Myself and two friends enjoyed us some Smokestack Express today, and I have to say we were impressed. I stopped in and picked up lunch for all of us, and everything was perfect. The brisket sandwich, ribs, chicken sandwich, mac and cheese, and baked beans were all perfectly seasoned and full of flavor. What really stood out, though, was the customer service. Justine helped me over the phone while I was trying to figure out lunch plans. I was actually headed to another restaurant when I found out halfway there that they were closed on Mondays. I had to switch gears quickly, and that's when I found Smokestack Express. Justine was extremely helpful, friendly, and patient. She made the ordering process easy and was genuinely pleasant to talk to. The food would have been enough to bring me back, but her attitude and professionalism made the experience even better. I can see why this business is successful. Great food combined with great people is a winning combination. Thanks, Smokestack Express, for saving my butt today. You've definitely gained a new customer. read more

See all

Overall, good flavors but felt it was more on the dry side. Price point and quantity is a good price point. Will back back again. read more

See all

Decided on a whim to try Smokestack BBQ since i was by my son's house. Walked in and realized they were closing up in about 30 minutes. Most places dislike when someone walks in at almost close. Well these guys were great. The guy up front asked if I was picking up or looking to do a sit down order. I told him just wanted to get a little takeout. He said if you know what you want I can get help you out or if you need a minute go ahead and look at our menu board. After looking at the board, I got a half a pound of brisket point half a pound of sausage half rack of ribs and a small container of mac & cheese. I also noticed that they had smoked sausage too. You pulled everything out of the warmer cut it fresh and asked if I wanted any barbecue sauce on the side. He also mentioned that they had an ice cream machine behind me if I felt like having an ice cream cone while I waited, not many places have soft serve ice cream twist cone so I got one. After forgetting everything home, it was still very warm and tasted good. Only complaint I had was. I like a traditional Texas style brisket. read more

See all

Really great brisket. I like that they give you the choice between lean and marbled. If you want good brisket to go this place is for you. Great portions as well. read more

I found Smokestack Express via exploring to the coffee shop next door. The food always smells so good going to and from the coffee shop. Had to come check it out. They have a few designated parking spots (the lot stays pretty full) but no worries because it's next to the big Cub parking lot and there's a bit of parking around the corner. The staff were really nice and friendly. The menu is a bit limited/simple. Just meat and a few sides. I only eat chicken and they happen to be out of the smoked wings when we went. I ended up getting the chicken sandwich w/ Mac and cheese for the side. My mom got ribs (6) came with 2 sides, she got coleslaw and cornbread. My mom said the ribs were amazing, meaty, she just wishes they pealed the skin off because it made it a bit tough. Also she was a bit shocked to see the cornbread was on a bag and not made in house but she said it was actually good as well. The coleslaw was "different" but it grew on her and she ended up liking it. As far as the chicken sandwich- the meat was really good. I didn't care for the bun though. I ended up just eating the bottom of the bun w/ the meat. I think I would have preferred a bit softer, fresher bun. Not as thick as it was. I'm not saying the chicken was dry because it wasn't, great flavor but the bun kind of threw it off for me. The Mac and cheese was decent. I kind of wish they had some kind of potato as a side (like fries or baked potatoes). The chicken would have been so good on baked potato. They also have 3 different types of bbq sauce. I tried the regular and spicy. They were both good. They do have a few tables to dine in which is nice because they also have complimentary ice cream cones. You can get vanilla, chocolate or swirl. Such a nice bonus!! I'll for sure be back for the wings and just to support in general! read more

See all

Food was very good! We ordered take out for our company lunch. The food arrived on time and was personally deliver from the restaurant. They provided many sauces which the mild and spicy were soooo good! The spicy had an interesting but delicious taste. read more

See all

I entered over to Smokestack Express today to check out their BBQ. Being a southern girl, in my spirit we just know BBQ, but I do give everyone a fair chance. The spot in nestled in strip on France Ave. The inside vibes give me homely feel. I am hanging out with the friends for BBQ, small and intimate but enough space to wait on the deliciousness . The team preparing the meals seems to be father and son, but very kind and accommodating. When I entered the place people were waiting so that was a good sign to me. I opted for the 4 bones with two sides. I did brisket on the menu but I wanted to work my way up to that point. I figured if the bones (Ribs) were good then we may be on to something. I will say I think they threw a couple more bones for waiting sake. I initially took my first bite in store but later went home to demolish the plate. My two sides where the Mac & Cheese and The Beans. Now, I know everybody doesn't put meat in their beans but the southern girl in me be looking for it. The beans were tasty, I like the little tang they had to them. The Mac & Cheese had a yummy sauce yo it, a tad but salty be mixed in with the other foods went really well. I found myself mixing their spicy sauce with he sweet sauce. It paired very well with the meat that seems to just slide off the bone. Overall 4 out of 5 for me! I will go back because I do want to try the brisket. read more

Smokestack Express - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

Brisket! Love This place. Great bbq just be sure to order early before they sell out!

Enjoyed a rib meal today. Preordered for pick up. Greeted and order was put together fresh during a short wait. Delicious !! I should have shared a picture but eating was my priority. What remained was a pile of bare bones. Definitely recommend Smokestack Express. read more

My wife and I were on our weekly Saturday new restaurant trip and we decided to try Smokestack, we saw an article about it in the Star Tribune. I ordered a 1/2 pound of brisket and pulled pork. They were nice and juicy and the fat was a good blend on the brisket. It really didn't need any sauce and the spicy sauce wasn't really any different than the regular sauce. I think it is better without the sauce, I think a hot mustard sauce would be really good with it though. I was not happy that I didn't get any utensils in my bag to take-away though. They had tip on their credit card machine. What!? I ordered from a counter and you filled my order. Why would I tip? If you want more money, put it into your price. This tipping thing is getting ridiculous for counter service. Over in Europe there is no tipping and it is so much more enjoyable. I worked at McDonald's for two years and never got a tip. Great food and we took it over to Nine Mile Brewing to have a beer with it. Great BBQ. read more

Smokestack Express - 1/2 pound of brisket and pulled pork. Very tasty, doesn't need sauce. A spicy and smokey mustard dipping sauce might be amazing! - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

See all

Decided to stop by since I was in the area and craving bbq. It's a smaller restaurant with maybe 4 or 5 tables to dine in. I ordered the ribs, brisket, Mac and cheese and baked beans. It was pretty good but not amazing. I wasn't a fan of the bbq sauces they have. read more

Smokestack Express - Ribs, Brisket, Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

See all

3X. 3X "out of ribs" Happy for their success. But I'm going back to places that I know have ribs. read more

My interest was piqued by a short review in the Star Tribune. As suggested, I placed my order for pick-up and arrived just when they opened at 11 am. The outside of the restaurant is generic and it's in a generic shopping mall. However, the inside is clean, bright, and inviting. You can see inside the open kitchen, which is located just behind the counter. Be sure to use the pick-up line, if you are not placing a new order. There were six people ready to order when I arrived just as they opened. Smokestack Express is designed primarily for pick up and take out. However, there are four or five tables inside and you can order sandwiches (pork shoulder, or beef brisket on a bun with one side included. For take-out you can order the pork shoulder (in half-pound increments), beef brisket (in half-pound increments), or baby back ribs (1/2 or full rack). For sides they have mac and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, or corn bread muffins. If you order the brisket, you can select "fatty" or lean brisket. Fatty is more moist and the lean is dryer. I ordered half and half. My wife preferred the lean and I preferred the fattier portion. The restaurant is about 25 minutes away from my house and I was tempted all the way home by the smell of the barbeque. Had it not been packaged so well, I would have been tempted to sample the brisket. It's good that I didn't because I might have "sampled" all of it before I arrived home! Both the brisket and beans were still warm enough to eat when I got home. I made a sandwich with the brisket and tried it with and without the barbeque sauce that is available for takeout (no charge). I found the sauce to be a bit sweet for me, so I enjoyed it more without the sauce. The brisket was perfectly done: falling apart, moist, smokey, and worthy of Texas brisket. I sampled the lean portion and it was dryer, but possibly smokier too. I think a little bit of barbeque sauce would work well with it. The baked beans tasted as if they had simmered for a very long time. The beans had a soft texture and pieces of pork for flavor. So if you are a vegetarian, take note. On the other hand, what the heck are you doing at a meat BBQ restaurant in the first place? The only vegetables are the onions simmered in the beans! The food here rates five stars, but it gets one star taken away because I wish they had a menu that also was designed more for eat-in. They do have those two sandwiches and you could split the 1/2 lb. portions, but eat-in is not a priority. If you are nearer to them than I am, they are definitely worth a try for a quick dinner or lunch. I hope they do well, expand, and open a place closer to me. They also do have bigger platters for parties and they do catering. read more

See all

Great food great price for what you get. BBQ smoke fresh everyday, cut and served in front of you. Customers service is amazing. I would definitely come again. read more

In addition to myself I hosted a number of hungry people the other night. I ordered a Meat Sweat (Party) Pack #1 (1lb of Beef Brisket, 1lb of Pulled Pork, a full rack of Ribs, 1pint Coleslaw and 1pint Mac & Cheese). I decided to add 1pint of Baked Beans to the mix. We all found the BBQ and sides absolutely delicious. The ribs were chewy and slathered in sauce but were perfectly done and flavorful. The brisket was sliced with a good smoky taste and a discernible pink ring. The pulled pork was roughly separated (not ground into an indistinguishable mush) and also had a very nice smokiness. The Mac & Cheese (while honestly not exceptional) was hearty and unctuous. The Coleslaw was rough cut and while made with a creamy dressing retained a piquant, crunchy and appealing flavor. The Baked Beans were tasty and very much on point. This is primarily a takeout establishment (OK, I guess if you're ravenously hungry they do have a few tables but I can't really picture sitting down to enjoy a meal inside their clean but spartan quarters). They prefer that one places one's order online while specifying a pickup time. The whole meal cooled rather quickly but warmed up nicely once home. Be sure to ask them to toss in some extra BBQ sauce for the Pulled Pork and the Brisket. The ribs didn't require additional saucing but adding or dipping certainly won't hurt. For a newish BBQ place they appear to have everything well in hand. And based on traffic they would seem to be already doing a business. IMHO this is a great addition to our growing BBQ scene. I recommend that you give it a try. I suspect that many of you might become steady customers. read more

Great food, wonderful staff! Always get treated well there. Best brisket around, mac n cheese made fresh regularly. read more

If I could rate the team 10 stars I would! I called in with a last-minute catering order due to poor planning on our part. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they answered the phone way before they were open. I was promised a call back and I received one shortly after and I was so thankful that they were able to accommodate my last-minute order. Kayla was a rockstar on the phone and assisted me with all of my questions. I placed my large ordered at 9:50am and picked it up at 11:15- talk about quick turn around! We went with sliced brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, Mac and cheese, and coleslaw. In our box had two types of bbq sauce, and plates/napkins/utensils. The team helped carry everything to my car and I'm lucky they put it in the truck because the smells would have made me open it up and start snacking if it was next to me. I paid about $320 (not including tip) for food for 18-25 people. I would say it fed about 20 people. Talk about a great deal with fabulous service. We'll be ordering large orders with them again and hopefully giving them more time! Our company does a lot of events and it can be hard for a company to find a local restaurant that's affordable and producing high quality food with fast turn around. Definitely check this place out! Not only for large orders but the day to day lunch and dinner! read more

Absolutely SOLID! Every single thing I ordered was extremely tasty and prepared fantastically! I had a six-piece rib dinner with baked beans and coleslaw and added a couple of cornbread muffins. With a tip it was about $34. Now - the food! The coleslaw was exactly the way I love it! Creamy, a snappy bite of vinegar, and made with celery seed. The baked beans were saucy and delicious - not too sweet but overall really very good. What I was surprised about was the portion size - too often you get a tiny 1/4-1/2 cup of these at most BBQ places - but there was a 1+ cup portion size here - very impressive! The cornbread muffin was also perfect too! Soft with a little crumble, but made with some coarse cornmeal and the resulting muffins are just perfect! Add their honey-butter and I'm in heaven!! And finally - the ribs! Some people like ribs that stay on the bones - others want them falling off the bone. I prefer closer to the latter and I don't know how they pulled it off, but these were thoroughly smoked and prepared, and took just a nudge of the teeth to pull them off the bone. I'd be thrilled if ribs that I smoked came out like this. I had the milder sauce - they have a spicier version too. These were excellent - and meaty - and delicious!! This was my first visit and it's just down the street and it's feeling a bit dangerous to have ribs this good so accessible. I could comfortably eat half of it - oh darn - leftover ribs!! Nice job Smokestack!! read more

Smokestack Express - Superbly delicious ribs and fixings! ‍ - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

I had their brisket out of their food truck and the serving was so large I figured I would bring some home to my sweetheart but when I got halfway through, I couldn't stop. It was so tender and delicious! Figured I'd do one better and take her with me to enjoy it a second time inside of one week! The beans were also a 10! Immediately inquired about having it catered for a future company party. read more

So, we finally got to Smokestack Express. We are still talking about our meal and know that we'll be back again in short order. What we ate: 6-Smoked Rib Platter and 1/2 Pound Brisket Meal. The sides were the Mac & Cheese, Baked Beans, and Coleslaw. These meats are just plain ridiculous. Both the ribs and the brisket are tender, tender, tender. The smokiness was on point and didn't need sauce at all. It's barbecue, so there was sauce, regardless. We got the spicy and regular sauces. Both were fabulous. There was a nice hit of heat with the spicy sauce that lingered well after we were done with the meal. I don't do beans, so I can't really speak to them directly. My friend loves them and was quite happy with these. The mac & cheese was quite delicious and cheesy. nice balance of the sauce and pasta. You can tell that the pasta was not overcooked because being drenched in the sauce. The coleslaw was also delicious. It had a nice balance of tart and sweet. The service was friendly and quick. We were told about the rewards program, which gives you discounts as you accumulate points from your purchases. We're thinking that a Meat Sweat Pack is in our near future for a movie night at home. I believe that you'll be quite pleased with your visit. read more

From the moment I walked in the door, I was greeted with a warm welcome by KK and Kayla. The food here is served hot and made fresh daily you can truly taste the quality and love in every bite. While you wait for your order, there's even a free self-serve ice cream machine, which is such a fun and thoughtful touch! The service is quick, and the staff makes sure your food comes out in a timely manner. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious, tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Food was so good that I called them immediately after taking a bite of my food. Needless to say, 10/10...you HAVE to stop by! read more

This is some fantastic BBQ! And the Mac n Cheese options are all insane!! I personally don't like the coleslaw, but seriously- only thing I can say I don't love about this place. read more

Phenomenal meat and sides!! My smokey raspberry reduction BBQ sauce is still better though. I took my grub home and used my sauce, best of both worlds. read more

Wanted to try something new close by so we looked for a fun BBQ place online and came up with this one in Bloomington. Don't let the size fool you or the fact that there wasn't a line out the door when we went. This place is family ran and has to be the best BBQ spot I've had in MN by far. I ordered a brisket plate and it came out so tender in the slices. Worst part about the plate though was that there wasn't anymore once it was gone. We went in as a family and got to share a little of each other's food while dining here. If you are anywhere in the area and like BBQ, I highly recommend you stop in to visit Smokestack! You seriously won't regret it. Their menu is very simple to make ordering simple as well. Can't wait to come back next time we are in MN. read more

See all

Absolutely fabulous 4th of July picnic due to Bloomington Smokestack Express! The family, all true carnivores, loved every last morsel. The service is great as they were willing to make a last minute change, and the food is even better. Thank you for a wonderful holiday meal. read more

They deserved their 4 1/2 star review very tasty baby backs were nice and meaty the beans could've cooked a little longer they were kind of hard. The coleslaw was a plus as they didn't sauce it until you ordered it. Nice crunchy very good. Whatever they glazed the ribs with finger licking good I recommend and will come back. read more

See all

It was fine. Ribs were soft and pre sauced, which is a significant negative for me. Beans and Mac and cheese are pretty good but nothing special. Brisket sandwich was not slices of brisket like I expected and was pretty dry. BBQ sauce is boring. Couldn't taste much difference between regular and spicy. Quite a few better BBQ options not too far away in my opinion. read more

I've had their food 6 times in the last 2 years and it has never disappointed. The brisket is always great; super rub, very pepper forward with a nice bark and juicy and tender. Pulled pork is very tasty. We have not tried the chicken but I'm sure it's delish. They were trying their hand a smoked sausage last time we were in, we ordered up a couple links and they were terrific! I told the owner they need to try a spicy one too. Beans are very tasty, slaw is as well. They could improve the mac and cheese a bit for my taste, theirs is more like an Alfredo, but still quite good. There is a small amount of table seating to eat in but it's more a take-out place. Give it a try and I think you'll like it very much. read more

Service was great, meat was great as was the smoked chicken salad. The beans, not so great, no meat in them! Wouldn't you throw some in them if you are a BBQ joint? That's why 4 stars. read more

Brisket was amazing, pork came in solid second place but, our chicken was a bit salty. They lost me at the corn muffin in a bag. Im from the south, even jiff mix is better than that & you can rise it on the grill while you're cooking. I assume it might be due to demand, maybe not as many order it hence not being fresh but Id rather they offer green beans or collard greens. Heck fried Okra, minnesotans would love some fried Okra. Will def try them again as serves was incredible and the brisket nearly tasted like home. read more

Good service and good food I try the sandwich and the Mac and cheese and it was good food was a little cold but it had good flavor, my wife had the Mac attack and she loved the Mac and cheese, I also like how clean then restaurant is and clean bathrooms is always plus read more

Smokestack Express - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

The brisket is awesome! You should stop here if you are thinking about. I am glad I made the stop in to see what the fuss is about. read more

Smokestack Express - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

we tried 2 sandwiches, pulled pork and brisket. the pork was bland , and the sauce was very Minnesota nice. their spicy sauce was for beginners. the other sauces were not much better. brisket was better smoked but the bun and sides were disappointing. i would try it one more time to try the ribs and skip the sides. their cornbread is not homemade. its prepackaged and made by sara lee. :( makes me wonder what sides are homemade? dessert is a free soft serve read more

Meatloaf that is smoked new on the menu Order a day in advance. We did. The taste is great but dry and rather coarse texture. Had the smoked Mac& cheese not as creamy as first time. Meatloaf choice of spicy or regular bbq topper sauce. $22 for meatloaf at 2.5 lbs. while amount is great for the price we did not have warm fuzzies after eating in. Need to work on recipe for a softer texture and juicier. read more

Excellent service and great tasting brisket one of the best I have had! Keeps me going back!

food was disappointing. had better at famous daves staff very nice and friendly . the beans were too sweet, Mac and cheese averag, ribs and chicken seasoned well but ribs were tough s/b tender read more

My wife and I have worked our way through the menu, and all of the smoked meats were great. First we had beef brisket. Tender, moist and flavorful. We took a mix of fatty and lean, We've also had meals of chicken and pork shoulder. Again, we were pleased with the taste and quality. The wonderful smoke flavor permeates the meat. No artificial taste ever. I enjoy it all without their sauces (which are tasty and free). Last time we had baby backs. Just terrific. You cannot go wrong. Sides are tasty. Service is friendly and fast. We always do take out, but there are a few tables. read more

Some of the best barbecue that I have ever had outside of the KC area and the south. Their smoker adds a level of heat that is difficult to find outside of those places. Their service was amazing and the food came out in what was only 2 minutes at the most. In terms of price it was very affordable and the portions were more than adequate. Would definitely come again. read more

Overpriced. Brisket was dry. Cornbread came in a bag so not their own. Co-worker got the chicken salad and I got the potato salad. He said his was amazing. Mine was good too but both were very small and we felt like we were getting a sample at Costco. Smelled amazing when we walked in. Just a let down. I hope it was just a bad day and another trip will be better. read more

Amazing! fall off the bone ribs and a whole host of sauces for free. Nice inside. potato salad has dill and it's the best. read more