Smokin Barrel

Monday June 13^th 6:02pm… Called several times before walking to bar but assumed it would be open because it’s a Monday night and tonight is the NBA finals… Unfortunately this bar is closed and has no sign on their door saying closed, Nor does their answering machine or voicemail set up to tell clients that they are closed… Kind of weird for a bar to be closed on a Monday night with NBA finals on…

Why can’t anybody in town get their BBQ act together?
Was oddly empty during a recent visit. Didn’t bode well for the food so I went with the bbq chicken. It was OK except it was 20 dollars! Jeez guys.
If you don’t want beer or bourbon this isn’t the place for you. Tried to get an old fashioned, thinking it was a whisky bar… yikes, not so much.
Just sorta had that ‘failing bar vibe.’ Very nice bartender, so maybe they can turn it around but not so hot last time.

There’s really nothing I liked about this place. The food was overcooked and too dry. The service was slow and dependent on our actively grabbing the attention of a server. The table we were seated at was sticky and we cleaned it ourselves since no one came by to clean the table. The space is needlessly loud. One can barely hold a conversation without yelling. We won’t be back. :(

If you’re looking for good service and good food you probably don’t want to come here. It was a Saturday night around 9 pm and this place was empty. That should have been my first clue to leave. I walk in with my boyfriend and there seems to be one girl working. Just one. And she sat us down. After 15 minutes of starring at my boyfriend the same girl came back over to take our order seeing as how no one else even acknowledged us. Half the items we tried to order they didn’t even have. She didn’t write any of our order down so when the wrong order came to our table I wasn’t surprised. We ordered a burger, chicken platter, wings with the bone and chicken sliders. The wings came out boneless and were absolutely disgusting. I couldn’t even eat them. The only thing I ate from my plate were the fries. The bill came out to $ 62.01. $ 62 for just about the worst service I’ve ever had. They didn’t offer a dessert menu after clearing our plates. At 10 pm the place was dead. Sad because the bar looked really nice. I wouldn’t come back here even if you payed me too.

Best place to watch football or hockey! A pleasant escape from the hustle and bustle of Hoboken. Great service and the owners take pride in their work. Highly recommended!

For a Saturday night in Hoboken the bar was pretty dead, though it was Easter weekend. The bar is very clean and southern feeling on the inside. My first complaint is that they were out of a good amount of food items. Everything that sounded good was not available. There Mac and cheese bites were very good though, right amount of cheese, and fried to the perfect crunch. The bartender was friendly but was not knowledgeable when it came to beer. They also have a couple of dartboards, which is nice. One positive was that I could have a conversation with my friends since there wasn’t music blasting to a level of I can’t hear myself think. I would come back to give it another try,

I come here often since they always have the WVU games on. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu ranging from healthy to heart attack. I’ve never been disappointed. The only thing that really disappoints me is the price of the mac and cheese for the portion that you are getting. The mac and cheese is sooooo good though. the pulled pork is delicious. They have tacos which are pretty effin good. They carry my favorite, Deep Eddy’s Sweet Tea and Lemonade. That’s a huge plus. I can’t find it anywhere else in Hoboken/​Jersey City. The cheeseburger is good. I really haven’t been disappointed. I’m getting hungry right now thinking of all the BBQ deliciousness.

We were drawn here through the NYC/​NJ WVU alumni page because they had posted that this bar would be hosting WVU football watch parties. We wanted to watch the game with some fellow Mountaineers so we headed over. This is a great sports bar. The TVs are mounted high up so you can easily watch the games. The sound for the game had the perfect volume level. Our server was very attentive and helped make our visit that much more enjoyable.
We ate the HUGE wings. They were a bit too saucy and not spicy enough for me, but M enjoyed them. We also had the catfish bites and they were ok.
This was a cool spot but I wasn’t impressed by the bar food. Parking is on the street which was a bit tricky to figure out but I’m very happy we came in.
Let’s go MOUNTAINEERS!

A very solid sports bar in the uptown section of Hoboken. It does get pretty lively during football Sunday’s. The staff is very friendly and while they do try to push drinks on you at least they do it with a fun smile.
The beer selection is quite nice. We had the sliders which were a bit on the dry side. The wings were also a bit dry too.
The real draw is the good beer, solid number of TVs and fun rowdy crowd. A little more work on food execution and this joint would be my go to sports bar.

I have been several times now and it actually seems to have gone a bit down hill since opening. I have had a mixed bag of service and food quality. Nothing ever seems very consistent and the last 2 times the service was bleh I think I’m throwing in the towel here. Which is tough because I live a block away.
The wings are ok, the boneless wings can be a mix bag of great to chewy and overcooked. Again, very inconsistent. The nachos are fairly decent. The BBQ it’s just not that great. I lived in the south for a time and in NC I’ve eaten my share of BBQ of all styles and one thing is always the same with BBQ, sauce always comes separate not trenching the meat. Meat sitting in a massive amount of sauce is covering something up. Last time I got the pulled pork it was so fatty and chewy, I ate about half. I’ve had the brisket and it was also just meh, ok. Portion size wise it’s good but it just wasn’t a stand out. I will say this, their cornbread is very good, but I mean that’s cornbread.
Last couple times our server could truly care less about her job or tables, it was like we were a burden. I felt like we were interrupting her in her living room, food just plopped down and just not great service at all. I have gotten pretty good service sitting at the bar however.
Smokin Barrel is basically Black Bear uptown. It’s a bro bar uptown with wall to wall TVs. That’s fine, but with mediocre food and service it’s just not worth another trip.

Came here on Friday night for their «country band night» — band was great — vocalist needed some work…
The cocktails were delicious though! And it wasn’t too crowded — didn’t try the food but I will be back

Don’t live in Hoboken, but I honestly think this is a solid sports bar. First off, their beer list offers a good variety. Their food here is actually pretty good for a bar, and the place is packed with televisions so that you can basically watch any sporting event live at any given time.
Ordered some food here the time I came. The brisket sliders were not bad, and something I would order again. The wings and nachos were also pretty good.

Came here to watch the games on a sunday. Its your typical place to watch. They had some specials. $ 8 personal pitchers. $ 2 tacos.
I tried the chipotle wings– they were ok– a bit too breaded for my liking.
It does get very packed on sundays so come earlier if you want a table.
our waitress was pretty attentive and sweet.
Average place to come, but nothing that stands out.

While visiting a friend in Hoboken this past Saturday, the question (to him) of where to eat dinner for our group came to «What place have you wanted to go for food that your fiancé doesn’t want to go to?» His answer — Smokin Barrel. Since she was out of town, might as well let the guy live a little! So off we went
The place wasn’t too busy for 7:30 on a Saturday night, but that was ok by me. Easy seating and quicker service are usually the norm in that situation and such was the case here as well. The staff is friendly and the owner (or possibly the manager, I’m not sure) was always around to double check how things were going and ask if we needed anything (as well as a few words of encouragement to finish our food!)
We started with Bacon Wedges (crisp bacon served with a side of bourbon maple syrup) and cheddar jack stuffed bacon loaf — A large pretzel split open down the middle full of cheese, peppers and mustard (Think a sliced open baked potato, but instead it was a pretzel). Both were pretty good, but the bacon was the winner (of course)
For the entrée, I opted for the trio of meats — Pulled Pork, Brisket, and 3 St. Louis style ribs served with a size of cole-​slaw and beans). What a massive meal! They definitely do not cheap out on the meat, that’s for sure! The ribs melted right off of the bone and were full of flavor. The pulled pork portion was fantastic and even better with some spicy BBQ sauces (added on the side). The only one negative was the brisket, it was the lesser of the 3 options. While still very good, was a bit on the fatty side. I can tend to be a bit of a brisket snob having a wife from Texas and making many trips a year to visit family there. I’m exposed to some of the countries best so take my opinion for what it’s worth. Overall this was an incredible meal and I was very satisfied. Went excellent with a nice Lagunitas IPA (on tap). I could barely touch the beans, but they were really good and I regret not having room to finish them!
Everyone agreed that they enjoyed their meal and would absolutely return in the future. Most of the entrée options ran between $ 17 and $ 24, so take that into consideration when you go. There are also sandwich and burger options for $ 12-​$ 13. If you’re looking for some good BBQ before a night out in Hoboken, check out Smokin Barrel for sure

Really cool and roomy place. It took a few before our waitress came to our table but after that she was great.
They weren’t serving the fried pickles so we went with their bacon wedges. I’m glad they were out of their fried pickles because we would’ve never known how delish those bacon wedges were. The burger and pull pork sandwich were really good.
The place was packed by the time we left (around 9ish) on a Saturday night.

Well Smoking’ Barrel, I am sorry to say that you haven’t ended up on my favorites list. I really wanted you to be better. Guess Ill have to wait for some improvements or another BBQ place to open up. I’ve visited once and had delivery twice so I think Ive given it a reasonable shot, especially when there are so many other places in Hoboken.
In house its kitchy southern décor so at least that is fun. The rest, not so much. Its a bit over crowded with lots of young people, as in they must have a fake ID young. It gets very crowded which makes getting a drink a little tough. Guess they have joined the masses of places that want to be a restaurant that get caught up in the flashy nightlife business.
The food is what mostly earned the 2 stars. I really wanted to like it but I just can’t. The ribs have a chemical taste to it and just to make sure it wasn’t me, I ordered them on two different occasions. The BBQ sauce is nothing special although they love to slather it on the pulled pork that it almost becomes a soup. The mac and cheese is pretty decent as is the collards. The best item on their menu, the slaw, as odd as that sounds.
Sorry Smokin Barrel but your fire has gone out for me!

I agree with the previous post, the Smokin’ Barrel is your Brother Jimmy’s of Hoboken. Very similar to the décor and atmosphere inside. This place would be perfect for a Sunday football game due to the amount of TVs, wide range of beers on tap, and great BBQ.
I am rating this a ³⁄₅ due to the service. I came in on a Tuesday when most of the tables were filled. First, it took us 20 mins to get 2 beers to our table after ordering. Later in the night, it took over 20 mins to get the check after requesting it and then another 20 mins to process a credit card. Additionally, my order was incorrect. I received mashed potatoes instead of fries (not a big deal as I’ll later explain). I understand a busy night and our waiter was noticeably overwhelmed but this seemed pretty egregious.
On to the food, I enjoyed the fried pickle appetizer. At first I was a little confused because they looked like your typical order of fries and I thought my side had arrived early. The pickles were very good. Nice and meaty coated with a flakey batter. It was a little too oily for my taste. They could have used a little bit more of a pickle tang because after a few I forgot I was eating pickles.
I enjoyed my entrée. I ordered the baby back ribs with a side of fries and baked beans. The ribs fell right off the bone. The sauce was a good balance of tangy and sweet. This sauce was very neutral and can appeal to anyone. The baked beans were the highlight of the meal. It came with bits of pork and had a nice spicy kick. Originally, I had ordered fries but my order came out with mashed potatoes. I didn’t mind this because the fried pickles satisfied my desire for a side of fries. The mashed potatoes were lacking in flavor. They seemed to be whipped and the consistency and flavor profile resembled instant potatoes. The bacon bits on the top didn’t really help much. They needed more butter or cream.
Also this place has good deals. The Tuesday special was a buy one get one entrée deal with a two drink minimum. I can’t comment on the atmosphere after dinner hours when it becomes more of a sports bar with a DJ, as I did not have this experience. I would recommend this as a decent sports bar to watch a game and eat some good BBQ. I would also look into take out from here for a football game.

Smokin Barrel has my vote. I ‘m a fan.
The place has a more open floor plan than a lot of bars in Hoboken so you aren’t shoulder to shoulder with everyone. I really like the set up. They have a long bar, and several high-​top tables. It’s got a very cool country bar/​sports bar vibe similar to Stewed Cow but it’s nice that this place is uptown.
FOOD:
Came here last night for a Unilocal event where they passed some small bites around. All tasty. It’s not the BEST barbecue pulled pork and brisket I’ve had, but around here there are not too many great options so this will do just fine! My friends and I were still hungry so after the event we got a table and ordered some boneless wings to sample the different flavors. The traditional (aka non-​boneless) wings were VERY good and meaty, I just enjoy boneless more!
We ordered the Honey, BBQ, Honey Mustard, and Chipotle flavored wings. They also gave celery, carrots and dressing with the wings. The boneless wings were big chunks of white meat chicken fried to be slighty crispy.
DRINKS:
Nice beer selection! They passed around free samples of Jim Bean FIRE (the equivalent of Fireball whiskey) and it’s actually better than Fireball in my opinon!
SERVICE:
Definitely A+ on the service last night. The manager was extremely friendly, talked to us for a bit and even took our order. The waitresses were attentive very nice and the bouncer opened the door for us on the way out.
I saw one table had a «Brontosaurus Rib» which is basically a gigantic barbeque rib. I plan to come back for that soon!

Went here today for my first time and I was pleasantly surprised. I was reading some Unilocalers and wasn’t sure. But I’m glad I went. Let’s start off with the atmosphere. Was a nice Texas feel music at a nice volume and the workers were very welcoming.
Drinks were reasonable. There r specials every day I went for their happy hour. And spent 24 buck and was feeling nice. :) Bartenders were also very observant
The food was delicious. The cornbread they brought out was so good. Moist, Buttery and fluffy then I started things off with the bacon and maple bourbon glaze. That was one of the greatest food experiences of my life. The bacon was salty and the maple bourbon glaze was smokey and sweet I could have put that glaze on anything, it was a great counter part to the salty bacon.
Then I had their wings two different types. I had the traditional hot sauce and the chipotle BBQ. I enjoyed the chipotle BBQ soooo much The smokey heat and crispy wing made an amazing impression toy taste buds. I will go back for them wings.
And finally their short rib… WOW juicy tender and filled with smokey BBQ flavor. I’m a short rib guy and they didn’t disappoint. Melted in ur mouth.
I finally met the owner who was a really down to earth guy Tony, was cool as an autumn night. I wanted to thank him for a great experience. I will be coming back for more. Great place for groups parties and events. Or just a beer and some BBQ and watch the game.

This is The Place to watch sports in Hoboken uptown! I’m so happy that this place has opened and by the crowd on a Thursday night, I can tell the rest of Hoboken feels the same way!
Firstly, you can smell the sweet scent of BBQ within a 2 block radius, which is incredibly enticing.
Walking in, the décor is really well done! There’s lots of wood, barrel tables, and multiple TVs on every wall!
Food was great!
Fried pickles come in spears vs. slices, so it looks like fries! The spicy dipping sauce is delicious!
Wings were probably one of the best I have EVER had! Crispy and the sauce was incredible.
Pulled pork was yummy and filling
Brisket was equally loved.
I encourage everyone to come — whether you live uptown, downtown or beyond!