Texas Smoke Barbecue

If you are desperate for bbq stop… the beans are canned, the deep fried potato is run of the mill, the brisket tastes like pot roast and the ribs are tender but bland. Chicken empanada and root beer was the best

I really wanted to like the food, but I couldn’t. It’s not real BBQ, but I suppose it’s the best you’re going to find in the area.
I ordered the ¼ lb. entrée: brisket, pork, cornbread, with baked beans & potato salad as my sides. The quality of the brisket was good — not too fatty and not too dry, but it lacked smoke flavor. The pork had a real nice pork flavor to it, but again, ZERO smoke flavor. If you’re going to call yourself a BBQ joint you gotta infuse some smoke into that meat! The baked beans also lacked flavor, but if you add some BBQ sauce to it it then becomes passable. The potato salad lacked flavor as well — maybe they forgot to add salt to the boiling water??? Finally the cornbread was great! It was a bit more cake like than I’m used to, but flavor wise it was nice. If I had to find a positive then I’d say the portion sizes are more than filling.
Overall I like the atmosphere and the staff was friendly and helpful, but this place would never survive down south. Where was the free side of pickle chips? Onions? White bread??? I want to walk through the doors and smell smoke!
Disappointing for sure. I tried the place shortly after they had opened a few years ago and had the same thoughts back then. I figured maybe things had changed and gave them another try; sadly the food was the same. I’ve had Texas, Kansas City, and Carolina style BBQ and this place doesn’t come close. I’m partial to Texas BBQ and love how they prepare brisket down there. If you want some real BBQ, take a trip down to Lockhart, TX and visit Smitty’s, Kreuz or Black’s and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

BYOB — get something to drink at liquor factor down street.
After a round of golf my group wanted to have drinks and a meal in the area. After searching for local restaurant we decided on BBQ.
Food: Overall, good BBQ but not great. However, for the area I was impress with the quality of food. I grew up and lived in Texas so my opinions are a little bias. The meat is missing the smoky mesquite flavours you get from traditional Texas BBQ. Somewhat bland, but the food wasn’t bad for the area.
Items ordered:
— brisket lacked smoked ring under neither surface due to long hours of smoking meat.
— beef ribs a little too dry
— mac and cheese was good, creamy and flavourful.
— pulled pork was good and slightly bland.
— pulled chicken was not too bad but slightly dry.
Conclusion:
I would make a special trip for the food but if in the area I would definitely return.

The family and I loved this place. The wings are a must have! The portions are big we always have leftovers.

Very good food. Some of the best brisket i have had. Would prefer a normal dining style rather then ordering up front and getting a number for the table.

Went today with friends who had their bbq before at the Sussex County Farm Show and said it was very good. Everything we ordered was delicious. Sampler platter was huge. The chopped pork, chicken and brisket were all well cooked and seasoned. The ribs were very tender and had a great bark too. Loved the black bean salad as a side. One friend tried all 4 empanadas. Though he didn’t think the buffalo was spicy enough he also thought the habanero sauce was mild. It definitely is not! The empanadas were crisp and filled with meats. An order of chili topped fries could be a meal itself and the brisket it was made from was excellent. We took home lots of food and prices were very reasonable. Service was really good. We will be back there for sure.

Stopped in for the first time. We got a variety of items from smoked chk wings, sliced brisket, and a whole smoked chicken. All of it was really good. And their BBQ sauces are great. Brought home the leftover chicken and made some of the best chk salad sandwiches for dinner. Definitely going back soon.

Fantastic food and very friendly staff. I love the pulled pork, but everything I have had there is fresh, delicious and not expensive!

This place is so awesome. Food is out of this world. Ribs are super tasty and melt in your mouth. You want good smoke BBQ this is a great place to come too

Always fantastic. Excellent brisket and ribs and sides and chicken and…
Always on target.

this place is for sure a whole in the wall. if you are craving that BBQ from the midwest and texas well dont go no further your hankering will be full filled. I had the chili and sweet corn bread!!! awesome!!!

I would really love to give Texas Smoke 4 stars but their food just doesn’t live up to the hype for me.
My best friend and I came in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and left feeling like we wouldn’t go out of our away again for their food.
— Guys at the counter were nice and checked in on us twice after the food was delivered to the table
— Prices are fair and reasonable. Lots of variety on their menu.
— Their BBQ sauces on the table are delish!
Onto the food…
Beef Empanada — Delish! Filling was moist and well seasoned. For $ 3, not a bad deal. Side of salsa tasted like the jarred stuff though.
Hot Buffalo Wings — The biggest disappointment unfortunately. The meat was so dry and tough. Felt barely marinated in sauce. Wasn’t hot.
Pulled Pork sandwich — no personal review since this was my friend’s sandwich. But she literally ate a ¹⁄₃ of it and threw it away saying it was too mushy.
Texas Toast w/​Brisket — douse it in their hot BBQ sauce and it’s worth 3.5 stars. The toast was buttered and delicious but the brisket was dry and somewhat tough. I had one incredibly tough piece that I spit out thinking it was a bone, yikes!
We came here wanting the sloppy sandwiches with the delicious tender meats marinated in delicious sauce. The idea of the sandwiches being served dry so that you can add your own sauce… Was just not for me. Maybe better luck next time?

All I can say is good food, generous portions and reasonable prices. We ordered one of the smaller family meals and it took several meals for two of us to finish all the delicious food.

I thought about not writing a review but the food I purchased was very bad. I purchased a sample, half and full rack. The mac n cheese was also very bad. I purchased over $ 50 of food, me and the family had to re-​cook the ribs with BBQ sauce. Even then we didn’t eat it, just put it in the fridge until few days later I threw it out.
The ribs was covered in fat. No seasons. I never seen ribs like that ever. I usually never complaint about anything or ever write a food review, this is my first one.
But I felt this restaurant need a wake up call!
If anyone with a $ 100 grill could make ribs, a restaurant with professional grills suppose to knock it out of the park.

Gosh, where to start.
The good.
Prices were more than reasonable.
Staff was nice, asked if we’d ever been before, wanted to to go over menu, came around to ask how we liked everything, and kindly wrapped our leftovers of which there were a lot, so pretty attentive without pressuring us.
The place is clean.
They have a nice dining room on the 2^nd floor, but as it was a Saturday afternoon, that part was empty, so we decided not to make extra work for the staff being the only table up there.
Their empanadas! (We got 1 chicken, 1 pork) They’re filled with BBQ meats, served piping hot with salsa and sour cream, and were awesome. I’d stop there just for those. Following are the combinations as seen on their menu.
Beef– Stuffed with Smoked Beef Brisket, Cheeses & Cilantro
Chicken– Stuffed with Smoked Chicken, Cheeses & Cilantro
Buffalo Chicken– Stuffed with Smoked Chicken & seasoned with our Buffalo Sauce
Pork– Stuffed with Pulled Pork, Tomato, Cheeses & Cilantro
Chicken Wings were served hot, crispy, and really good, done in a spice rub, and then deep fried, and tossed in standard margarine/​butter and hot sauce, Buffalo Style. (Just the way I like it.)
Sides with my Barbecue Sampler Platter (Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken, Chopped Brisket, and Two Ribs) Baked Beans & Corn Bread, both tasty.
The ribs they serve are Spare Ribs (St. Louis Style) as opposed to Baby Backs, 2 of which came on my sampler platter, I liked them, good crust, and they (and I know some people will say they’re overdone at this point, but they tasted delicious.) fell off the bone easily.
Their salad dressings (we had Blue Cheese with the wings, and Ranch with the salad) are made fresh in house, a nice touch.
Servings are ample, like I said went home with much leftovers.
The not as good.
As I mentioned, I got the Barbecue sampler, a very generous serving of meats, that looked mouthwatering.
Unfortunately, and I’ve seen this in a number of other people’s reviews, seriously lacking any smokiness, so that was kind of a buzzkill. I guess considering the name of the place, that’s a pretty big strike.
Will I go back? Sure, just don’t know if I’ll get the pulled or chopped meats, maybe I’ll fare better with the Sliced Brisket, or half a chicken.
Anyway, heading down RT 15? Try it for yourself, maybe it was an off day for BBQ, and everything else we had was fresh, hot, and delicious.

Our first visit and it was amazing! Good food, good atmosphere, kid friendly and great service throughout. We will definitely be back. Highly recommend a visit. May even become a regular.

I love this place. The food is delicious. I do have one suggestion though! A little more décor and maybe some low music (not loud so you have to scream over it but just some background) would add to it. it is so bland inside. and quiet. A little jazzing up I think would get more people returning rather than ordering take out, which is what we do. But again, you can’t beat the food, very consistently delicious… and the prices on point. And I agree with another poster– maybe an additional sauce for the bbq — maybe a raspberry chipotle for the fruiter minded folk would be perfect!

I like this place. It’s relaxed and comfortable.
We met a friend and we each got different dishes. They were all delicious. We got a lot of good food for the price, and followers know I hold this to the highest standard.
You have to order at the counter, but someone brings you the food, checks up, and cleans up. At first I didn’t mind this at all, but now that I’m thinking about it, bad move. I completely forgot to leave a tip. Not having an actual wait staff introduction or a check left at the table blocked it out of my mind. My SO doesn’t remember if he did or not. I’m very, very sorry guys. I’ll get you next time.
My biggest criticism has to do with the dishes. My SO got his brisket and pulled chicken in a cup (think of a cup of soup from a diner). It made it hard to mix with the sauce and eat. Same goes for my mashed potatoes, even though I didn’t mix it. It made it tough to eat without making a mess. A bowl or a plate might make portions appear smaller, but I think for eat-​in they would be nicer.
I’m looking forward to another visit.

a true Texas smoke house.
I eat lunch here twice a week, without fail.
their brisket is melt-​in-​your-​mouth perfect.
I’d like to see more than 3 choices of sauce, but that is truly a minor criticism.
outdoor seating, ample parking, and lunch specials offer an unbeatable value.
staff is always friendly, and accommodating. service time is excellent.
whether you are a BBQ expert, or just want a tasty meal consisting of real food, you will be quite satisfied here.

Sliced or chopped brisket? This is a question of some importance but I’m not qualified, having spent no appreciable time in Texas. I first learned bbq in North Carolina so I want moist pulled pork piled on a bun and topped with coleslaw, slashed generously with vinegar-​pepper sauce. I got 3 outta 4 at Texas Smoke — no carolina sauce, and no sweet tea either. A 3.5 star place because of the good food, low price, fast service and friendly people.
Bring beer! Study the menu online before you arrive bcos the first thing you have to do is order at the counter. The menu is frankly enormous for a bbq joint, they even do various tex-​mex stuff like quesadillas and empanadas.
is this great bbq? Well, let me tell you what I liked. Everything comes *unsauced* and you add as much or little of the the mild, medium or medium-​hot sauces. Frankly I think you can hide a lot of sins under a thick blanket of sweet brown sauce, that’s not done here. The ribs were tender with some hints of smoke. The pork was really good just plain, moist and yummy. The white-​meat chicken was more moist than dry, typically bland as chicken invariably is. Chopped brisket had a nice flavor.
None of the meats were smokey enough for me, I’d prefer to see the bark on the meat mixed in. I saw the big smokers outside too so I’m sure there’s some bark here somewhere. I was hoping for burnt ends too but didn’t see it on the menu. The sauces were too thick for me, if I’m trying to moisten the meat, I don’t want to add a ton of sugar. But hey I already told you about my bias towards vinegar sauce.
Our food came out very quickly. We got the family dinner for 4 which had pulled pork, pulled chicken, chopped brisket, 4 kaiser rolls and two sides for $ 25. This is seriously cheap for the amount of food — not naming any names but if you eat down the road in Wharton you’ll pay many times that. Loved the spicy corn-​bean-​tomato-​pepper salad, and the baked beans were just right. Corn bread was a bit too much like cake for me tho.
Many options for those eating gluten free — the meats and sauces are all promised as such, the mashed potatoes are a fine accompaniment, the bean/​corn/​pepper slaw likewise.
Vegetarian rating: 1 star but hey this is a temple to animal protein. Their sides are many & varied, choose from baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, bean & corn salad, Spanish rice, garlic mashed potatoes and some green salads.

Texas style bbq in NJ. Felt like I was back in Texas tasting all the smoked meats. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who enjoys the taste of real bbq.

Hands down the best BBQ place in the area. Reminds me of real authentic BBQ from way out south/​southwest.
The food is really good and very moderately priced. There are a tables in the dining room area, wooden logs everywhere neatly stacked, and an outdoor patio for warmer weather. You can also see the smokers outside where the magic happens.
The place isn’t fancy at all, looks very rustic and smells like what a BBQ establishment should smell like. You walk in and immediately know you by taking in the smell that the food is going to be good here.
We ordered the Ribs, Wings, Brisket, which came with cole slaw. We also got two types of wing sauces, the hot one was very hot and had a nice kick to it. The BBQ one also didn’t disappoint. I will order more ribs for sure as we got the tasting platter and although it was a good amount for me and my girlfriend I wanted more of the wings and ribs even though I was stuffed into a bbq coma.
The mashed potatoes were also excellent and so was the cornbread. I will return here for sure.
They don’t take AMEX however, oh well.

Favorite bbq in the area.

The food is great and the service is also great I love the pork my wife loves the beef brisket the BBQ sauce you have 3 to pick from mild, spicy, hot I like the movie mild always love coming here.

This place is anything but a Texas smokehouse BBQ. The mashed potatoes were awful and had the flavor of stale garlic powder. We got the pulled meat sampler, what a disappointment that was. The brisket, chicken and pulled pork were dried out to almost powder. There was no smoke rings, or smoke flavor anywhere to be found, the hard rolls were at least three days old and as hard as a rock. BBQ sauce needed to drench all of the meat, leaving no flavor of the chicken, brisket or the pulled pork. Which should have been the main focus. About 5 minutes after we got the food, the staff came and asked if we wanted boxes and this kept up 3 more times while we were ready to go. We were there a total of an hour. The only thing that was good there was the cornbread. If you want good BBQ, I suggest you get a smoker and do it yourself, I’m sure it will taste much better then this place

A-​OK sort of say’s it all, though I wished it would have been better. Good BBQ up there is a must. The side dishes were actually quite good; nice tang in the cole slaw with a good balance of salt, vinegar and sugar. Nice brunoise on the cabbage and carrots. Baked beans were tasty, firm, sweet.
But I went there for BBQ, not corn bread and other sides. The ribs were good but dry. The level of smoke was good but tasted like it’s been waiting for a customer for hours. The brisket, chicken and pork were all pulled and dry. You add the sauce after but at that point, it doesn’t help moisten the meat. I prefer finishing with sauce while still hot on the grill/​oven. All the juices from the meat and fat were no where to be seen.
It’s a lot of food, you certainly won’t go hungry with one order. It’s seasoned well enough, just can’t get over how dry everything tasted. Change that, and I think you have a winner.

Absolutely awesome BBQ. What a great place and find. Loved the pulled pork and sliced beef. Corn bread is out of this world. Real! Mac and cheese is great.

Why didn’t I ever stop by here before? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
I drive by this place everyday and always smells good and I heard others talk about this place.
We finally ordered take out from here on Saturday. First the staff on the phone and staff at the desk when we picked up the food was great!
Then the food. Yes, it was that good so I will tell you about each item we ordered
1. Wings — any idiot could throw some wings in flour, then in oil and then throw it in some sauce. This place seasoned the chicken to perfection then fried it perfectly. Not even one of them was overcooked, over sauced and all of them were the same size. I love wings and often find the inconsistency annoying. You also tasted that it was fresh.
2. Brisket sandwich — Holy Meat batman!!! The sandwich had more meat in it than I expected. Meat so tender that it melted in my mouth. I had some grubby hands near me so folks started to pick off the meat from my sandwich. Everyone loved it. It was seasoned and cooked so well.
3. Ribs — perfectly done!
The gave us some awesome mashed potatoes and sauces on the side.
Guys, please keep on doing what our doing!!! I’ll definitely be stopping by more often.
If your into real BBQ, real food and fresh food you need to try this place!