Hands down the best barbecue in Connecticut! I ordered a three meat plate and was greeted with sliced brisket that had a nice outer bark with a juicy inside, the Carolina ribs which were perfectly smoked and I was able to pull them apart & the smoked sausage that was nice and spicy but not overwhelmingly. The homemade mac and cheese, delicious sweet yams and buttery cornbread were fantastic as well. This spot is a MUST STOP for any barbecue aficionados!!! read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Front of the restaurant. - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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Decent barbecue but more importantly, they don't rip you off. Prices are not too bad. Will definitely be back as long as the prices don't go up. read more

Tried it for the first time and the family loved it. Excellent brisket. Love the spicy sausage.

I ordered BBQ from the pit stop for the first time last week (2/17/24) and I have not stopped thinking about how great the food was. I got a 3 meat platter and baked potato which was more food than I could handle myself. The ribs were fall off the bone, brisket was juicy and flavorful, and the pulled pork was delicious - not to mention the house BBQ sauce (A+). As I waited for my order, I was reading the newspaper clippings and looking at the photos framed all the way around the shop and I could tell this was a family operation that really loved what they did. Kudos to the chef for the amazing food and to the girls up front who were busy packing orders but still keeping pleasant conversation with some of the returning customers. Will be coming back again soon! read more

Discovered this restaurant while visiting in Hartford from Denver, CO. We believe in supporting small businesses and especially soul food/bque local favs when traveling. I don't give out 5 stars often. Being a foodie, I reserve these for the best in food and taste/service/cleanliness/quality and quantity of food for the price. Now, I have added Covid-19 protocols. May I say, someone....again, someone knows what they are doing on the smoker and in the kitchen. Our meats included smoked jerk wings, smoked bque wings, and Carolina ribs (dry rub). Sides were: collard greens, yams, macaroni and cheese. Both came with an amazing piece of yellow, sweet, but not too sweet, cornbread. Portions were appropriate and in line with the price. Wonderful food! Highly recommend! read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Two meat platter (smoked bque wings and Carolina smoked ribs) with yams, cornbread and extra side of collard greens. - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

This is some of the best bbq I have ever had. We were drinking south on 84 and getting hungry. Thomas' Smokey Pit is about 3 miles from 84, and totally worth the detour. We shared a platter of Sliced Brisket, BBQ chicken, cole slaw and Mac and cheese. It was all excellent. In an interview, the owner said the sauce is his own variation of the North Carolina style he grew up with. It's great, and the meat has a wonderful smoky flavor. Mostly a takeout place, there's a counter with Five stools. Great photos on the wall. Definitely returning. read more

We got the three meat platter with an additional side of Mac n cheese here and it was the perfect order for two people. Their bbq is fantastic, my pulled pork was great not dry at all but also not fatty. My husband also loved the chopped brisket, and the sausage. We will definitely be back! read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Pulled pork, chopped brisket, sausage, corn bread, and Mom's Baked Mac and Cheese all fantastic! - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

They could improve service wait time but the food is perfect. The restaurant is so calm and it has many pictures of family.

Some of the best BBQ I've had in CT! Super friendly and helpful staff that took the time and care to help us understand the menu and to meet special requests (I asked for sauce on the side). Really extensive menu and everything we got (brisket Mac and cheese pit bomb, 1/4 lb pulled pork) was tender and flavorful. Hope I can stop by again soon! read more

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What can I say about this place? Food is really good OnPoint amazing delicious and best of all. The customer service is phenomenal. I highly recommend this place. I'm very big on supporting local businesses. And this is one of them. read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Cozy sitting area. - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Yummy! So happy to have tried this during one of my work luncheons. I had the two meats including spicy sausage and chunks of brisket. There was a perfect fat to meat ratio with the brisket! The sides I chose were the collard greens and California slaw. The sides were awesome too. Usually I think collard greens are a little too overly salted in my option but Thomas' we're perfect. I will definitely go back to try more menu items. The pulled pork sandwich with Mac and cheese and slaw are calling my name! read more

Walking into the restaurant you notice right away how clean and organized the restaurant is. It's a fantastic stop if you are driving past Hartford. You can't pick a wrong menu option. I ordered the smoked sausage, and 3 way meat platter with ribs, brisket and jerk chicken. Baked beans were homemade and some Of the most delicious. Complimented the meat options very well. Very impressive with a fine history of excellent food and soul food! read more

I was a little disappointed with this based on the reviews. I loved the flavor itself but the meat was a little dry and the Mac was a little greasy. Maybe it was an off day? My friends swear by this place so I'll be back, but wasn't super excited when I came read more

Food: A Wait time: C Lesson learned: Order ahead. Do not drive by, let your craving for dinner be totally changed by the smell, turn around, walk up order and expect quick food. After standing in that lobby with all the wonderful smells my stomach was growling. read more

The brisket isn't juicy enough for me, I always use to order the brisket. E b everythTing else is lip smocking good.

The brisket itself is terrific and plentiful. But what's up with the over cooked green beans? And the coleslaw is not really coleslaw. It's just cabbage without the mayo. read more

Never going here again. We ordered the 3 Meat Platter that contained ribs, brisket, jerk chicken, cornbread and mac n cheese for dinner and it was by far the worst experience ever. The jerk chicken was burn as the only flavors I tasted was charcoal. The brisket was dry and unflavored. The BBQ sauce helped but only so much sauce can get you somewhere. The ribs were also dry and had no flavor. Mac n cheese was mediocre at best and the cornbread?! I had to take a double take for the smell! How does your cornbread smell like shrimp?? It could've been a bad day for them, but the food that came out of this restaurant was terrible. I really wanted to find a local BBQ spot so that we wouldn't have to go to Bears, but I would gladly choose Bears over this place in a heartbeat. read more

We went a little bit out of our way because we love barbecue. We were not disappointed. The pork barbecue is moist and amazing, the macaroni and cheese is dripping with cheese, the cornbread is perfect and whatever you do, don't leave without a slice of cake, whether you think you can fit it or not, this gorgeous coconut poundcake is making my day. Look forward to the next time I'm driving through Manchester because I will be stopping. read more

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Highly recommend it! Good food good price large portions Staff was friendly service was great Inside of place is nice also I got the vibe and probably because of all the photos it's a when your here your family feeling kind of place ! Give them a try ! read more

Food was pretty good; I think the ribs were a bit dry and wasn't really "fall off the bone" as I would prefer it. But the brisket was delicious and their combo platters were definitely filling read more

Hmmmm another place I wanted to love and had high expectations for considering the amount of good reviews.... I placed an order for various meats on the menu and as many sides as I could. I picked up my order the service was great, people are nice obviously run very efficiently. Now the food: i'll start with the brisket because it is by far one of the most important aspects to any real barbecue pit. The level in which you rate the smokehouse is mainly on the briskets IMO. With that said, the brisket was good but it wasn't properly trimmed which left a large amount of fat per slice. Good smoke ring, a good amount of smoky flavor. But didn't meet the expectations I had. I tried the barbecue sauce barbecue sauce, again nothing that's going to win awards, kind of a basic recipe but it's good to keep it basic which is completely understandable. But the combination of the two was just nothing to write home about. Pulled pork. The pulled pork was actually really good didn't have any smoky flavor which I found odd but it was probably one of the better items on the menu. Same sauce on the side made the sandwich enjoyable. Next was the jerk chicken. I've had many Jerk chicken experiences but this one was lacking all seasoning very very smoky like the chicken literally sat on the wood that was burning. I feel it needed a lot more seasoning and a little less smoky. But that's me Now the sides, I got to say they make a great selection of sides all the taste for the most part really good. But it stops at the cornbread which is very overcooked very very dry. I do believe they have some good talent when it comes to certain items, the sides seem to be their strong point where as the barbecue seems to be hovering around average taste. read more

This is the best grilled cheese ever was amazing pulled pork grilled cheese so good I went back next day for more. Place is SPOTLESS

Never going to bears bbq again. This spot is 100x better in every category!! Meat, sides and especially the service!! I ordered my food and they told me I could go wait in my car and they would bring it out to me. I appreciated that!!Ill be going to this spot weekly good bbq soul food is hard to find. Either they have good meats but horrible sides. Thomas has the whole package!! read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Three meat combo. Ribs, sausage, brisket, chicken, yams, Mac, slaw, greens, potato salad, cornbread. - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Absolutely the best all around local restaurant hands down. Always clean, food quality consistent, friendly service, orders always packed right... there are barely any restaurants in the area with that kind of track record. Most importantly the food is unbelievably good, really the best barbecue I've ever had. If there was anything they could change: Better hours, they close early Different bbq sauce options, the one is really, really sweet Use a real cheese shred on the potato instead of the sauce, because they use high quality everything else Maybe more gluten free options like cornbread or that grilled cheese with gf bread, but most of the food is gluten free All in all, there are no restaurants around here that check as many boxes as this place for what a restaurant SHOULD be. And hands down the bbq is leagues better than the competition. Do yourself a favor and come here. read more

Hartford, CT doesn't have ALLOT of mom 'n pop spots, but it is good when you do stumble one of a few and one that is Black-owned. My sister introduced me to Thomas' on a trip to the city last year. I will say I was pleased. I had the smoked chicken wings with green and slaw. I was in the city last week (Oct. 2021) and ordered the peach cobbler FIRST, with more crust than peaches--yes, order filled! I had the pulled pork, greens, Carolina slaw (to top that pork, y'all), and candied yam. I do wish the sides were a tad bigger; I felt my yams we stuffed into a 1/4 cup container which was the only disappointment. Food is hot, staff is friendly, and the sweets are sweet---coconut pound cake? Yeah, moist too! Eat-eat at this spot! read more

I tried this place a couple of times. I wanted to like it . my family is from the south. The barbecue just was not hitting it for me . I like my ribs falling off the bone. read more

Tried this place out for the first time today and was very pleased with their offerings. Order a pound each of pulled pork and brisket, along with a full rack of ribs, and side orders of collard greens, beans, and cornbread. The pulled pork was moist, relatively lean, and tasty. The order of brisket had slices from both the point and flat cuts; the former is juicier but has more fat, while the latter is leaner and a little more chewy. They both were tender and had a good smokiness. But the ribs were the star of the night -- the outside had a crisp spice rub which gave them a real zing. They were smoked to the point of being tender, not falling-off-the-bone (which I think is too much) and still had a nice chew to them. Collard greens were fresh, leafy, not at all bitter or overcooked, and had a tea-like perfume; beans were nicely seasoned with a molasses sweetness; and the cornbread was chewy and moist with a good crumb. All in all pretty darn satisfying stuff. I've had BBQ all over the country: several places in Texas, the Carolinas, St. Louis, Kansas City, you name it. Thomas' style is more in line with east coast and Carolina type flavors. This isn't the best BBQ I've ever had -- that honor still remains in Austin, TX with places like Rudy's or The Salt Lick -- but I have to say Thomas' is outstanding for east-of-the-river CT. One thing to mention, because I saw another reviewer comment on it: the seasoning rub on the ribs is pretty spicy. My family likes things highly seasoned so we really loved it, but it might be too much for others who are more faint of heart when it comes to cayenne pepper. Just be forewarned. read more

Amazing! Randomly found this place before a movie at the IMAX. Brisket was outstanding, pulled pork sandwich was so big my daughter couldn't finish it. The Mac and cheese was also delicious. Some of the best local BBQ I've had. It's a small little hole in the wall location, don't let that fool you...the food is delicious. read more

Excellent barbecue food! Home cooked to perfection! Excellent menu choices! Reasonably priced! Friendly staff! Definitely a hidden little gem! read more

The girl working this place yesterday was so nice and helpful while grabbing my DoorDash. Also great makeup !!!! Love the look . Good vibe here read more

Walked in craving a pulled pork sandwich but as I always do at a new place I haven't been, I asked her what her favorites were. She suggested the brisket grilled cheese and also collard greens. Sooooo glad I added those to my order. Definitely worth the trip. read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Not much else maters if the Q is good, but this place has the Q and everything else, too! Clean, friendly, reasonable prices, and GRAT FOOD!

Absolutely amazing! I've been craving bbq so bad lately and this outdid every expectation that I had. I got the "pit bomb" sandwich so I could get a little bit of everything and man was it everything. The meat was super juicy and flavorful. The barbecue sauce was spot on. I could not get enough of the Mac and cheese. The staff was so sweet and quick my order that I placed online was ready well before expected. I've never had such moist, sticky cornbread in my life I had two huge pieces and still wanted more! You have to try this place, it is seriously incredible. Wish they could come to the farmers market in Coventry when they reopen. read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - "Pit Bomb" Sandwich Corn Bread - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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First time trying tonight but won't be the last! I could eat just the green beans alone, best I have ever had! The jerk chicken had great flavor. I didn't try the mac and cheese or brisket but my boyfriend ate his entire plate and said they were amazing. Already thinking about what I'll try next time. The staff were all very friendly. Love supporting a local business. read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

I used the app to order. I asked for a pound each of the pulled pork and sliced brisket. I ordered an x-large side of Mac & Cheese, collards and potato salad. Shared this with three other people. Everything was very good to excellent. My wife is not a big fan of collards but loved them. The potato salad was really good, mostly because it had some character, it wasn't afraid of putting some people off with opinionated flavor! The Mac and cheese was proper. The meats were prepared really well, moist and delicious. The x-large sides were maybe a pint, they looked small but we still had some left over. If you are hearty eaters you may want to ask about this, maybe even double up. It is a modest place but their service is very friendly and attentive. They opened on March 18 of this year, which is like opening a deli in Warsaw August 30 1939. I will happily give them my money because I will get good food done right. Recommend calling ahead or going online and ordering, as they are quite punctual. If you go outta the blue, expect a bit of a wait but they'll bring it out to your car. Based on my one visit I will return and I will recommend this to anyone. read more

This BBQ joint is not one that should be overlooked. I was surprised by their savory pulled pork, tasty coleslaw, and a lovely helping of mac and cheese. read more

Delicious food with friendly service! They have a clean store front with family vibes. Their brisket is so delicious and their sides are amazing. I highly recommend the Mac and cheese and collard greens. The corn bread is a must as well. If looking for BBQ, you can't do better in this area! read more

Not bad BBQ but perhaps caught them on an off day. Had the ribs - really chewy and dry (silverskin left on as well). Also had brisket - fatty part was good but the lean part was really dry. Mac and cheese fine. Corn bread not bad, baked beans were delicious. Overall, for the cost and food, just ok. read more

After much anticipation we finally tried this place last night! It is AMAZING! The three of us ordered different platters so we got to try a little bit of everything. The brisket was tender and delicious, ribs awesome, pulled chicken quite tasty. We tried different sides as well; potato salad, Mac & Cheese, Cole slaw & yummy corn bread. ( we ordered extras! ) while we waited for our order we saw that many people were getting a piece of a delicious looking cake. We caved and ordered a piece too. It was a coconut cake that was moist and tasty. This is such a great addition to Manchester, something different. I am sure we will become regulars! Oh, and the staff! Super friendly and accommodating! read more

Tonight's dinner was certainly enhanced by our delicious 2 pounds of bbq chicken from Thomas' bought it before dinner, left it in the fridge until we'd made our sides, and heated it back up in a saute pan with some onions....talk about yum. That smokey flavor really comes through and the bbq sauce and juices are sooo yummy...perfect for sopping up with mashed potatoes in this case feeling lucky to have such an awesome bbq spot so close to home!! We will be supporting Thomas' for years to come-- the paper menu has an official spot in our menu drawer read more

Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop - Bbq pulled chicken by the pound - Barbeque Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut