Blue Smoke

I always wanted to come to this place and I never got a chance too until my wife rsvp’d and brought me here on the night of my birthday.
They have a 3 course meal totaling $ 39.00. Out of the 3 course meal the only thing that I enjoyed was the appetizer. Get the chicken man oh man sooooo good.
Spicy honey glazed chicken will fill you up alone hence the 3 course meal is a steal.
Smoke house has musicians everyday and there musicians are on point.
I will be coming back to this place definitely. If you are looking for a place to listen to jazz or see your favorite jazz group this is the spot.

PLEASE CONSIDER THIS REVIEW BEFORE TOU VISIT THIS LOCATION!
I wish I could give this prejudice fucking place a zero as I continue to search the BBB’s website for its listing.
I came in here tonight with a good friend of mine in efforts of having a good time with some cheap wings after someone recommended this place. The wait time didn’t exist, as most of the crowds in the area were dying down from the soccer games coming to an end for the night. We find two open spots at the bar and sit. All cool. Now for purposes that I would hope aren’t a factor, we both are men of ethnic decent.
Behind the bar were three individuals, an Asian female, one Caucasian male, and another Caucasian female. The Asian bartender comes to us. Doesn’t say hello. Places a drink menu in front of us and asks us if we’re ready to order. Not fully set on what’s on the menu, we decline. She comes back maybe three minutes later. We order 20 wings and I asked if they served honey jack, she said no and we settled for waters.
The food comes and everything is fine so far. We begin eating, but as we’re going through the wings, I’m noticing that no one is bothering to ask us if everything is alright. No questions as to whether or not we’d like to order a drink. Yet, I look around the bar, all the bartenders are fully servicing every other customer at the bar. It’s almost as if me and my friend aren’t there. The bartender who happened to be servicing the couple next to us even offered them a free drink after they paid for their check. There was another group of three who sat next to my friend that received more attention than we did from the door. So I put two and two together, there’s only one thing I can assume. I’m not saying this is usual practice, but if I look around and notice we’re being mistreated, im gonna call it like it is.
After I pay for the check (which I had to ask another bartender for because our original bartender chose to stay at the bar, but not check in with us one time) I requested that I speak to a manager.
I don’t know if the guy’s name was David or Danny, something like that, but he comes from the back and immediately sizes me up as if we’re the ones causing direct conflict. This guy has no clue as to what the issue is, yet he steps directly in my face, a poor attempt at creating discomfort (trying the wrong guy buddy). So I ask him a simple question. «Is it normal that customers sit at your bar and are not attended to?» He says no it’s not normal. But his tone is in a manner whereas he’s looking for some sort of bout rather than easing the issue at hand. I proceed to inform him that we weren’t attended to the whole hour we sat at the bar and I find it uncomfortable that everyone else at the bar is having a great time, meanwhile we couldn’t even have our glasses of water refilled. He makes a poor attempt at apologizing and asking me if he could go to his office and get a card (I’m assuming to write his contact information) for a follow up. I decline. But I express my disbelief further, telling him that I don’t want to assume what’s easy to assume, but I’m calling it what it is, the shit doesn’t look good. He apologizes for the experience in an aggravated tone, I tell him it’s all cool (I already know my complaint isn’t going anywhere), tell him to have a good night, and we walk out.
Based off of the previous reviews of this place, I had no clue this experience was waiting for us. I will not ever support this establishment again. I will be submitting a complaint to the BBB, and if you’re thinking about going somewhere where you’ll be treated fairly as someone of color, please look to other establishments. The food is mediocre, that’s something you can read under multiple reviews on Unilocal.Simply do yourself a favor, save the stress, as well as your money.
The business is located under union square hospitality group, if anyone is wondering why blue smoke as a restaurant chain isn’t listen within the BBB’s archives in NY. I’m extremely disappointed that in this day and age people are still being treated this way. Next time how about you decline us entry at the door?

I found this place rather good. I’ve had better Mac and cheese but the ribs I ordered were very good. My friend ordered the brisket and it wasn’t bad either. We had the corn bread appetizer and they were delicious however the sauce it comes with wasn’t that good. It was supposed to act as a syrup however it wasn’t the case since it wasn’t the best. There homemade sauce was pretty good.

Blue Smoke, when it opened in 2002 was at the forefront of NY BBQ. Then better and better BBQ came to town from Hill Country to John Brown and Hometown. Since 2014, Blue Smoke hired a new executive chef– Jean Paul Bourgeois and Blue Smoke is a player.
In the past I would judge BBQ solely by ribs and Mac, now it’s chicken and collards.
I ate here twice in the last few weeks. First time–
Ate:
Pit stop $ 30
Bbq chicken
Collards
Salad
The Pit Stop lets you choose a meat & two sides. The chicken is not slathered in sauce, it is delicious. Collards are smoky with pork and a nice salad with green goddess dressing. My second visit was less stellar– when I ordered veg kebabs w/​fish it was ok– there cheese wrapped in cabbage on the skewer wasn’t listed on menu– i wasn’t a fan of ingredients not on the menu but did love the chicken.

We were in the MOOD for BAH-​BAH-​QUE!
Took a cab from Broadway & 45^th to this location. After getting dropped off, the streets were jammed with BBQ trucks from around the country. We were going to miss the annual BBQ cook-​off.
Nevertheless, we started with the cornbread madeleine and wow the maple syrup brown sugar butter dipping sauce was magnificent. We ordered the Brisket and Baby Back Ribs Pit Stops which is served on a metal cookie sheet and the food was delicious. Prices are moderately higher than most others but the quality and portion sizes matches the cost. Staff was friendly and attentive. Bar area is a great spot to hang out. Big Fan and I’ll be back.

Well, let’s just say it’s time to pig’stick it to the man. I used to go to Blue Smoke quite a lot. It was always good. And they had particularly excellent ribs, especially the dry rub, and sausage. They even had a prix fixe menu –something of a bargain. But barbeque in Manhattan is a fetish commodity. Cost has gone up, and reasonable prices for country-​style food in the big city are the foodstuff of oxymora.
Still, I knew the cost when I entered the door. And you would have got no real complaint if they followed through with good cooking. There was some bit: I did like the roasted smoked oysters were great –I say get them at the bar with a drink. But the main dinner? –A disappointment. I had the pepper brisket –but couldn’t taste meat or pepper through all the fat. And, when I realized they didn’t have the sausage anymore, I tried a bratwurst that just seemed so-​so, and not even particularly smoky. What finally set me over the edge was replacing cornbread with sweet little corn muffin style madelienes. Does this pass as nouveau americain? Hell, I hope not. Is nothing sacred? Can’t they even stay authentic on the bread?
Well, that expresses my present state of mind. Maybe Danny Meyer will see fit to put a southerner back in the kitchen try to make good southern smoky. Meantime, I highly recommend you go to Mighty Quinns or Fette Sau, or one of the other smokers who get it done right.

I had a great experience here. Almost did not eat here because it is pricey for someone on a budget but with that being said it was great
I got pulled pork, Mac and cheese and a brownie. I got got the bourbon smash drink.
The pulled pork was great. Love how they give you the juices in a small beaker like cup that you can pour on the pork to make it super moist.
The mac and cheese tasted like a block of cheese. Which is heavenly for someone like me. It wasss soo cheesy. Which made understand the prices. If you ever made really good homemade macandcheese you know it’s not cheap to make not at all. The mac and cheese was little small but it compliments the pulled pork. That juicy pulled pork.
I had no idea what flavor I wanted last in my mouth the mac and cheese or the pulled pork.
I did not have three Browne because I enjoyed the rest of the food is didn’t want to get those tastes out my mouth with something sweet. I put the brownie in my purse to try later when I chocolate craving :).
Only disappointment I had the meal didn’t come with a biscuit only a pannie type of bread. :(
Still a great place though

I loved every bit of my experience at Blue Smoke. The food is great, the service is excellent, and the place itself has a great country feel. The wait staff and bartenders even wear plaid shirts.
I came for dinner on a Saturday night. Make a reservation, it fills up fast. My friend and I decided to share an appetizer and one of the pit stop plates you can create yourself. We had the Nola barbecue shrimp and they were awesome. For the entrée, we got the brisket, added extra chicken (and for $ 5 you get a nice portion of meat), mac and cheese, and a salad. It was more than enough food for the two of us. The brisket is peppery and flavorful, the chicken is juicy, the mac is super cheesy, and the salad is a great palate cleanser (a recommendation from our awesome waiter) to break up all the fattiness and grease we were consuming. We had the chocolate layer cake for dessert and it was a huge slice.
A beer, a glass of wine, a chocolate mocha, and a cup of tea later, we basically rolled out of there in bbq-​coma states.

I wandered into Blue Smoke one day to grab a beer while waiting for a friend. I had initially bookmarked this restaurant to try their Southern Style bbq. Unfortunately I already had dinner plans elsewhere and only wanted a beer or two… or three. Blue smoke did not disappoint in this regard, they had a large expansive beer menu. Although the draft selection didn’t impress me, their large list of bottles did. I ended up drinking a Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout and another two draft beers who’s names escape me.
At about one and a half beers in, better senses (or lack thereof) prevailed and I decided a small bite wouldn’t hurt. I decided to order the Cornbread Madeleines, which were made fresh with every order and took some time to come out. To my dismay, my initial order was given to the bar patrons next to me (who proceeded to eat it without a care even though they didn’t order it… unbelievable…). Thankfully the trusty bartender realized this and rush ordered one for me and comp’d one of my beers. When my Madeleine order finally came, I could smell the freshly baked cornbread from down the bar. Paired with a light caramel sauce, the cornbread madeleines from Blue Smoke, was one of the best cornbreads that I’ve had in my life. Because the Madeleines were freshly baked, they held their own even without the caramel sauce. The cornbread was buttery and very fluffy, barely holding their shape and breaking at a slight touch. There is no argument. This is a must order appetizer when coming to Blue Smoke.
I look forward to coming back to Blue Smoke one day and ordering their BBQ. From what I peeked at the menu, the bbq does seem rather expensive and would normally keep me away, but those Madeleines definitely demand a second visit.

I came here with my family for a Saturday night dinner. We had reserved a table for 8:00, but for some reason it wasn’t in their system. The waiters were really nice and sat us down anyways which I greatly appreciated. The restaurant’s interior is rustic with dim lights. It also isn’t overly crowded and it isn’t loud inside.
For our appetizer, we ordered roasted oysters. We ordered plates for the table to share — lamb belly, pulled pork, and big beef short rib. For sides we had Mac and cheese, biscuits, baked beans; and potato wedges. The pulled pork was my favorite — it was very tender. On the other hand, the biscuits were really hard to bite into (big thumbs down).
For dessert, we had beignets which were really tasty especially when dipped into the coffee sauce. This was definently my favorite. None of the main food particularly stood out for a barbecue restaurant, but the beignets were on point.

We came here for Sunday brunch with a group. We ordered the BBQ sampler (rib was fine, collard greens were good), brisket sandwich (flavorless), wings with some type of sauce (awesome! The sauce has mayo which I don’t like but everyone at the table found themselves dipping everything in this magical sauce), chicken and biscuits (chicken was so tender and biscuit was very moist) and beignets (delightful hickory sauce and even the native Parisian at the table noted how authentic they tasted).
Overall, some parts of the meal were a bit of a miss. I would go back for the chicken wings and the fried chicken and biscuits. The décor is very rustic. I wish they took advantage of the plants in the windows. Kind of sad looking.

I know you’re probably thinking who gets BBQ in NY? Well… since this place exists, you should! I enjoyed every bit of this place. I went on a Tuesday and it was PACKED, but not out of control. Loved the atmosphere. Here are some key things I enjoyed during my visit:
Pimento cheese appetizer– DELICIOUS!
Big Beef Ribs– super tender and flavorful, the side of pickles were such a great addition along with the mac & cheese and baked beans. Super yummy
Collard greens– I was able to snag a bite of my mom’s, also very good!
Manhattan drink– very strong, but very smooth. That Buffalo Trace bourbon is wonderful, had to get a bottle for my home!
B-E-I-G-N-E-T-S…AMAZING! I felt like I was back in NOLA. Deff get these!
I cant wait to go back and try more of their dishes, I’m sure everything else is just as good!

Looks like I am in the minority with my review. I was really disappointed in Blue Smoke. Things started strong with the New Orleans shrimp which were great, potato chips with blue cheese that were good and some wings that were ok.
From there, entrees arrived and I was disappointed. A colleague and I split two pit platters so I tried both brisket and spare ribs. Both were so salty I could barely eat them! The brisket had pretty good flavor in the middle once I got through the fat and the salt. The ribs just tasted like salt. The mac and cheese side was nothing special, collards greens were, you guessed it, full of salt.
I understand BBQ is salty but this was over the top, I don’t know if it was just a heavy handed cook or if all their food is this way. My colleagues seemed happy enough but I wouldn’t be in any big hurry to go back.

This place has always been my favorite for southern food. If not this, I’d go to Hill Country. But this provides options other than just meat meat meat. The cornbread madeleines were so good! We ordered the pit stops:
— pulled pork with potato wedges, mac and cheese, and sweet potato
— peppered brisket with potato wedges and collard greens
For dessert, we had the chocolate layer cake.
This was my belated birthday dinner and it was DELICIOUS. I’d recommend reserving prior. We waited about an hour, the bar area was packed and it was too cold to stand outside. But it was fine since we were catching up.

3.5 STARS
I had a business lunch here with a client and two colleagues on Tuesday, February 16^th. Blue Smoke is a high-​ceilinged moderately lit space. It is a very pleasant place to dine. Our server was excellent. She served us with a smile, checked back to see how we were doing and gave us a big thank you as we departed. Dishes came out quickly but we were not rushed to finish. Our group starter of fried potato slices was very good. The seasonings were delicious. Blue Smoke serves Boylan Soda’s. They did not have my first choice, Birch Beer, but I enjoyed a Boylan’s Black Cherry Soda.
My meal, however, missed the mark. I requested a medium cooked Bacon Cheddar Burger which arrived more toward rare. It was better than overcooked, however. The beef was fresh and tasty. My side of potato wedges was awful. They two or three pieces of potato were bland and still hard from being undercooked. Avoid this side.
My fellow diners told me that they enjoyed the Mac and Cheese, Andouille Sausage and Pulled Pork so which were part of the BBQ Platters ($ 20.00) which raises the possibility that I just ordered the wrong items. For this reason, as well as the good service our party received, I would return to Blue Smoke to try the items that they enjoyed.

What to order? We got the Pit option with 3 meats (two orders of baby back ribs and one order of pulled pork) and two sides (wedges and green salad). We also go a shirmp appetizer which was three pieces of shrimp on a piece of bread.
The Pit option is really for one person. Three meats is okay for two but there wasn’t enough sides. If ordering again I wouldn’t order the appetizer, but would do 4 meats and the same sides, and add a buttermilk biscuit appetizer. This would be a cheaper than two $ 30 pits per person. Plus the buttermilk biscuits are apparently well known here.
So why 2 stars? The ribs were dry and not fall off the bone. The amount of meat on the bone was sparce too. For the rating it has, I was expecting more and not «run of the mill» ribs. Also I asked to have the main meat as the baby back ribs and the extra meats (any extra meat is a smaller portion) as the pulled pork, but they did it the other way around. Although service was good and the front desk was accommodating, the food quality and price didn’t match.
Overall, it has potential, give it a try, but keep expectations low. It’s not the best bbq I’ve had and probably not the best in NYC. Also, make a reservation or called ahead to book a seat or be placed on the waiting list. This place is packed on weekends.

Great deals here! For the amount of food you get, it’s definitely well-​priced. It’s a pretty low key place with a spacious casual ambience. We had 5 people and sat at a booth. Our waiter was very nice.
I’d highly recommend getting the «Pit» options, which comes with one meat and 2 sides. You can also add on meats or sides for $ 5. They’re about half portion from the full-​priced items but you get to try more (not that you’d need to based on portions). For the 5 of us, we got 3 Pits, and appetizer, and an extra side. We had some leftovers to take home.
1. Brisket: Quite good. Not the softest I’ve had, but decent. Very large size.
2. Baby back ribs: I love ribs. It’s fall off the bone, but not too soft. I actually liked it.
3. Hot wings: Delicious! The dip is amazing. You get a dozen, which is great for sharing. Not too spicy!
4. Cornbread: Great appetizer. It’s one of the best I’ve had. Not too cornbready, and lightly baked on the outside. Almost like a corn financier.
5. Andouille Sausage: This was one of my favorites, albeit slightly smaller portions.
6. Potato wedges: Decent, but I would not really say this is unique.
7. Collard greens: I needed some veggies with all the meat. This was decent.

Spot on BBQ place in NYC. We had a office party and the order, delivery, and service was spot on. Neatly delivered with all the necessary serving and eating utensils. I would of liked a bottle of the bbq sauce to be delivered as well but the bbq was the highlight.
Great marbled brisket. Tender full of flavor. The ribs were tender and great on the palate as well. The dry rub mix had a great spicey flavor. Wonderful mac and cheese. Cheesy goodness. And the highlight which i was suprised about was the spicey bbq wings. The wings had a great flavor and i could of eaten a bucket of them. Had that nice bbq taste from grilling. All the food was served hot which i was impressed from delivery. Pricey but definitely one of the choice spots for bbq.

When I worked in the neighborhood we had luncheons at Blue Smoke. Great atmosphere, service and delicious food. They participate in restaurant week. All of the regular menu items may not be available on the restaurant week menu. At least that was the case when I went.
I’ve never been disappointed with my meal at Blue Smoke. Pretty pricey though. Nice if your employer pays for your meal!

Most important advice I can give: don’t order the Big Short Rib. It was punitively salty, and I am a salt lover. Rendered virtually inedible the otherwise nice piece of meat, well-​smoked. In general Blue Smoke’s food is better than just good but very overpriced in comparison to the many emerging competitors who seem more dedicated to food quality. The beans at Blue Smoke are good, but when you try, say, Mighty Quinn’s beans with burnt ends, you know Blue Smoke needs to up its game. Nobody in our party was sorry to eat here but the competition is better.

Did take-​out. Should have checked bag– no bbq sauce was included. Had the brisket– $ 21 I think and ¹⁄₃ was fat. I know brisket has fat for taste but if im paying over 20 bucks I would hope to get meat. Mac and cheese was best but not sure 10 bucks good.
Welcome to NYC I guess.
Maybe just avoid for take-​out.

Met up with a colleague here for lunch, we both did the pitstop. He chose the backyard chicken. I chose the brisket, potato wedges and oatmeal cookie and we shared a side of mac ‘n cheese.
They were extremely accommodating letting us sit at a four-​top table when there was only two of us… I asked for the best seats in the house with the most natural light. You know, to photograph food.
The service aside, the brisket was fantastic. Not the best I’ve had, but definitely one of the better ones I’ve enjoyed in this city (and I’ve eaten at Mighty Quinn’s, Hill Country BBQ, Briskettown, and Morgan’s). The mac ‘n cheese was the shining star, such an incredibly rich and creamy consistency — if it wasn’t so de rigeur I’d be ladeling that cheese sauce in my mouth.

I really enjoyed their bbq chicken. They have a nice selection of tap beers too.
I was very impressed with their allergy menu. We went with family, including my nephew who has a milk allergy and my other nephew with a peanut allergy and they have a menu that clearly states which items were safe for them to eat.

Came for a work lunch that had a predetermined menu and was paid for, so I can’t say much about the pricing. The food was awesome, though. The brisket is probably one of the best I’ve had, as well as the baby back ribs. The dark meat bbq chicken is really good, but the light meat was a bit dry, but not too bad. The wings are also delicious.
We were seated upstairs which is pretty nice and quiet and overlooking the bar area. Overall everything looks very well kept here. Of course, this is coming from someone who has only seen the place during lunchtime… I can’t say what it’s like here for dinner or after dinner time. The food is great, though!

Pros: the food is really good. I have had the lean brisket several times and tried other things on the menu. The sides are also excellent. They have live music at times. This is a classy place and is higher-​end. I think it’s actually the most upscale in appearance and feel of BBQ places in NYC (I have toured them all). I will return to this place for sure. Much better than nearby brother jimmy’s but probably not as good as hill country.
Cons: The servers give off a strange vibe. I have noticed entirely different staff each time here. Perhaps there is something weird happening with management. It is pricey. The portions are not huge so if you are very hungry this place might not be enough. The chocolate cake tasted factory made and therefore somewhat stale with way too much sugar.

Good food, fresh produce, it’s not our first time there and we are always happy to come back.
Staff is nice and professional.
I wish they had the peeper rids back.

Uno de esos sitios que te recomiendan al venir a Nueva York y nos vamos a intentarlo sin reserva. Solo media hora de espera en la barra con unas cervezas y como no la correspondiente propina «obligatoria» al camarero.
Una vez en la mesa pensamos no pedir mucho pero añadir más cantidad no cuesta mucho y como vamos a compartir nos lo recomiendan.
Pedimos por ejemplo una baby ribs que está muy buenas con acompañamiento de macarrones con queso y patatas. Desde luego lo recomiendo, la carne se deshacía y estaba sabrosa y con toque picante.
También probamos de entrante unas gambas que podéis ver en la foto con una salsa realmente sabrosa para la que pedimos más pan, nos miran raro y nos traen pan de molde y una poca mantequilla. Que poco conocen lo de mojar un poco jeje
También las patatas crujientes con una salsa de queso. La pega es que sino mojas en la salsa te picaran un poco. Pero están buenas.
Desde luego os lo recomendamos, nos os quedaréis con hambre y como no tienen postres tendrás poco que esperar cuando termines.
Ah me gusta que siempre te ponen agua gratis y sin preguntar. Y me sigue pareciendo raro lo de la obligación de propina y como en el ticket recomiendan 15, 18 o 20%, al final dejamos un 15%.
Espero que os animéis a probarlo cuando vengas por Nueva York.

— Great BBQ. solid and good size portions
— Check out the White Wings
— Solid Cocktails
— Friendly Wait staff.
— Child Friendly in earlier hours, but makes for a bit too many kids running around while you enjoy your adult beverage.

Biscuits are fantastic
So are the sweet potatoes
The BBQ was pretty sub-​par — the servers did not even know which meat was which — pulled pork vs brisket
Neither one was worth figuring out
There’s better BBQ out there — go get it

I’ve been in a BBQ mood lately. No idea why. I’ve been hitting up a few BBQ joints. This was the worst. I walked in and immediately got a seat at the bar. I then waited about ten minutes for a bartender to make eye contact with me. It wasn’t crowded at the bar. When I finally got a drink menu and a dinner menu it was another 10 minutes until some one took my order.
The food was ok at best. The bartenders didn’t even bother to put down silverware, or a set up for me. I sat and waited while my food was sitting in front of me. They never checked in on, didn’t offer any anything, they could care less. The food is over-​priced. The portions of the sides are small. I do mean SMALL. They give you two sorry looking pieces of white bread. I had he brisket. Blah. It was dry. I would have gotten some sauce, and I tried, but the bartenders were too busy checking themselves out in their skinny jeans.
If you’re in the Flatiron area and really need a Q fix then go to Hill Country. It’s slightly better.

Wow! Our team ordered catering for lunch at the office and it was amazing. We ordered the brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken and a bunch of sides. Everything was delicious and it made an all-​day meeting, locked in a conference room, bearable! TGIF!

Had dinner here on the day after Thanksgiving after a long day of walking from Brooklyn to Flatiron (and avoiding stores altogether). Seriously, everyone should walk across the BK (Brooklyn, not Burger King) Bridge near sunset at least once in their lives.
I had the chopped brisket (about 6 oz.) plate with mac and cheese, potato wedges, and toasty bread — the plate looks small at first but the food is hearty and will fill you up quick. The wife had the short ribs which was very, very tender (fall-​off-​the-​bone levels) and about the size of her head (granted, she does have a small cranium a la Rooney Mara, so your personal wife’s skull-​to-​meat-​portion ratio may vary).
Place was not full around 7:30PM and service was fast and attentive — food came out in about 15 min from order-​to-​stomach.
Overall, the food and service was very high-​level but our only complaint is pricing: BBQ should simply not cost $ 30 for a brisket-​and-​two-​sides platter, even in Manhattan. If you want a better value (at perhaps slightly lower quality and more Texas-​y ambiance), check out Dallas BBQ or Brother Jimmy’s. Or come by for lunch, which seems to have a bit more affordable options (e.g., Po Boy’s).

The large restaurant with a second-​floor balcony was filled even for a Tuesday evening. Friends and colleagues gathered together to enjoy platters of food and each other’s company. I took in the various menu items from my perch at the bar while waiting for our table. In particular, the ribs looked delicious — meaty with a nice bark. So many choices — what to do?
While we decided, we snacked on the basket of fresh-​out-​of-​the-​oven cornbread madeleines. Simple, yet delicious with the accompanying sauce of butter and pure cane sugar. This is something that I intend to replicate at home.
The short ribs, chicken, and brisket were appealing, as was the sampler platter, Rhapsody in ‘cue. I had the 7-​pepper rub brisket which was Flintstone-​sized (not the ribs that tipped over the car but the huge slab of meat that Fred would grill) and the baked beans; the sweet potato mash was sold out by the time we ordered. The brisket was well-​marbled and delicious, although it tasted like roast more than barbecue. The beans were firm and meaty.
For dessert, I could not resist the beignets, although the banana cream pie came in as a close second. The beignets were hot from the fryer and tender. Lightly dusted with powder sugar, it was (unnecessarily) served with a coffee– and chicory-​flavored crème anglaise. Perhaps playing homage to Café du Monde?
Service was fine.

The best thing about this place is the size!
It is very large and airy inside. The staff are very friendly as well :)
Went here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon…
The bloody Mary was a steep $ 14 and still not sure why… it was average at best
I also ordered the brisket burnt end sandwich which was scrambled eggs atop a brisket tips serve on a brioche bun. It cost $ 16 and was just OK. It was served with a small side salad which had actually delicious dressing.
Given the many other brunch options in NY, I think I would try another venue first.
If I get the hankering for some good ol BBQ for dinner I may revisit.

My job continues to have an annual dinner here even though I think everyone is tired of it (heaping piles of pork will wear you down eventually; also a few people, myself included, don’t eat it)
Can’t attest regarding the pork or ribs but I will say that the chicken here was good. The Smoked Alabama White Wings were great. The salad with apple, pecans and goat cheese was also terrific. I enjoyed their fried chicken but thought it needed more salt. Sides were also delicious — mashed sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, glazed biscuits — everything was really good.
This was a private party so it’s a different experience but the servers were all very nice and attentive.
I’d definitely recommend this place to anyone who likes this sort of food.

Food was ok. I had a chicken sandwich that is no longer on the menu. The chicken was dry and tough. My friend had ribs and ‘did not like the BBQ sauce. They have several kinds of BBQ on the table they range from sweet to savory flavors. We tried them all and found them all to be mediocre. In addition they all had a smoky flavor. I understand bbq is associated with smoked flavor but there should be an sauce option without smoke for people that don’t like it.
We were there during lunch time and it was empty. We went to the flatiron location.
Not impressed with the bbq sauces. I don’t think I would come back here

Really really really delicious BBQ.
The service is really nice both the hostess and servers.
Relatively easy to get a reservation because it’s huge.
Food–
— burrata salad: amazing, the tomatos and other stuff on top of it was perfect.
— BBQ chips: a little over seasoned but the dipping sauce was nice and light.
— biscuits: amazing. Carbs. Worth the carbs. Super flaky and seemed to be baked right then.
— Mac and cheese: half order is enough for 2 – 3 as a side. Also super delicious.
— rhapsody in que: more than enough for two, you can also substitute different types of meat for the combo you want. Brisket is the best, closely followed by the chicken.

Absolutely beyond my expectation, even though we have got the restaurant week menu, which supposed to be inferior than the regular dishes.
Came with two other friends, so we were fortunate enough to try as many options as possible. For appetizer, I would strongly recommend the deviled egg and chicken wings, BBQ shrimp was a bit plain yet acceptable. Main course, definitely go for the short rib and smoked chicken/​sausage rice; fried catfish was too crispy… for dessert, I enjoyed my mint chocolate cake yet my friend didn’t like the key lime pie.
Overall a positive experience, would recommend it to other barbecue fans.

Star reduction super sadness.
After years of only knowing them through office catering, and literally 8 yrs of exploring high end, back yard/​shack, & family dining approaches to BBQ in NYC & across the country, I finally got the chance to dine in at BS. After sleeping on it, I don’t feel that the excessive period of anticipation for this moment significantly contributed to me leaving with the feeling that my $ 90 would have been better spent elsewhere, especially seeing as my entire dining party felt the same way.
TL; DR: I’d consider returning to sit at the bar, enjoy the craft cocktails/​beers, & munch on a few select chicken & carb items. Highly doubt I’d dine in of my choosing again, or try any protein other than chicken. For dining, I’d much rather choose a multitude of their NYC competitors.
Huge props to their hostess, who was very accommodating both times I had to call day-​of to change the number in our party, & who was very nice when we arrived.
We really liked the design/​décor of both the bar & main dining areas. I personally wasn’t keen on having a server station attached to the booth portion of our table. But it was handy being able to turn around & request something from our server.
Said server was nice, friendly, knowledgeable, had a respectable & gentle up-​sell approach, never made us feel rushed, and opened up well to our jovial nature. Major props for never giving an inkling of attitude when we asked for tap water, or when some folk chose the Restaurant Week Menu. He was a hard worker, and really tried to please, which he did successfully. Two hiccups, but his awesome more then compensated.
By 6:45pm on a Tuesday, they were out of their signature House Smoked Makers 46. Maybe due to RW? Still, sad panda.
Thankfully, all of the drinks we were able to try were delightful, with a hearty pour to match the price point:
Midtown Mule: nice twist on its Russian cousin
Fast Eddie: a perfect version of adult Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
Ellington: table fav (perfect summer drink!)
Summer Jam: Great balance between the preserves & liquids.
Between the RW (only $ 1 savings from regular menu, which would have given larger portions) & reg menus, we sampled:
Ken’s Chopped Salad (toms, grilled corn, red onion, crushed saltines, buttermilk ranch): salad itself had a mediocre look to it. Couldn’t really pick up on the corn component. But the dressing was divine!
White Wings: table fav! Wing perfection!
NOLA BBQ Shrimp: Gorgeous presentation (full prawns on toast). Perfect cook on the shrimp. We weren’t fans of the sauce; didn’t feel like it married well with the shrimp.
Catfish: My friend said it was good. Light batter. Corn relish. Good presentation.
Baby Backs: Shorter end-​pieces served on the RW plate were dry, rubbery & way overcooked; my friend was sawing at them. We were very surprised, as we have never had anything other than perfect ribs for every catering event at our office. We thought this was just a stereotypical RW week «serve lesser quality» thing… until we saw a full rack of BBs delivered to the next table. Looked exactly the same.
Biscuits w/​hot honey: huge biscuits. Flaky inside. Crisp outside. Nice glaze on top. Tremendous hot honey!
Rhapsody in ‘Cue: Amazing backyard chicken. Dry, chewy, oddly seasoned pork. Acceptable andouille (though only half of a small link). Tender, juicy, flavorful spare ribs. Meager portion for the price, especially with no sides being included.
Mac & Cheese: Good. Not great. Steakhouse portion (5X3X2 cast iron ramekin — not overflowing).
Mint Choco Chip Ice Cream Cake: Nice presentation. Distasteful flavor, reminiscent of frozen creamed mint extract. Sent it back for…
Key Lime Pie: Frozen. Overpowering lime. One bite each, puckered faces, and pushed it aside.
Blueberry Shortcake: Table fav. Handmade whipped cream, scratch shortcakes.
Timing between courses and table clearing were off throughout the majority of the meal. Wait time was approx. 20 minutes between each course (meaning after we’d finished, put silverware down, and waited). Worst was our entrees. We watched the runner come out, see our table wasn’t cleared, and return to the kitchen. We informed our server. Still took a good 5 mins for table clearing, and 10 – 15 for food to come back out (server confirmed he saw it in the window before this wait period…).
Bartender ran some drinks to the table… but would put a new drink next to an empty glass without busing it.
We all appreciate how difficult food service can be (I myself started worked in it from ages 14 through 29). However, when we’re dining at this level of restaurant, and at this price point, we expect a certain level of consistency in service and output. Perhaps we hit an off night, or Blue Smoke would be better served to not participate in RW. Either way, some courting would be needed to get any of us to give dining in a second try, and for the two of us who work in the same office to choose them again for catering.

Endroit trop bruyant comme souvent à New York. Serveur agréable et nourriture de qualité. Par contre assez cher, pour 2, 100 $ pour un plat et une boisson chacun.

BBQ, bourbon and brisket. Those were the three things I was looking forward to at Blue Smoke. I came here for a business lunch with a rather large group (around 7 or 8) and they sat us in the back at a big round table. It was the right amount of quiet without being tucked away in a secluded area.
We started out with a couple of their snacks. The cornbread madeleines are amazing. They’re bite sized and come with this great gravy. We also had the BBQ potato chips with bacon and bleu cheese dip. I would’ve skipped the chips if it were up to me, but I wasn’t paying so whatever.
For my main, I had the 7 pepper rubbed brisket sandwich (half fatty, half lean). It was a pretty good sandwich. I didn’t expect it to be served on a brioche bun, so that was a nice surprise. I went for the salad instead of fries, because gotta be healthy. Loved the pickled jalapenos on the side as well.
Service was great. Loved the atmosphere. I didn’t have to worry about the prices, so that was a plus.
They also have a respectable whiskey selection. I also had a glass of Basil Hayden’s with lunch because that’s you have to assert dominance when out with your clients. Just kidding. Kinda.

Le blue smoke est un endroit qui nous a été recommander par le guide du routard, et nous n’avons pas été déçu. Le cadre est très plaisant, moderne et classe. Une fois installé le service est rapide et amicale. Quant aux plat il faut absolument prendre la section BBQ particulièrement ce qui est fumé. Petit bémol l’endroit est bondé en fin de semaine donc attente env. 20−25mn au bar et bruyant ce qui est propre aux américains. Enfin il faut savoir que le restaurant est un club de jazz situé en dessous.

Die Jungs machen die besten Wings der Welt !