The place was empty on a holiday. We were excited because all the other BBQ places were packed or sold out. Not going to lie, the food was terrible. The brisket we ordered was thin, dry, and not even a pound, even though we paid for it. The burnt ends were also terrible, chewy, and dry. The food was so salty that we found big chunks of salt in it. The baked beans were okay. I think the best part of our meal was the fries. I do really appreciate the service. The server was very accommodating and kind. read more

Dang delicious!!! I've had a tin of BBQ across the states, and this is in the top 5. Brisket fell apart and had a great seasoning. You can always tell a great BBQ when you don't need sauce to season or moisten the meat. Pulled pork was excellent, the the corn bread had to be the best I have had anywhere. It tasted like they deepfried it quickly to add an extra crunchy outside and the flavor was on fire! Definitely a must if you visit Omaha read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Brisket, pulled pork, okra, and the best cornbread on the planet! - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

I'll round up the rating to four stars, partially because the people here were superbly nice. Very welcoming and friendly. After a fun day at the zoo, we decided to finally try Smoking Jay's. On this day, we took advantage of a special that was enough to feed two. Three pork ribs, brisket, two sides, toast, and cornbread. First, like every barbecue place, I like to try the sauce first. Good BBQ doesn't need sauce but a good BBQ restaurant should have it. Strange thinking, I know. They have two sauces here. Spicy and regular. Both seemed overwhelmingly full of, I think, molasses. I didn't care for either but favored the spicy (which is hardly spicy). Strangely, the sauce tasted better when paired with the meat. Imagine that! You get two choices for brisket, fatty or lean. We chose lean and it was not great but better than okay. Well seasoned too. Notice the nice smoke ring in my picture! The ribs? They were 100% perfectly, delicious, and NOT fall off the bone (which should never be for legit BBQ - a good rib has a tug). Bravo for great ribs!! The side dish of BBQ beans was pretty good, better than most, but there was something in there that was not to my liking (best guess, bay leaf... yuck). The coleslaw was alright. There was also a nice small side of spicy pickles and onions too. Overall, we will come back when convenient and get those ribs again! Okra is another side dish that we will try next time. Super friendly people here! read more

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The food was amazing, Ribs, Brisket tender n full of flavor. The owner Jay was great, very welcoming and a cool dude. Best bbq I've had in a while! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - I got the loaded Mac and half pound of pork ribs and half pound of brisket. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Absolute fantastic food and service. Small restaurant way exceeds expectations! Brisket, (so tender) sausage hot links (perfectly spicy), fried cornbread (kind of like a fried donut) coleslaw, and some of the best beans I've ever had! So good! We will for sure be back! read more

Nobody should pay this much money to be sad. When they brought out my macaroni I thought they mistakenly had given me baked beans.

worst shit ive ever tasted, the food wasn't fresh at all and tasted like last weeks leftovers. felt like I ate out a dragons asshole read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Shit paste - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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RANCID PETRIFIED RIBS, Potatoe salad Luke warm, over salted greasy burnt ends. Corn bread dripping in old swanky grease. Literally there was only crusty dry rancid old ribs. Smelled when container was opened. read more

If you need a place to stop in for some great BBQ this is the place. The BBQ Brisket was amazing and had great flavor, the same for the BBQ Pork both were really good. The Fried Banana pudding all I can say is wow!!! The staff is very friendly along with the owner. I would highly recommend this BBQ place 100%. I would show the food but it's gone lol. read more

Love to see a humble chef owned BBQ spot where the name on the sign is the man running the joint. Couldn't have been a nicer guy. The BBQ is really good here and it's done right. I got the burnt ends with pickles and onions on the side (didn't realize this is the pro move), coleslaw, fried corn bread with honey, and their spicy bbq sauce. The restaurant has an old school vibe to it, and is a cozy little spot to grub. I'm super glad I decided to stop here for lunch on my road trip. Thanks Jay, keep up the great work you are doing!! read more

The food was amazing, make sure to get the brisket sandwich and some Mac and cheese because it's incredible, service was great, food came fast, in a nice area outside of the city read more

The service was fantastic and the BBQ was amazing! The sausage was incredible, ribs were great, rib tips were exceptional, Mac n cheese delicious, smoked beans were fantastic and the brisket was perfect. The gizzards were a bit chew but the batter was so yummy. The cornbread was on the dry side. I definitely recommend this place, good ol' hole in the wall BBQ. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

When I saw this place I was very excited to check it out. Since I was new to the Omaha and just getting here from Texas. This was the first BBQ restaurant I visited and I must say that I was very disappointed. I like the restaurant decorations and the staff was very friendly. I even had the pleasure of talking to the owner and we had excellent conversation. From the discussion he convinced me to get a sample of most the meats and he had me excited to dive in. I so glad that I did not add the beef rib, because I can't imagine that would have been any better. Once I arrived home and opened my food the visual was absolutely disappionting and things went down hill from there. The meat had pretty decent flavor but it was rather dry (not moist). Everything looked like it was a few days old it really killed my adrenaline. Everything was mixed together and it just looks horrible. I think the owner should have talked to the cooks in the back, so they could have prepared me a plate that matched his hype; because the two were definitely disconnected. I always love to support small business but I can honestly say the I will not try this place again. Everything looked like 3 day old leftovers. I did not even try to finish my food. read more

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Food wasn't that great was expensive for what you got portions were small probably would never go back

Friday night and the end of a busy week. I asked my wife what we wanted to do for dinner. She was considering the options and mentioned having a taste for barbecue pork. My mind thought of more well known chains, and questioned if a local grocery might have something to offer. And I landed on Smoking Jays, which is located just a few minutes from our downtown Omaha residence. I asked her if she wanted to be adventurous and she said yes. We were feeding three adults. She wanted a barbecue pork sandwich. My son wanted ribs, coleslaw and fries. I decided to get chicken, which like the ribs, comes as a meal with two sides. The sandwich gets one side, and she wanted waffle fries. For the purposes of sampling, I decided to get onion rings and potato salad, and let everyone taste whatever they wanted. Our two dinners and sandwich meal costs $76. I was concerned about how much food would be given. We all ended up with leftovers for later and were full. My half chicken was packed with a piece of garlic toast and a square of cornbread, which I thought was a little odd, but I appreciated the cornbread because the garlic toast was very obviously seasoned with garlic salt. The onion rings were also a bit salty. They seem to be homemade and battered, so tasty but with a bit of salt with each bite. I tasted a waffle fry and didn't taste any salt. They were part of my wife's sandwich and she enjoyed her meat and the fries and said they were not salty. The rack of ribs were very tasty and very much "falling off the bone". My son enjoyed the half of the ribs he was able to eat at the first sitting. He had some coleslaw and I had potato salad for sides, both of which were fine. Almost sure they are pre-made items, but they were acceptable. The final comment is about accessibility to the store. You can only get in by making a right turn, from the right hand lane, on 13th, and to exit during the rush hour traffic, I made a right hand turn onto Vinton (you can enter this way, too, but you need to have a blinker on and be very clear about your intentions) and when you get on Vinton, you need to be prepared to turn right again to navigate back to the Old Market area. So if you are downtown and in the mood for barbecue, it is a good option to check out, especially to bring home a lot of tasty food. read more

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On a trip and decided to stop here in my Mother's Hometown and have some bbq . At first the parking lot was bone dry not a soul in sight , but don't let that fool you ! The bbq is great and the owner jay has great service! Thanks again brother! read more

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A group of us went this evening . It was freezing inside . The food was luke warm when brought out and cold by the first bite. The host was kind and did check on us through out the meal. That is a plus. But the food was underwhelming for the price . read more

$50 for a relatively small amount of food. Literally 2 small slices of brisket in our brisket order burn ends were all fatty. Mac-n-cheese looked like it had been made in dirty water and was sour. Brisket was tough. Pulled pork was the only decent item we received. read more

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I tried this restaurant for the second time and the experience was not that great. The first time I tried the loaded mac n cheese and noticed the mac n cheese looked like a dark brown color (which is odd) and was extremely greasy. The second time I decide to give it another try and the color of the Mac n cheese was even darker than before and had a weird after taste to it. The ribs were not made fresh that day. I could tell they were at least a few days old and even tasted like it had been sitting out for a few hours. Highly disappointing. The potato salad was not that good either. You can tell the food is not fresh which is highly disappointing given the fact that we're paying high price for old food. read more

Where do I start?!! Called All Over Omaha for Beef Ribs. NOBODY HAS THEM. Found And Called Smokey Jays. He had them in stock!!!! So we Headed to South "O" Plenty Parking Space, Best in Hospitality soon as you enter the building. Followed by the rich smell of smoked Meats!! Clean Facilities with a Home Vibe. All items available on the menu. We didnt know where to start. So upon questioning the owner to the 3rd degree about his entire menu, which he proudly answered all questions with transparency, we opted with the: Beef Ribs, Smoked Chicken Wings (whole), smoked macaroni n' cheese, fried okra, and some fried cornbread. Currently the #1 BBQ Spot In Omaha and surrounding Areas. IMHO. read more

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I have driven by this place many times and decided to stop in tonight. Had every intention of ordering BBQ but ended up getting half a chicken. Great choice. The chicken was outstanding as was the slaw. My Daughter had the chicken strips, they were okay, and fries, which she said were the best. Service was very friendly and helpful. Had fun looking at all the memorabilia. Will definitely be back to try the BBQ. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Owner/Cook? - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This is your typical small family BBQ joint. The food was good and the service was good. Pricing was fair. It's a bit out of the way if your staying in downtown Omaha but it's worth an Uber ride. If I ever find myself in Omaha again I would eat here. read more

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Stopped here after a day at Lauritzen Gardens. This was our second time eating here, and it was just as good as we remembered. We both had the pulled pork sandwich which comes with a choice of side. Food arrived at our table in less than 10 minutes. The buns were buttered and grilled which added a nice flavor, and the pulled pork was tender and moist with just the right amount of smokiness. We are both picky about finding any fat or gristle in meat, and the pork was completely free of both. The mild sauce was just ok, but the meat was so good it really didn't need much additional flavor. We split our sides of beans and cornbread and we both enjoyed both sides. Super nice owner and staff and friendly atmosphere. I wish Lincoln had a Smoking Jay's! read more

Great service. The brisket is super tender. I could keeping eating the honey cornbread until I hate myself.

Ordered a half rack of pork ribs got 5 of the smallest ribs I've ever seen pot belly pig small 4 ounces of meat total ( and that's being generous) I would give negative stars if I could read more

The good first. The cashier greeted us as we entered and was friendly and knowledgeable. The place had that great BBQ smell as well. The prices were reasonable. A pulled pork sandwich was $10 that included one side dish. A large drink was $2.50. I had the potato salad side dish. It tasted fresh and looked appetizing. The mild BBQ sauce was just that mild with kind of a KC BBQ flavor. The bun was fresh. . The not so good was the pulled pork was dry and looked and tasted like it had been sitting out for awhile. Even with the sauce it was dry and lacked flavor. . Why go to a BBQ place if the BBQ isn't fresh and tasty? Oh well $13 bucks down the drain. I don't recommend Somoking Jay's. read more

Who doesn't love smoking jays... and bbq! Always loved the name of this place and I finally tried it. It definitely has that mom and pop shop type of feel, and those are usually where the good food is! It felt homey and welcoming. I tried the brisket sandwich with a side of jays potatoes. I have zero complaints about the food. Very tasty and satisfying. I only wish the portions were a little bigger. The bbq sauce was good. I got mild and spicy. Not sure if they make their own or where they get it. But I ain't mad at it. Next time I think I'll try the ribs. I saw an order of those go out while I was waiting for my Togo order. And they looked mouthwatering. I enjoyed my experience, I went during the lunch hour so it was fairly busy. Service was pretty quick regardless and they were very friendly. Worth a try! read more

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We pass this place often and today, stopped in for a quick bite to eat to take home. Snagged the brisket nachos, burnt end sandwich and the Gouda cheese with bacon bites. Thankfully their barbecue sauce isn't tomato based, because of the three items picked, the burnt end sandwich was by far the better of the choices. There really isn't any place to see what's "in" or "made with/of" on their menu. So when you ask for brisket nachos, be prepared for waffle fries covered in Bush's Baked Beans, cheese, jalapeños, and literally 3 small pieces of brisket with a whole lot of fat. Definitely not recommend, sadly. The Gouda bites were so-so; one can definitely tell they were one frozen and plopped into a fryer for about 6.3 mins, then served as something bougie. I personally didn't have a bite of the burnt end sandwich, but from the lack of discussion, fairly certain that one was a hit in the park. It comes with 2 sides; or 1 side and 1 drink. If you like Bush's Baked Beans, you'll enjoy their beans. Their mac-n-cheese, I can appreciate the effort with the bread crumbs on top for an extra, special appeal. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Brisket nachos, burnt end sandwich, and Gouda with bacon bites. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Bro. Corn bread dry. Meat dry.. sauce taste like ketchup. Potato salad no seasoning Beans try again. Whoever is on here saying this is good I know you lying!! I'm from Texas standards are high .. but yall ain't even on the board ! Just nasty read more

VERY slow service. You'd think they would have the sides ready to go whilst they kill the cow

Awesome smoked bbq in Omaha near the zoo. Reasonable prices too. I had PP and brisket but I feel I should've also had the smoked chicken. Met Jay too and he is so friendly and welcoming to all his customers. read more

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I ordered my meal for delivery and it arrived faster than expected. When I open the box sitting there looking back at me was a juicy, marbleized, Tinder display of beef brisket along with Jay's fried potatoes, and cornbread. I'm here from Columbus Ohio, and I'm embarrassed to say I thought I knew what beef brisket was. NOW I know what good brisket is! Wow... Keep up the good work, Jay. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Beef brisket dinner - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Amazing food and service!! Jay was working there alone but we still got our food quickly. IT was sooooo good!! Will def be back.

Wow!! This was the best baked beans and cornbread ever!! Of course the BBQ was great and smoky flavored but the sides are just awesome here!! Met Jay and the crew - super nice people who you can tell have pride in their work. Can't say enough about how delish this place was!! Great food, great service!! What more is there? read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Smoked Brisket Sandwich & baked beans - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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This place is all around amazing! The brisket is some of the best that I have ever had, not just in Nebraska but nation wide! Sides were amazing too. I highly recommend trying Jays potato's if you like mouth watering goodness. Service could not have been better and hospitality was out of this world! read more

Bad "BarBQue". Waited 2 years from the last experience and it was horrible food and service. Dry brisket and you have to buy sauce. Unheard of to have to buy BarBQue sauce. Pick another and thank me later read more

The brisket was awesome. We ordered to go and had it for supper. They give you a lot of brisket. This is the second time we've been there and like I said it was awesome. read more

Left the zoo and needed some lunch, fortunately found Smokin' Jays on Google maps. It's in a small building on the street corner. We had the best barbecued brisket we have ever had. My wife had the brisket reuben sand wich which was also delicious. The restaurant was tidy and comfortable and the service was welcoming. If you're ever in Omaha, we recommend it highly. read more

Food was plentiful. Meat was a little tough and not necessarily hot. Mac and cheese looked like it had seen some things, but tasted alright. Fries, okra, cornbread all delicious. Seems like there are plenty of other options for BBQ in town, I wouldn't necessarily plan to stop here again. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Brisket family meal with waffle fries and Mac and cheese - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Prepare to spend lots of dough. It is great, but not cheap. The owners really are motivated.