpful. Prices are good. read more

Love the environment and amazing service! Dawson waited on us and he was helpful and attentive! I wished I would have taken pictures of our meals but got totally sidetracked. We'll definitely be coming back. read more

Fantastic food, excellent service & the outside seating is quite lovely. We stopped here to have lunch with our oldest son as he used to live in this neighborhood. He'd suggested it in the past but just never got to it. The deep fried pickles and Walt's Manhattan were a great starter. For main, the lovely Mrs got the federal burger and I got the brisket Mac & cheese and we also ordered the s Ike's wings. The burger was delicious, the wings were a bit dry for my likings but still tasty. The mac and cheese was okay as it was a bit bland and the brisket was dried out and chewy. Will we go again? Of Course but we will try other menu options. Trying our best to support local eateries, you should do the same. read more

See all

Bad night here. Ribs dry and cold and didn't get any barbecue sauce fried onion strings cold and we even had a quick delivery of our food. Salads were decent and wings were very good. Manager made it right and took off the ribs onions and fries. Last time we came brunch was not good either. With so many great restaurants in our area I likely won't be back. read more

It's a lovely building and the service from the bar tender was fantastic. The kitchen is sub par and I'm being kind with that term. Ordered the Federal Burger. It was just slapped together, bun was old and cold, cheese was not even melted. The onion straws were cold and tasted like they were fried hours earlier. The lovely bar tender replaced them with 'fresh and hot' French fries. They were hot, soggy and tasteless. Smoke Justis, clean up your act in that Kitchen. Shameful food being served there!!! Never again. read more

Such a beautiful, laid back bar. Intimate atmosphere with delicious drinks. Staff was friendly with great recommendations since it was our first time. read more

Smoke Justis - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

See all

Finally got a chance to check Smoke Justis out. The boyfriend got their Outlaw Chicken and said it was one of the best he's had in the city. I wasn't in the mood for meat, so I got sides: Mac n cheese, collard greens, a side salad and some corn bread. The Mac was a solid 4 stars and the collards were delish. Now listen to me: I enjoyed a Voodoo Ranger Hop Raider... and you'll never believe this... it paired amazingly well with the corn bread!!! I took a bite of the bread and washed it down with a swig of beer... and it literally tasted like a Christmas cookie!!! It was a delicious surprise! All in all Smoke Justis was quite good, but I definitely need to revisit and check out some of their smoked specialties. read more

Extremely disappointed in the food. Wings were huge and tasteless. I guess I could blame myself for getting there when they were about to close, but still heard good things about this place and wanted to try it. Service was poor. Never coming back, and to top it off there were feathers on the chicken read more

The whiskey selection is great. But I thought the food was just meh. My friend did say his wings were great but the rest of us thought our food was just OK. read more

Highly recommend a visit to Smoke Justis. First the menu, there are lots of options whether you are looking for bbq or some sort of sandwich, loaded fries, etc. One observation I made is that I would come back just to try all of the other options I didn't have a chance to do this visit. Wings were nearly perfection from the good Buffalo sauce, good ranch, good flavor, nearly perfect meat to juice to crunch factor. The service could have been a little quicker but we weren't in much of a hurry so wasn't a problem. read more

Smoke Justis - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

Service was great and our server was on top of our drinks! However, the food was not very good. Unfortunately the fries were mediocre at best, the mac & cheese was not good, my burger was overcooked. This is a nice location with a good atmosphere, but the food is not for everyone. read more

Tonight was our first time having Smoke Justis. We got it to go and it was ABSOLUTELY incredible!! The chicken and turkey is SUPERIOR to any I've had anywhere else! All the staff was very friendly and helpful. We can't wait to go back! read more

I'm pretty picky about my smoked meats. I thought the flavors for the wings, brisket, and pulled chicken were good, but I thought it was too dry. The order was a carry out, so I can't say anything about the service. read more

Buffalo chicken dip was fantastic. Brisket and sides were also great. Lots of TV's to watch sports. Great spot.

Good food but only 3 stars because of the noise level. To be honest I put up with the noise only because the fry boxes are so good. Service has been great each time we go. read more

Came in for Cincy Wing Week and got smoked wings. SO crispy and delicious!! The smoke flavor was perfect. Also grabbed an order of biscuits and gravy for $5 since it was brunch time. Pretty simple, but enjoyable. read more

Smoke Justis - Biscuits & gravy - Bars Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

See all

Barbecue is what they're known for and they do an excellent job of it. Service was excellent great outside eating area.

The celery was amazing, great texture, color, aroma, crunch and a beautiful parabolic shape!

Wings are amazing. HOWEVER..... They price their wings at $16 a pound and I got 7 wings. That is a load of bullsh*t. In no world is a wing worth over $2 a wing. Do not order the wings unless you are willing to sell a kidney on the black market. Brewdogs does all you can eat wings for $15 on Wednesdays. Go there instead. Way better price. Service was amazing. They need to adjust their prices or I will not return. read more

Friday night was hopping. We sat at the bar which was a perfect place to see tv, answer the questions for trivia night, and be well taken care of. The amount of bourbon options is amazing. The food was fantastic. The meat and Mac and cheese was great. The comfortable seating was great too! read more

First, I am pretty sure they are understaffed so I want to give a huge shout out to our waitress, Maddie, who was so great with us while also taking care of so many others. That in mind, I wanted to give them more but the food itself wasn't as great as I had anticipated. I am confused as to why they say they are a bourbon place, but don't have a bourbon menu. They do make some great cocktails tho! I got the peach mint julep one, and gosh was it delicious. I would gladly have had a second and third one, but my friend and I had another place to be afterwards. Not let's talk about the food. I got the single meat combo with the brisket, with Mac and cheese, fries, and the cornbread. The cornbread was my favorite of the three. The Mac and cheese was good, but I love when they broil the top to give it a crunch and this one didn't have that. The brisket, which was the thing I was really hoping for, was not as tender as I expected. I wanted the meat to be cut by a fork, as that is the only utensil that was provided, but it was a bit tough. The meat itself had flavor, but the texture wasn't there. The sauces, too, did add excellent flavor. Overall, good cocktail, not tender enough meat, doing their best with the staff available. Definitely try them out, and give them grace. read more

See all