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Smokin Jays

4.3 (273 reviews)
Open 10:30 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

Smokin Jays Photos

Business Info

SMOKIN JAYS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Smokin Jays

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Reviews With Photos

Arev L.

It is a small location. Only have a few tables available. They have additional seat outdoor at the parking lot. Service is quick and friendly. Food are delicious. We got the tri tip, brisket plate, the brisket seriously melt in the mouth. Have to use spoon to scoop it up! The sauce is amazing. The bread, beans and macaroni salad. Perfect. Nashville chicken and fries super delicious. I'll be back soon.

Customer Service was super awesome; the lady at the front was very nice and friendly and a gave great recommendations If I could give more than five stars On Customer Service, I would! The food was really good. They had light music, but you could still carry on a conversation and it was very welcoming inside.

Vanilla cold foam cold brew
Madonna C.

Always the spot for BBQ!!! Burgers are bomb too!!! Pot head coffee is an added plus for those caffeine addicts !!! Selection is big!

Fries & Coffee
Ryan P.

I got the brisket sandwich and my wife got the candied bacon breakfast sandwich. Both were incredible. Same for both the fries and hash browns. Service was also great. My wife likes her coffee sweeter and they let her try it before adding the cold foam to make sure it was right. Iot an Americano black which was also great. The decorations inside matched the vibes perfectly.

OAKIE DOKE SMASH "GIVE ME A QUAD
Samuel F.

The food is outstanding always on point nuggets or any type of chicken is always crispy and the meat is always white and juicy As for the burgers, the smash is always amazing and you can add an egg to any burger Stop by from 7 AM to 1 PM for special drinks

Inside
Jonas A.

4.75 stars If you're looking for a salad, you've come to the wrong place. Smokin' Jay's is a haven for comfort food lovers. I had the Cow-Tipper burrito, a hearty combination of burnt ends, mac & cheese, and fries. Each element was flavorful. My wife opted for the pulled pork fries, a unique twist on a classic. The sweet BBQ sauce complemented the savory pulled pork, and the melted gouda cheese added a luxurious touch. Our daughter enjoyed the crispy, flavorful nuggets paired with an ultra-lemony pepper sauce. It was clear these weren't your average frozen nuggets. While the surf-punk decor is visually appealing, the open door let in some unwanted noise. We'll definitely try the back patio seating next time for a more peaceful dining experience. The menu is full of intriguing options, and we can't wait to return to explore more of Smokin' Jay's delicious offerings.

Dakota D.

I've been a fan of Smokin' Jays since the early days--back when they were doing pop-ups and backyard to-go orders during COVID. The quality of their food has always been top-notch: consistently delicious and always leaving me craving more. The hot chicken sandwich is my go-to, but it's never an easy choice with so many great options like the smash burger, chile relleno burger, and honestly, anything with that comeback sauce--it's all insanely good. I really appreciate how the menu keeps evolving. The rotating items keep things fresh and exciting, even if I end up sticking with my usual because I can't resist! Watching them grow through challenging times and still deliver on flavor, timing, and customer service has been nothing short of impressive. The new location on Wooley is so well-deserved. Can't wait to visit again soon!

Loaded fries and brisket.

Best BBQ around and extremely wonderful staff. I grew up traveling a lot and have to say, smokin jays is one of the best bbq joints I've been too. It's so good I pick this as my b-day dinner each year.

Kyle W.

Great food and fun atmosphere! Spicy chicken sandwich was fantastic and the smash burger was perfect for the kids! Dole whip as a finisher!

Tritip
C P.

Great tasting bbq. Got the tri tip, brisket, burndt ends, macaroni salad, link. Everything was delicious. Wait was a little long, but worth it.

2 meat plate $26 I think
Judy T.

Really pricey for a fairly small amount of food. I was surprised, and I am used to paying high prices for BBQ. I think if you order 1 meat or a sandwich maybe a better deal. I found the brisket to be quite dry and not super flavorful. I did like the chicken thigh, but that's a much easier thing to get right. I like the vibe and might go back if in the area to try something else. The service was fine. The sides were pretty good. Mac salad was very tasty.

Chicken strips
Melissa L.

Had heard a lot of good things about Smokin Jays and it definitely lived up to the hype for me. This spot is about 4.5 stars overall as the service was wonderful and the food pretty dang good! I'm rounding up as I always do just note not everything was perfect but pretty darn close. Smokin Jays is located in Oxnard off Wooley and is kind of hidden on this busy street. The parking lot gets pretty busy and I couldn't see the signage clearly come up from the south but thankfully Yelp directions steered me into the parking lot before I could even see the business. This spot gets slammed and on a Friday for lunch it was pretty busy. The vibes in here are great! I love their style and the overall ambiance of the restaurant. They put a lot of thought into their menu with big signs it makes it easy to see the menu from far away. I also like their creativity and thoughtfulness. Since this spot has long lines and you order at the counter, I love that they came up with the idea to put their menu on the bar area so as you are walking up the line closer and closer to the register, you can easily read the menu and boy is it a huge menu. This was smart of them as it keeps the line moving faster to order since you can read the menu beside you as you walk. I also appreciate that you can see the cooks and line staff plating. Always makes me feel good when they trust having an open kitchen concept that customers can see. Staff and service here are 5 stars and a huge reason I'll be back again. Two gals were working the registers and they were super on top of it and had a great flow and system going. Like I said this spot gets busy but they keep the line moving and were quick on the registers. They had smiles on their faces though and made you feel welcomed. I like that they take your name down which makes it so much easier as offers get called. Despite a long line and a lot of orders I was in and out of there in under 15 minutes got takeout, pretty good. Prices are average. Bbq is expensive so I don't expect a deal and I will say I didn't think the prices were too bad. Maybe depends what you get. A large slush, chicken strips, and a bbq plate came to about $40. Portions were pretty big on the drink and chicken strips, meat plate could have used an extra cut or two of protein but still a good sized plate. The slushes are a must get here, especially in the summer. The ice cold fruity drinks definitely cut the heaviness of the bbq and is such a great idea. I saw almost everyone getting one. They are popular. I got the watermelon OG and that was a winner! Watermelon slush with pineapple dole whip added, omg, I was in heaven. 5/5 all day long. Chicken strips were also fabulous. I wasn't sure if I could handle their spicy rubs or anything along those lines so I went with a mild classic chicken strip with their house sauce. The chicken was white meat and super flavorful. Great crunch on the batter. If you are a chicken strip lover definitely get these. Another 5/5. The bbq plate is where I had some hits and misses. I opted for the brisket bbq plate which comes brisket, garlic butter toast, bbq beans, and Mac salad. The winners on this plate were the brisket and toast. OMG the brisket was melt in your mouth and perfectly fatty and juicy. Now this is the kind of bbq brisket I've been looking for in the 805! The butter toast was just a classic and super tasty. The additions that were meh to me were the Mac salad and bbq sauce. I didn't feel like beans so opted for double Mac salad and was bummed out as I didn't love it. It's not really Hawaiian Mac salad, more like a bbq Mac salad with olives and such. It was middle of the road. The bbq sauce unfortunately also wasn't my favorite, not thick enough for me and overly peppery. Thankfully like I said the brisket had such good flavor I didn't need it. This spot is pretty cool and definitely a crowd pleaser. It gets busy so plan to come early or at off hours, otherwise good luck finding a seat. Takeout will become your best friend here. The staff are great, super friendly and on top of it. Food was overall really good and one of the better bbq fun spots I've tried in the 805.

Brisket Meal
Victoria V.

I got the brisket meal, and my friend got the lobster pasta. The bread is buttery with soft texture. They have canned sodas available. I wanted a diet coke, but I did not see it displayed on the counter, so I thought it was not available. Then when I walked out, I saw someone with a diet coke can lol. I should have asked but just to a heads up to anyone that does not see their drink displayed. Nonetheless, the food was great and there's a reason I saw a lot of people coming here for lunch. My brisket was ready in less than 5 minutes. There was about five people working the kitchen which is why the food was prepared well and fast.

Chicken tenders with fries

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4 months ago

Small area to eat at when it's busy but I always get the Gouda smashburger! And there fries are good

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2 months ago

Great BBQ and excellent service. One of a few BBQ establishments in Ventura county that I would recommend.

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Ask the Community - Smokin Jays

Do they deliver or are any food deliveries?

Delivery by @delivery_805 on Instagram, DM for order!

What are the Business Hours?

Usually 10:30am-8pm, last online orders 7:30pm. Sometimes they close earlier or sell out!

Do they take credit cards?

Yes they do

Is beer and/or wine sold?

No alcohol is sold

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Smokin Jays - bbq - Updated May 2026

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