My son and I had the ribeye and New York steaks. They were delicious! Tender and cooked correctly. Great service and great location.

Staff was very friendly and helpful, even when they went from empty to full in less than 5 minutes. Liked view of the water and the gift shop had a bunch of fun items. The food was a underwhelming. The beans tasted more like 15 bean soup, not spicy or BBQ. Good, but wish I had gone with a different side. The burger was cooked just right, but the beef and sauce flavors were drowned out by the onion ring. I'll give it another try, it's been highly recommended to me by locals, so maybe it was an off day for me or them. read more

The Smoking Mule - SD craft beer - American Near Me - Chamberlain, South Dakota

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Stopped in for dinner while passing through SD, the views are lovely and the service was great, though the food took quite a while and was ultimately a mixed bag. The highlights were definitely the sides: the pickle fries with ranch were fantastic, and the regular fries were delicious, too. Don't forget to try the Sturgis Doc beer - YUM! However, the rest of the meal fell flat. The burger was dry and unremarkable, the pulled pork and onion rings were just okay, and the kickin' beans tasted like standard Bush's beans doctored up with corn and extra beans. Overall, it makes for a decent pit stop to break up a drive and enjoy the atmosphere, but the main dishes were fairly average. read more

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We just stopped for lunch on our way passing through to Badlands. Maybe we caught them on a bad day. But, the shrimp appetizer, smoked 1/2 chicken and onion rings were so so. Service was good. But, we were not impressed with the food. Matbe it was our combo. I don't know. read more

The smoking mule is my all time favorite place to eat in Chamberlain. The staff are always friendly, the food is exceptional, and the atmosphere is great. Erica and Dayre are doing great things! read more

The Smoking Mule - Chicken Bacon Ranch Flat Bread - American Near Me - Chamberlain, South Dakota

One of the BEST (if not the best) meal on our vacation. We sat on the bar side. It's such a fun place and the waitstaff was wonderful. I had the lobster po-boy. I don't think I'll ever have as good of a po-boy as that one. The place also has TCH drinks! Yay for this non-alcohol drinker. It's right on the lake so I'm sure it's a popular place with the boaters. read more

The Smoking Mule - 12oz Ribeye with mushrooms and beans. - American Near Me - Chamberlain, South Dakota

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The place is casual and great service. We had a table view of the marina and river the food was good not amazing. The prices were reasonable. The brisket sandwich was good the. Kick ass beans were amazing but my husband didn't like the boneless wings chicken he didn't care for the breading and the sauce. We both loved the side of beans read more

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The restaurant is by a marina on the Missouri River. The place is nicely decorated. It was a bit cold in the dining area and I'm RARELY cold! We shared the fried pickle fries. They were very good with a strong pickle taste. My husband ordered the BBQ Brisket Melt and garlic cheese curds for the side. I had the Lobster & Shrimp Po Boy with fries. The Brisket Melt was amazing. The brisket was tender and flavorful. The cheese curds were also very good! But, it helps if you love garlic. The Po Boy was good but very rich. The aioli was actually a little too much. The Horny Mule and local brown beer were both very good! I won't order the PoBoy again, but wouldn't hesitate to eat here again. Our server was very friendly and helpful. The kitchen was a little slow. But it was a Wednesday evening with two large tables. We felt the prices were very reasonable. read more

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While the patio is closed, we were able to bring our dog into the bar. Simba is a giant breed and they welcomed him. The bar was crowded at 3pm, space was a premium but there was enough space for a giant dog. We ordered the Smoking Mule Deluxe pizza, it came piping hot and the base was cripsy, ingredients on the pizza was generous. We also had an order of boneless hot chicken. Both were tasty. Definitely a must visit again. read more

The Smoking Mule - American Near Me - Chamberlain, South Dakota

Ribeye steak was delicious, staff was friendly and price was reasonable. Dinning was clean and atmosphere was welcoming. Will definitely recommend. read more

Family of 6 here on a cross country roadtrip. I've been craving bbq brisket and saw the reviews and location of this place and decided to stop. Didn't take long to regret it. As soon as the waitress got to the table she informed us she was out of brisket and sweet potatoe tots/ fries. On a weekend at 2pm? This is suppose to be a bbq place? When my husband asked about the kettle chips she said they ran out of them yesterday and didn't know if they had any today. I order and a pulled pork sandwich which was the worse I've ever had. My husband said the lobster po boy was good and we enjoyed the ragoons. We are from the south and it was nice to find a place with good southern style sweet tea but that was the best part of restaurant. Could barely eat without being harassed with a flys. My husband asked about their special cream cheese and the waitress acted like he was crazy then proceeded to go to the kitchen and laugh about him asking about it. I think you should use your inside voice if you're gonna laugh/ talk about them about your customers. I confronted her about it being on their website but with the overall experience I wouldn't recommend tourist stopping. When leaving we asked for a to go tea just to learn they were out of sweet tea, how convient. I asked if the manager was available just to be told I could find him outside (I guess I should go outside and ask everyone who runs this place?) instead of getting him for me. I like trying to support local businesses but when you have experiences like these it makes you want to eat at well established places bc you know what to expect and how you will be treated. read more

Always consistent which is nice for those that travel across state 3-4 times a year. Today we tried the Walleye POboy and it was great. Thanks again for your good food! read more

We were driving across South Dakota and got to Chamberlain around lunchtime. We had no idea where to go but stumbled across The Smoking Mule. The waitress (Jennifer) could not have been friendlier and gave great advice on what to order. We split the lobster & shrimp po boy and it was so good -- huge chunks of lobster. We also ordered a side of the beans and they were incredibly tasty. Definitely a great place to grab a meal. read more

Nice restaurant right next to the mighty Mo River. There is a large indoor restaurant with some outdoor seating, and a separate bar area. Service was very quick, attentive, and super friendly. As the name implies, barbecue is the main attraction here along with other typical bar fare. We started with fried pickles which was a first for me and honestly they were pretty addicting. I never ate pickles growing up though had I had these that might have been a different story. For the mains, my spouse orders the 1/2 rack of spare ribs with onion rings. This comes with a cornbread biscuit that he left for me - a little on the dry side if I'm splitting hairs. The ribs were great and portion is quite bountiful. I had to help him finish it. Meanwhile, I ordered the Cowboy Chips with pulled pork. This would be the perfect drunk food - and probably is! Homemade potato chips topped with all the fixings like onions, shredded cheese, pulled pork, and sweet BBQ sauce. Personally I found the sauce a bit overwhelming and wasn't able to eat more than half the dish. It's a very heavy appetizer so probably best shared with several others. Overall we had a good experience and enjoyed the food, and recommend to others. read more

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You can take your dog inside!!!!!!!!!! I found this place on Bring Fido while driving from Washington State to Georgia State. The only other place I know of where I could do this was a stones throw from where I worked in the Idaho Panhandle on the Washington border. I ate a friggin' amazing lobster and crab po'boy. They have great local beers! This was a nice "little" place by a boat slip. Full of friendly locals.... Felt like I was back on the Pend Oreille River back home. read more

Sat at the bar. Enjoyed some South Dakota brew on tap. I had the brisket sandwich with their AMAZING beans. Husband had the Walleye Po Boy. Both were delicious! read more

For everything that's holy do yourself a huge favor if you're ever in Chamberlain, South Dakota, never and I may never go to the smoke and mule other than the fact they act like they've never seen Black people before and considering this town has 52 Black people in it. My family made up three of those Black people when we got here. Somehow they will treat you like they've never seen an African-American before and that they don't want to serve one and it makes me sick to my stomach knowing people can still act like this and hold me accountable for not liking poor service! I brought my daughters here because it was well recommended as far as our Midwestern tour and to say I was thoroughly disappointed in both service and treatment of my daughters and I is an understatement. instead of the waitress asking me if I would like to speak with a manager or what I may be needed to have conversation for search for service she insisted on just giving me 50% off of my plate and all I ate was two rib bones and about 10 onion rings. Rather than try to deal with the issue she just asked if I'd like a box for my food. Mind you, it took nearly an hour to get our food on a slow night, based on the number of patrons present. At that moment we came to the cashier and she look like she couldn't wait for my family and I to get out. If you want to show me the this country has come as far as it has with respect treatment of minorities, this Store/Restaurant is a poor example of that. I'll never subject my children to this restaurant if I'm ever in this neck of woods again! read more

Are here two nights in a row, food was good and service was excellent despite being packed both nights. Sign on the door warns about wait times for food so if you are in a rush, consider going somewhere else. Respectable beer menu, chislic and garlic cheese curds were great to start with. The smash burger is not a real smash burger, just two patties. It was good and I would order again, but not anywhere close to a smashed burger patty. The brisket is not great but having had some of the best brisket in Texas I have high expectations. Pulled pork grilled cheese was good and the smoked chicken salad looked delicious. Will be back next time I'm in Chamberlain! read more

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The Reuben, cheeseburger, brisket burger, bbq half chicken, sweet potato tater tots and those beans were all delish! View was good of end of lake. The downside was the flies - would go back! read more

Had a great lunch here. June 2025. There were 9 of us for lunch and enough choices for all. Our dog was allowed in, no problem. Great view of the Missouri River out the window. Busy place but great service. Would definitely eat here again. read more

We were headed from Mt. Rushmore to a hotel in Sioux Falls. We decided to stop in Chamberlain for an early dinner. We sat in the bar with our dog and enjoyed the walleye platter special and a hamburger. They had very nice service and it was a good family atmosphere. We also appreciated that they allowed our dog in the bar. It's a great locals restaurant. read more

Awesome riverside eating place. Lots of locals and fishermen. It has good burgers, a nice wait staff, and an overall fun vibe. Highly recommend. read more

Had really good pulled pork sandwiches and sweet potato tots. Also enjoyed the strawberry rhubarb pie. Our table had a nice water view and we saw fish jumping, swimming birds, etc. read more

1- super nice folks 2- awesome food 3- great atmosphere 4- not just dog friendly, dog welcoming! read more

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Food: I got the brisket burger and the beans. Burger was cooked perfectly and the jalepenos made the burger very delicious. So, while the burger was good... I gotta say, I'd come back just for the beans! Wow! They must stick crack in those because I wanted to just keep eating! Plus there were Lima beans in it, so I thought that made it a health food! Ha! Can you please sell me the recipe...? Atmosphere: It's a bar inside, hard wooden stalls that were a little uncomfortable, but overall not a big deal. I think it would be cool to spruce up the inside a little and maybe keep it a little warmer in the winter... Price: 20$ for a good burger and drink, pretty standard. Nothing on the menu was really expensive, it was all pretty middle of the road and the portions were good for the price. Service: Even though they were getting ready to close, they did not shoo us away. We took our time and thanked them by tipping nicely. Our servers were all very nice and greeted us with a smile, even though I am from "out of town" (which I read other reviews and they said they were not friendly to out of towners). Overall: I can see why this place is a local favorite. If all of the good is as good as the burger and the beans, then I gotta try more items on the menu. Keep it up! read more

The Smoking Mule - Brisket Burger and beans. - American Near Me - Chamberlain, South Dakota

Amazing food and service! Couldn't believe the generous portions. We've been traveling all around the U. S. including the south, and this is the best BBQ we've found. We had burnt ends and ribs with cole slaw, beans, and cornbread biscuits. So yummy! Get off the interstate and try the Smoking Mule! You won't be disappointed! read more

The Smoking Mule - Burnt ends, cole slaw, beans, and a cornbread biscuit! - American Near Me - Chamberlain, South Dakota

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Good food, good people, very nice location nice atmosphere and the waitress was very friendly

Awesome barbecue... wished I would have taken a photo... I had grilled cheese with brisket, potato salad "best ever" and the kick ass beans " so good", my hubby had the pulled pork sandwich... food was so good & freshly made. Would highly recommend this restaurant!! Great scenery of marina too! read more

Excellent food and service! Our group had the brisket sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, wings and the. Lobster/shrimp po'boy sandwich. All were delicious!!! Wish they had the same menu outside as we would have stayed longer and had more cocktails. Pet friendly which was nice, another reason we would have liked the full menu outside. Would recommend! read more

To be honest, you don't really have a choice if you are going out to eat in Chamberlain. HOWEVER, the staff is excellent! (Maybe a little rough around the edges, but this really is a podunk honkytonk minus the county music.) Get there at about 5pm to get a window seat and watch the fishing boats unload their catch. Oh wow the smoked ribs were devoured by my wife and I had a perfectly cooked ribeye. You MUST ORDER THE SIDE OF BAKED BEANS! The side of fries were perfect also. The side salad was meh. Great service in a low pressure, casual atmosphere. This place was far above any expectations! Highly recommend. I a teetering between 4 and five stars. I would say 4.5 read more

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This is the best food in town, if you don't want fast-food. They were out of the ribs, which everyone in town says are fantastic. I picked the brisket sandwich, which was not fantastic. I think the pulled pork or the burger might have been better choices and earned them a higher rating. I chatted with some local people after dinner in the bar. I should have done this before hand. Consider this a cautionary review. The server was fast and friendly. The side of coleslaw was perfectly good slaw. The selection of beers/IPAs on tap is also perfectly reasonable - a nice selection, not huge but nice diversity. The view is lovely. I will also mention, while they have "a bar," it is really more of a beer place. While martinis are a little out of range, the beer is cold and they can do a solid bourbon on the rocks (or a rum and coke kind of thing). And they have free popcorn! I would come here again and just anticipate some BBQ pork substance (or a burger) and an ice cold beer in a bottle. I think that would be lovely. read more

Great Food. Great local brews. I recommend Buffalo Snot (don't be put off by the name it's snot bad!) we enjoyed lunch there I had the 1/2 Smoky Chicken and Kick Ass Beans. Friendly staff with a patio view of the Missouri River. read more

One thing that attracted me to go was the smoked Mac and cheese, witch they no longer have! Disappointing but the totally awesome. Beans were totally awesome. The ribs had a good smoke on them, but dry fall off the bone. I would go back and try the lobster shrimp po-boy. read more

My husband and I are on a road-trip and stopped in Chamberlain for the night on the way through the area. We chose The Smoking Mule because it had outdoor seating and allowed dogs. When we arrived, it was clearly a really popular place. We sat right away and ordered from the bar. We ordered 1 lb. of the spicy shrimp and the half rack of ribs. Think shrimp scampi and fall of the bone smoked ribs. It was truly the BEST country surf and turf I could have ever imagined. Everything was fresh, hot, and they clearly took a lot of care and pride in their product. 10/10 recommend read more

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The food here is excellent, I enjoyed the Mule Burger, which is hamburger, brisket, Gouda cheese, grilled onions on a bun with a side of crispy onion rings. My husband had the half rack of ribs, the beef ribs were good and the serving was ample, he liked the homemade coleslaw. The star of this place is the food. They were very busy, service was a little slow, but there were no empty tables. read more

Best place to stop and see a view of the water over the marina! Big restaurant with tables not on top of each other. Lots of parking too. Amy was a great waitress and helped us decide what to order because everything looked good. Half chicken was so tender and juicy! Brisket sandwich was lean and the sweet potato fries and regular fries were hot and delicious. We would definitely stop there next time we are in town. read more

Incredible comfort food. The place has a separate bar, a dining area and a patio. Very friendly staff, nice view on the marina. Highly recommend for both, food, and a quick cool drink. read more

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Service was good and fast. The food was terrible. Brisket burger was soggy with a thin, dense patty that tasted like a frozen patty from the grocery store. Bun was stale and dry. My lady's 1/2 chicken had some decent smoky flavor but was very dry. Very disappointing overall. read more

Though I was overwhelmed when first arriving because they only had two open table in the entire place and it was loud (I'm on the spectrum so loud can be triggering and very overwheling). I would understand quickly why they had almost not a dry seat in the house. Every staff that walked by would apologize and tell us they would be with us quickly. As we could tell they were packed and have been traveling the country we were in absolutely no rush. HANDS DOWN BEST FOOD I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! My husband and and tried diffrent things and we shared so we could each try it all and nothing I mean NOTHING was bad. we found yourselfs very full but some how craving more. I also love that you can bring your dogs as well and they have water dishes for the 4 legged family members you decide to bring. read more

Had a pulled pork cheese sandwich and the Kick Ass baked beans. The sandwich was great but the beans...easily the best baked bean dish I've ever had! Multiple bean varieties, some red pepper and corn to add color, sauce had great flavor. That side dish would be worth the visit in and of itself! Staff was pleasant and my waitress, Adri, was so attentive and spot on. Nothing fancy about the place but I'd eagerly try it all again! read more