I'm kind of bewildered by the high reviews. I really REALLY wanted to love this place -- we ski at Tahoe Donner frequently so we drive by all the time, and it would be convenient to have a great BBQ place nearby. But oh my goodness, this was -- no joke -- some of the worst BBQ we've eaten. (Worth noting: we eat a LOT of BBQ. My husband is from NC and we've actually done road trips where we've sampled regional bbq varieties all over the south. We find a bbq spot in almost every vacation destination -- we have ones we really like in Incline and Tahoe City -- and eat at our local ones in San Jose reasonably often. This really wasn't good.) My husband ordered the three meat sampler with pulled pork, brisket, and links, my son a brisket plate, my daughter a cheeseburger, and I ordered the Smokey's salad with pulled pork added. Of these, the only meat that was even edible -- no joke, none of us ate more than a few bites of the other varieties -- were the hot links. The brisket was both a bad cut of meat and not cooked long enough. The pulled pork wasn't "pulled" at all -- it was flavorless chunks, not at all the tender, fall-apart-on-your-fork, slow-cooked pulled pork I'm used to. I had to cut it with a knife -- it was dry and chewy and totally unappealing. My daughter's burger was just gross -- like, below snack shack quality. There were some redeeming features. The cornbread was excellent, the cowboy beans were great, the southwest slaw was good (except there was a random blueberry mixed in -- so bizarre!), and the corn on the cob was delicious. My salad (absent the pork) was fresh and crispy. In terms of service, I called in the order and they were SUPER friendly. They had it ready when I arrived 15 minutes later, and the young people working at the cash register were friendly and helpful. The dining room looked cozy and the outdoor, dog-friendly patio looked wonderful too. Like I said, I really REALLY wanted to like this place, but the food just wouldn't let me. read more

$44 for 3 thin sliced brisket, one sausage and 3 ribs. Unbelievable And they charge 10% take out fee. No sauce no utensils. Alright The sausage tastes a little bit bitter. Very dry Brisket is even dryer than your grandma's panties. Pork ribs have no flavor at all! Seems like I am watching an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. OMG! Please hire a good chef or manager. Totally disaster read more

My recent dining experience at this cozy establishment left me utterly delighted and craving more. Let me start by raving about their chili - a dish that deserves all the accolades it receives and then some. The chili tantalized our senses, promising a flavor explosion like no other. And oh, did it deliver! Each spoonful was a blend of hearty tender meat, beans and spices. The perfect balance of heat and flavor made it an instant favorite among my dining companions and me. We enjoyed it so much a couple of us left with a quart to go. As for the service from the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and prompt attention. If you are driving through Truckee, stop and have some chili! read more

Very cozy ambiance. I met my daughter here at a halfway point between home and college and we spent two hours getting some tasks completed while enjoying a delicious lunch. We ate a pulled pork sandwich and pulled pork plate with French fries. Everything was delicious. The gals running the place were friendly and while the facilities were older, it was clean. read more

Nice little restaurant with very nice servers! Came for breakfast, it's rumored that the biscuits and gravy is a must try. It sure did not disappoint! Some of the best biscuits and gravy we've had in a long time! Hubby had French toast. I tried his and it was also very good flavor with cinnamon Inside the bread and batter. Sooo good! read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Inside Smokey's - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

Loved this place! They smoke their meats in the back. Super friendly service, very attentive. I had the bbq breakfast and tried the pulled pork. Delicious. We had to eat outside because of Covid-19 but they had heaters. Cool little place that you should try. :) read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

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We tried to go here for lunch. We were very excited to try this place. We were seated right away outside because we had our dog. They seated us and that was it. No one came up us, or brought us water. We sat for over 30 minutes. When we went to find someone I noticed the server helping people who where seated after us. The table next to us had a server and they closed out and no acknowledgment from him. So we left. read more

Best corned beef breakfast I've ever had! Whenever we pass through we make it a point to stop here. Everything I've tried has been delicious. When you go make sure you get an order of the garlic fries! Also shout out to the woman who's always working you are amazing! She's funny and super nice! read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Corned beef eggs and potatoes - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

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Just spent a week in Truckee with my spouse & in-laws and we went to Smokey's four times it was that good. Collectively we had about 20 dishes and each one was great. My spouse is particularly a connoisseur of eggs benedict and LOVED the ones at Smokey's. For me, the huevos rancheros was my go-to. My in-laws loved their BBQ sandwiches and they're in from North Carolina! (My mother-in-law was very impressed by the blue cheese vinaigrette salad dressing and my Father-in-law says "one of the best breakfast places I've ever been to period.") Staff was also very friendly and helpful when we had questions and wanted substitutions. Outdoor patio made for a great time with our dog and nice to eat surrounded by the trees. Strongly recommend! read more

Rude waitress, an older woman with long gray hair, who doesn't understand customer service. The food I did try left something to be desired.

DO NOT COME HERE FOR TAKEOUT-- Have you ever heard of an ADDITIONAL 10% ADDITIONAL FEE for TAKEOUT? And, you the customer are notified in big letters that this 10% fee does NOT include tip. I paid over $90 for 4 sandwiches which were mediocre in taste. The flour tortillas used for the salad wraps were not fresh; they were dry and stiff. Insides tasted mediocre as well. Meat had very little flavor. read more

Dined at Smokey's Kitchen on 3/22/25. Kaileyana was our waitress. She provided excellent customer service for our family of 5. The food was prepared as we ordered, and it was excellent also. A message to the managers of Smokey's Kitchen: you have an exceptional employee (Kaileyana). She went above and beyond to make our visit extra special. Thank you so much Kaileyana! read more

Didn't even eat here, sad because my family and I were hyped for this place because the food looked good. As soon as we walk in, the waitress yells "grab a menu" and we didn't know where she meant to get them, she yells again "grab a menu", and we then tell her oh we just wanted to know if you guys can seat a group of 12. She responds "what the F, why didn't you guys call before coming." We were shocked and honestly immediately knew that we aren't giving our money to this business that is so dang rude and unapologetic. read more

Brisket, hot link, fried pickles, cowboy beans and cornbread. Excellent! Do try and ask for the habanero bbq sauce read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Brisket, hot link, fried pickles, cowboy beans and cornbread. Excellent! Do try and ask for the habanero bbq sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

First time. Didn't check reviews before just figured we'd check it out since we have a home in Tahoe Donner and this would be convenient as we got off the freeway we could grab dinner. The food was OK a little underwhelming. I saw lots of post referencing the $10 takeout fee. Didn't notice if they charged that but if they did, that's annoying maybe they stopped. Seemed really pricey. We have a similar place in San Jose. Jackie's Place. I checked their menu. Similar items and portions since they had pictures. Includes two sides. Smokey's is $33 for the same item at Jackie's place which is $20. Confirming Smokey's is way over priced. read more

Everything about my experience was a no. Sticky table, sticky BBQ sauce bottles on the table (at least wipe em down every night or between shifts), the high chair belt was broken and the high chair smelled really sour, the food wasn't my favorite. I ordered a few items and they were out. I finally settled on a pork slider and some fries. I ended up with a chicken slider SMOTHERED in sauce. Maybe they thought "she won't know it's chicken instead of pork if we add extra sauce". Pros: They we're empty so the pace of service was good. They have an outdoor patio. The menu is large if you like lots of options. read more

Bbq ribs are a must try. The real reason behind my review is everyone here was really kind and accommodating because of a dairy allergy that I have. Kind service, delicious food and great atmosphere. Recommended you give it a try! read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Nice interior. Vintage skis and real snake plants. - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

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Decent BBQ. I had the pulled pork, pulled chicken, and brisket. Good prices. Friendly service. Nice outdoor dining. read more

I was working in the area with my husband and we dediced to grab dinner here on the way home. It was phenomenal! The food was delicious (he had a 3 meat platter and I had the rib eye) and the meat was tender, flavorful, and the BBQ sauce had the perfect tang. The sides were great too- we tried Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans, and Slaw. My favorite part of the meal was that cornbread- SO fluffy, buttery and absolutely delicious. The ambiance is warm and inviting as well. Down to earth environment and good service. Highly recommend! read more

This place is a gem. It appears to be a family owned and operated type of restaurant. A mom and pop shop. The service was great as the waitress was caring, attentive, and was knowledgeable about their food and products. You can choose in door or outdoor seating, dog friendly outdoor seating. A very enjoyable experience and got to purchase some of their sauces read more

The service is welcoming and friendly! A casual, country, comfy restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Delicious BBQ! Many varieties of choices; ingredients, meal sizes, sides. Tasty, scrumptious meals. Order take out or enjoy dining at Smokey's Kitchen. read more

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This is a great little mom and pop restaurant. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also serve beer and wine. They are only open Thursday through Sunday, which seems typical for non-corporate restaurants these days. I went there for breakfast and I had the smoked salmon scramble with potatoes and rye toast. It was delicious and filling. The staff was friendly and attentive and made sure that all of my needs were met. My final bill was under $25 before tip, but I did get one of the more expensive items on the menu. I completely recommend this establishment for those of you visiting Truckee, California. read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Smoked salmon scramble with potatoes and write us. - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

Gave me the worst food poisoning i have ever had. Was sitting on the toilet for 24 hours straight.

oh man this place is amazing. we dined in on a rainy weekday evening and it was pretty empty. I did not expect much from a bbq place (since I'm vegetarian) but their mushroom "filet" burger hit the spot. it was served with blue cheese and caramelized onions along with other condiments, and it was really good. my husband ordered some meat thing (haha sorry I dunno) and we got to try a lot of sides. my favorite was the onion rings. they make them thin and crispy and it's really good. they also don't skimp on dressing. the mac and cheese was great and so were the sweet potato fries (which were served as waffle fries). service was very good, portions were good for the price we paid. definitely coming back here again. read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Mushroom filet burger - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

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Our first experience with Smokey's was about ten years ago when we were in town for some ski and snowboard races with our high school teams. The teams were ordering pizzas and we weren't feeling it, so we ordered some food from Smokey's. We ate it in our hotel room watching the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in the superbowl. For not too much money we got more food than we could eat, and I still remember the ribs. We now make Smokey's a destination when we go to Truckee, and have tried a number of things on the menu. While never disappointed, we've had the best luck with the barbeque items. This makes sense, as their name is... Smokey's. read more

This is a really cute spot outside of busy downtown Truckee. I came for breakfast expecting a mediocre meal and was blown away by the home cooked quality of their food. The skillet potatoes are to die for and the omelettes are huge and delicious. Highly recommend this place for breakfast. Note that they have a hard cut off for breakfast at noon! no exceptions :) read more

Mediocre food, and the among the worst customer service I have experienced. I was very clear with my phone order. After picking it up, I got home and multiple things were incorrect, including a missing entree. When I called in a correction, the person on the phone repeated what I said and even then, he got it wrong when he repeated what I said. When I went in to pick up the corrected items, they wanted me to pay for the missing entree. I refused. I had ordered it, and it's a big inconvenience for me to come back again while my family's $100 meal gets cold. The cashier brought in the manager, who also refused and claimed I had never ordered it. Simply not true. The person on the phone had not entered the order in correctly, as several other things were wrong as well. These people don't deserve your business. I have been a repeat customer for several years as we live nearby. They don't treat their customers well. I will not be returning. read more

Food: Average (breakfast only) Service: I could have walked down to the nearby store, made the same dish, finish eating, and it would have taken less time than it took to get our food. read more

Came few days before Xmas. We ordered the sampler for 2 adults and a baby. Food was not the best... but what bothered us most was they didnt bring us forks and plates until we asked, which seemed really embarrassing . Wont be coming back.. read more

This restaurant looked kind of small and we weren't originally planning to go here, but we decided to check it out. After taking one look at the menu we knew we wanted to stay. It has such a wide variety of food that you can basically find any breakfast or barbecue food that you want there. Their service was superb, really quick, and they also liked chatting with the customers. Their sauces were the main highlight as their barbecue sauce is absolutely delicious! All their stuff tastes homemade and has a nice smoky flavor. All the food was extremely filling and I was very satisfied. 10/10 would recommend. read more

I've passed by this restaurant a few times while in Truckee and finally had the chance to try it after a hike. Upon arriving, we were not greeted by the host and instead had to wave her down to get her attention to assist us with a seat. When we asked to sit outside, she told us to sit anywhere but all the tables were dirty and not cleaned. After we asked her to clean the table, she simply just moved the dishes to an uncleaned table next to us. She did not wipe down the seats, therefore we also had to ask her to wipe the seats down. My husband and I shared a jumbo mixed BBQ plate that consisted of pulled pork, ribs, and brisket with 2 sides - mac & cheese, cold slaw and corn bread. While ordering, our waitress seemed to not listen that we wanted the 3 bbq meat items and only placed 2 bbq meat items after telling her 2x that we wanted the 3 items. After we got our food which only consisted of 2 bbq meat items, we had to wave down another waitress that took a while and tell her that we ordered the 3 bbq meat item plate and not 2. All the items on the plate lacked the quality taste and seemed to be made quickly. The items were not hot and didn't tasted fresh. Overall, we did not enjoy our meal and our time at Smokeys. Service was long and unfriendly. Waitress were unapproachable and did not check on us, instead we had to wave them down a few times to get service. Don't think we will be back here. read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

Gotta say that my experience here at this joint was not stellar. the Squealer sandwich was not a favorite. The winner at our table were the chili fries added with garlic and sour cream. The Bison burger was good but the value of it was questioned from the other dude at my table. 2 of us had the Squealer....not excited overall with this sandwich. Pretty presentation but not a sandwich of substance. The garlic taste in the fries was very well received. Maybe this was an off day, so it could be worth another visit, just not for me. read more

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This place is a cute mom and pop shop that has great costumer service. I recommend the pull pork sandwich, fries, Mac and cheese, and burger! The ribs were a little dry, but we did come when the kitchen was closing so I do not blame them. I recommend this place to anyone wanting a good tasting and priced meal, while also feeling comfortable and at home! read more

Totally disappointed ordered the brisket not at all flavorful soaked in some kind of a barbecue sauce to keep the moisture in it is downright the worst brisket I've had my entire life!!! $75.00 for two orders of brisket with two sides. I got the potato salad and the garden salad, potatoes were way undercooked on the potato salad downright crunchy? read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Beef Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

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We found ourselves looking for a place for a nice, leisurely lunch the other day and decided some BBQ was in order. First impression was "HOW CUTE!!". We sat on the patio and it was just really pleasant out. The shade from the umbrella and the light breeze made it perfectly comfortable. The service was slow. Really, really slow. Honestly I think we were forgotten. Fortunately for us, we were in no hurry and it was actually really nice to just sit and chat and sip iced tea. (Well, til my tummy started rumbling!) Our lunch took roughly 2 hours from start to finish- it was almost an hour to get food on the table. Hopefully it was just an anomaly! I got a 2 meat BBQ platter. The meats were only ok. The brisket had good flavor but was a bit dry. The pulled pork was pretty good except for a few really stringy, hard to chew pieces. The BBQ sauce is really really good. The sides are OUTSTANDING. I chose a biscuit, spiced apples, and fried pickles. Yum, yum, and YUM!! That biscuit was one of the best I've had and I definitely plan to go back for B&G soon. The fried pickles were delicious. Their breading reminds me of that you'd find on fried green tomatoes. Will definitely get those again. I'll definitely be going back, hopefully the service will be a bit more prompt next time! read more

Smokey's Kitchen - 2 meat platter- brisket and pulled pork, with a biscuit, fried pickles, and spiced apples - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California

Would give it zero stars if I could...and I didn't even get to eat. They sat us after setting up our table. Then they sat another family. Then they forgot we existed. They didn't even get us drinks and then forget us. They did not even make eye contact with us or acknowledge we were there. So we left. The only person who was nice to us was the gentleman who cleaned and set up our table. read more

Not impressed at all. We have tried a good number of BBQ places in California, and I can honestly rank this place as among the WORST. Anyway, here's my personal opinion about the place, based on my own personal experience. Food: 1/5. We ordered the 3-meat sampler. Both the pork ribs and beef brisket were tough, dry, and bland. And the pulled pork was way too sweet, and did not have any hint of barbeque in it. The only thing that we loved was the butter that came with their biscuit, and the grilled asparagus. Price: 1/5. This place is not cheap, and definitely not worth the food they served. Service: 2/5. The servers were nice, but extremely slow. Enough said. Overall, we were expecting a lot more because of the high marks that this place received from other reviewers. Sadly, we left extremely disappointed. Definitely not coming back! read more

Donna makes my day every single time I come in! She remembers my favorites and treats everyone like they are locals (even if they aren't). Smokey's makes just about everything there from scratch so it's hard to go wrong! Their breakfasts are fantastic and their burgers are the best in Truckee! Try the bacon blue. Can't say enough good things about this place and these people! read more

Having a hankering for BBQ on our way to Lake Tahoe, we visited Smokey's. The cute, fun ski-lodge style decor was well accompanied by tasty, tender brisket and a great (albeit tad overdone) steak. Love their Sprecher brand of sodas, especially the cream soda. You absolutely have to eat the cornbread with the honey butter - soooo good! read more

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So good! And friendly! We got a breakfast burrito and an omelet. Stopped here on our way home from Tahoe. Love that coffee is served with a pot on the table so you can refill whenever u want, also a pitcher of water is left on the table. I want to come back and try the bbq. read more

Smokey's Kitchen - Barbeque Near Me - Truckee, California