Smoke BBQ opened yesterday on Cordell Avenue, and I have some photos for you, including the full Smoke BBQ menu (click the menu photo to enlarge).
There were quite a few families with kids dining there, probably because Smoke BBQ offers $5 kids meals.
Nothing on the menu will change the world, but it's something different for downtown Bethesda. The overall shortage of great barbeque in Montgomery County has led to a rise in BBQ trucks, carts and stands that are filling the vacuum. It will be interesting to hear the early opinions on how this bricks-and-mortar BBQ spot stacks up to the ones on wheels.
I normally don't comment on restaurants on any site, but I had to make an exception. I barbeque regularly and so I am always on the hunt for a place to satisfy my hankering while I am out and about. This place doesn't even come close to satisfactory.
ReplyDeleteI would like to start by stating that I like the atmosphere, and the young lady who took my order was very pleasent. With that said, I should have known something was wrong as soon as I walked in.
1st:When I walked through the front door I smelled nothing. Now for any restaurant that isn't a good sign, but especially not for a bbq joint. 2nd: the price points are redunkulous! $4 for every side on the menu, $7 for a pulled pork sandwich, $11 for a platter that includes 1 meat, a side, and a piece of cornbread.
Now I have paid that type of price a few times for bbq (all up north) but with it came value i.e a large amount of food-not so much at Smoke. with all of this said I wouldn't be posting this if the food was even halfway decent. IF YOU NAME YOUR RESTAURANT SMOKE YOU HAVE MAKE IT TASTE SMOKEY! It tasted like my pulled chicken sandwich was made in a crockpot with little to know seasoning. I understand if you're in an area that you can't have a smoker, but at least throw some liquid smoke in there. The baked beans were terrible (no exaggeration)! The beans were obviously not soaked or cooked for long enough because they were still hard, no flavor, and soupy.
I really hope they turn things around but in my opinion, that would take a complete overhaul and all new recipe's or new chef.
Hi Prodigal1,
ReplyDeleteI'm the GM of Smoke and I want to say thanks very much for the feedback. We are a new restaurant and still working out some kinks. Normally you might hear a GM defending the food, but in this case you were 100% correct about the beans- we had a batch of beans not soaked long enough. We make everything in house and from scratch- Poor tasting is not the norm here, our recipes have been tried and tested. Just fyi,
As for the prices, lunch here costs less than our neighbors and our menu prices are consistent with other BBQ joints in the area.
We have two smokers here in the restaurant.
We are small, family-owned and local, so please pardon the bumps of getting up to speed. Reviews like this will make us or break us.
We can only grow from honest opinions and we ask that you please try us again.
Thanks very much,
Susan