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    Smokin J's BBQ

    4.4 (1k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Smokin J's BBQ Takeout or Delivery

    Services - Smokin J's BBQ

    Allergy-friendly catering

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    Recommended Reviews - Smokin J's BBQ

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    Ari R.

    This is beginning to be a habit! Smokin J's is located in the Old Poway Village Shopping Center. A beautiful and historic part of Poway. It's the exact type of place I look for when I travel. Fortunately for me (but not my waist line) it's close, convenient, and open seven days a week! They have an extensive menu of delicious barbecue items that will satisfy everyone in your party. My go to is the pork belly taco. Although it's not prepared consistently (sometimes the pork is one large piece and other times it's chopped). I prefer it whole, but it's always tasty either way. I also like the brisket sandwich. My new favorite sides are the crack beans and cornbread (perfect texture and density). They don't have beef ribs on the menu but I was told they sell it once in a while. Bonus: gift cards are sold at Poway Costco.

    Pork belly sandwich baked beans n mac n cheese
    Landon B.

    Pretty sweet bbq place outside seating with a good view of the historic poway train yard. I had the pork belly sandwich which was really good. They were out of corn bread to i went with the baked beans they were okay. Beans with celery kinda leaves a funny after taste. Bbq sauce was okay spicy could be more spicy but its poway soo ya know. Over all pretty good.

    1lb of brisket $40
    Maria C.

    Our group of about 30 came on a Sunday afternoon. Seating is very limited so keep that in mind if you come with a big party. They don't take reservations and it is open and outdoor seating (no indoor seating is available). Lots of free parking available in the lot or street parking. It's the type of place where you order at the counter and the staff brings out your order. There could be a long line depending on the day/time you go. I opted to order the 3x3 which ample enough for 2 people to share! I shared my entree with my daughter. Since we aren't fans of beans and cole slaw, I requested an upgrade to the Mac n Cheese and they were able to accommodate. My meal came with brisket, pulled pork, chicken leg and thigh, cornbread, and mac n cheese. The flavor was real smokey and the bbq had a nice flavor - not spicy and not sweet. Surprised that everything was delicious! The brisket is my favorite and in fact I ordered 1lbs of brisket as takeout. I paid about $80 which isn't cheap but a solid spot as an option to eat out in the area.

    Buffalo wings
    Joshue T.

    Bbq was amazing always is Can't complain. One on my To-go places. Cant go wrong the wings are a bit different from last time but still good. The Mac n cheese is the reason why I drive all the way up to Poway. And the. Tri tip is always good

    Jay C.

    This is a small jewel in a old neighborhood in Poway. People working in the restaurant are friendly with family like vibe. They are one of few places that offers dry rub BBQ around here. The BBQ is good. I guess was not how I wanted to be but, there was many customers taking togo so, I guess is popular here.

    Breakfast brisket burrito
    Nancy H.

    We heard their breakfast menu returned to the Poway location so we just had to come back to see if it was as delicious as we remembered! But I have gotten accustomed to their regular burritos at this point, so which burrito would I choose? Well, we came at 11AM and both the brunch as well as the lunch menu were available, so we ordered from both menus! We ordered the breakfast brisket burrito ($18), Cali J-rito ($19.25), and cajun fries ($6.50). - Breakfast brisket burrito: I did not take a picture of the brunch menu (to provide you the specific ingredients), but there was a hefty portion of brisket and a runny egg inside. It was just as delicious as I remembered. - Cali J-rito: If you can't make up your mind regarding whether you want pork belly or brisket, don't worry about it. There is a giant helping of both stuffed into this burrito. - Cajun fries: I always order these because the seasoning is out of this world, but I never understand why the fries are not crispy? I generally take them home as leftovers to reheat and crisp up in my air fryer. ONE DAY, I will try the other items that I am desperately wanting to try (brisket hash, melted bird, boneless rib sandwich, brisket chimi fries), but when I show up I automatically crave the burritos. The main drawback from the whole dining experience is the only option for outdoor dining. WHY is it so hot yet the outdoor fans are not turned on? I was sweating from the spicy BBQ sauce (TOO spicy. I much prefer their regular BBQ sauce and homemade ketchup) and the oppressive heat. Also SO MANY FLIES. I don't know if they grow them bigger in North County, but the flies were huge, had no fear, and kept trying to crawl into my paper bag of fries. I don't think I can come back this summer for dine-in, only take-out. The bathroom is for the entire shopping center (doesn't belong to Smokin J's). There is only a hand dryer so for those of you who do not like touching the door knob with your bare hands after you've just washed them, I would recommend bringing a paper towel with you.

    TV dinner dark meat chicken
    Ashley A.

    This place is always great. Brought my coworkers, and they are already planning our next trip. I got my usual TV dinner of dark meat chicken, slaw, and mac. The spicy BBQ is the best. My coworkers tried the tacos, which were highly recommended for next time, and the burrito, which my coworker said was good. When we left, we saw a table get an order of cheesy fries with meat on top, and the portion was large. We are definitely planning to try that next time we come.

    TV Dinner with brisket, beans, & cornbread
    Edwin C.

    Overall Food: 3.0 but BRISKET = 5.0 Customer service: 2.0 My brother recommended this place for their brisket. So he had my wife at "brisket", LOL And off we went to Smokin' J's BBQ We ended up parking behind the restaurant; be aware that there is no seating inside and only outdoor tables and chairs. Not a deal breaker for us since we are visiting & staying at a hotel. It was a slow Friday night (maybe due to the rain); so the girls at the counter were more worried about their conversation than us. I didn't really care but a nice acknowledgment would have been appreciated. And I asked one of the three young girls for recommendations and she couldn't provide one since she apparently doesn't eat the food, but state "we're famous for our brisket"...hmmmm? So I just chuckled and grabbed their menu then ordered: TV Dinner with brisket , beans & cornbread & another TV Dinner with pull pork, Mac & cornbread. We waited/stood (not waiting outside in the rain) for our food; 10-15 minutes later and we're heading back to the hotel in RB. Uncovering our dinners was literally food in compartments like an "old school" TV Dinner Now to the food: wife get to her food first (while I'm getting the dog's dinner ready) and she eating like a champ then gets full really fast and leaves half of her brisket portion for me. I'm thinking to myself the brisket is no good or she's just full from the beans and cornbread. So it's my turn: pulled pork was weird when some parts were dry and some parts moist but taste was okay; then I added some of their bbq sauce and it made it better to eat, but IMO bbq pulled pork (or any bbq) shouldn't need sauce if done right. Cornbread was more of a dense cake and on the dry side and their Mac was dry as well and not cheesy, so more like baked shell pasta with cheese with a hint of jalapeño. But the entire SAVING GRACE IS THE BRISKET!!! Now take it by the time I got to the brisket it had been sitting for about 20++ minutes but when I took a bite, it was still moist and tender and everything brisket should be: seasoned, smokey...and now I want more just texting this review!!!! So when we're back in San Diego, we'll be back to maybe try the other meats but definitely ordering THE BRISKET!!!

    Tina C.

    Hands down the best bbq and customer service! Professional, friendly, and patient with answering all our questions. Plenty of outdoor seating. You can purchase the seasoninga and sauces. My favorite was the Cali-J-rito, it was so delicious, on the larger side, and I could not stop eating it even tho I was super full. I loved the slaw, it was vinegar based more than the mayonnaise type. Everything was fresh and flavorful.

    Wooo!
    Leland S.

    Had a freebie for one of their bread pudding. So here I am and here was my experience. AMBIANCE: Parking: Street parking and plaza parking. I didn't have any issues. Seating: All outside seating but a semi-patio setup. There's room for maybe 30 people, 10 groups. Vibes: Welcome to Poway! It has a nice small-town feel to things. This area in particular gives a Western feel to things from the buildings to the history. The spot itself is nice. I enjoyed being welcomed by the smokey bbq scent and the pop music. Great for a food adventure or if you're trying to cater for a sizable event. FOOD: 3x3 (Recommend) For those decisive people (like me) this is a good choice. Three mains (brisket, pulled pork, and chicken) and three sides (mac & cheese, coleslaw & pickles, and beans). I enjoyed everything about. The meats were cooked, smokey, and seasoned (don't forget to get some bbq sauce). The mac cheese is gooey and the beans are smokey sweet. Bread Pudding (Recommend) A generous slab of bread and sweets. Best served fresh to enjoy the soft, crunch, and warm sweet caramel. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Awesome! Friendly people that are knowledgeable with the menu and quick with service. TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars. Good selections, delicious food, and pleasant vibes. Philz may be the most popular bbq spot in San Diego but this spot gives a good run for its money. If I'm in Poway, I'd certainly consider coming back here. All the best to Jeremy/Josh and the rest of the Smokin J's BBQ team! TIPS: * Check out their website for the weekend menu!

    May 2025 menu
    Huyen N.

    Outdoor seating. Order inside and wait for your order to be delivered at the table. They were quite busy during lunch but our order arrived at the table quickly. Out of everything we ordered, the brisket was the most liked item. It was nice and tender, with the perfect amount of fat. Least liked item would be the pork ribs, which were too dry and salty. The burnt ends were a little sweet for our liking but their side BBQ sauce was good. The brisket chili was actually good, too. I bet it would taste better on a hot dog. Overall, food was ok. It's not worth the price, though.

    Bertha B.

    It was worth the drive we live in Fallbrook and was looking for good Bbq found this spot. We were hesitant on going but just decided too and we are happy we did! It is such a cute restraint with outdoor seating. Lots of options the cashier whom helped us was so knowledgeable and helpful with the menu knowing we were newbies. He was so professional and recommended great options. The pull pork and brisket were 10/10!! We will definitely be back

    3 x 3

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    2 years ago

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    Jeremy G.

    Thanks Amanda, that was an amazing review!

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    4 months ago

    This place is on the pricy side, but worth it. Excellent pulled pork and tender brisket. Above all order the Burnt Ends-they run out early.

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    3 months ago

    Excellent choice for food and service. Old Poway is lucky to have this yummy pulled pork in their hood.

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    6 months ago

    Great food and good service. Easy to order catering for an event too. Its located in old poway which is a great area to walk around.

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    Page 2 of 26

    Smokin J's BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Smokin J's BBQ

    Are the ribs pork or beef?

    Pork ribs ( not baby back )

    Is potato salad NOT gluten-free? It doesn't have the GF markings on the menu.

    The potato salad is gluten free

    Can I substitute a different meat for the whole chicken in the family platter? I am allergic to chicken.

    You can substitute a rack of ribs for the chicken or extra pulled pork or brisket

    Do they have Shiner Bock?

    YES!!

    Is smokn j's Pet friendly?

    It's mostly all outdoor dining. We brought our dog.

    Any vegetarian options?

    Salads, succotash, potato salad, quesadillas (not on the menu, but just ask and they will make it), and a bunch of sides.

    Why is your phone number not working?

    We do not have call waiting. If we are on the phone with another customer please wait a few minutes and then try back.

    Do they serve beer? Shiner bock?

    They serve beer but I don't think they still have the shiner bock anymore.

    Is there gluten/dairy/soy free options?

    Aside from the obvious items (buns, Mac n cheese, pecan pie), everything is gluten and dairy free. The only thing we have that has trace amounts of soy is our bbq sauce.

    View All 10 Questions

    Review Highlights - Smokin J's BBQ

    The Smokin J sandwich has brisket, pork belly and coleslaw and is one of the best barbecue sandwiches ever.

    Mentioned in 48 reviews

    Read more highlights

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