My wife and I came here for lunch last July 2025, and I was happily surprised to see a smoker…read moreoutside at a BBQ restaurant. I smoke a lot of meats myself, with brisket being one of my specialties, so I was excited to try this place and especially the brisket.
We walked in around noon and were the only customers there. The girl at the counter was very friendly, and the only other person I noticed was in the kitchen area, who I'm guessing was the cook, or possibly the owner.
The first thing I noticed was the price. At first, it seemed very reasonable -- lower than what I would normally expect to pay for BBQ, almost like small-town pricing. But after seeing the actual portion size, it didn't feel like a good value after all.
When I ordered a brisket sandwich, I was asked, "Do you want everything on it?" That seemed like an odd question to me. Who puts lettuce and tomatoes on a smoked brisket sandwich? I asked for it plain, with BBQ sauce on the side.
I was also surprised to see fries on the menu, so I ordered them as my side. Most Texas-style smokehouse BBQ places don't usually offer fries as a side, but hey, we weren't in Texas.
After placing our order, we waited about 5-7 minutes. I figured maybe the fries were taking longer, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt.
When the brisket sandwich came out, the first thing I noticed was the basic hamburger-style bun and what looked like only about half a slice of brisket. The brisket itself was disappointing. There was no bark, no smoke ring, and very little smoke flavor. As someone who smokes brisket, I immediately wondered if the smoker was actually being used for the meat or if the hickory smoke outside was mostly drawing people in.
I don't have a picture of the meat, but I wish I did. It didn't look or taste like traditional smoked brisket, and it wasn't hot like I would expect. Good smoked brisket should be able to stand on its own without needing to be covered in BBQ sauce, and this one missed that mark for me.
The fries were on the greasy side, and the bun looked like a basic inexpensive hamburger bun. On the positive side, the front counter girl was very nice and even offered us a small cup of kettle corn for free, which was a kind gesture and appreciated.
The person in the back kept to himself the whole time. If that was the owner, especially in a small town, I think it would make a big difference to interact with customers, ask how the food is, and show some pride in the BBQ. Not once while we were there did anyone go outside to check the smoker, which stood out to me.
I'm not writing this to criticize a small business just to be negative. I honestly feel this place is missing the mark but has real potential. I think it probably gets a lot of first-time customers heading to or from Zion, but with the smoker out front and the right attention to the brisket, it could become a real out-of-the-way BBQ destination.
My suggestion to the owner would be to post real photos of the smoked brisket -- sliced brisket showing the bark, smoke ring, texture, and portion size. That would give customers confidence in what they're ordering. I would also encourage future customers who order the brisket to take and post pictures, especially if the brisket has a good smoke ring and bark.
Better trimming, more bark, stronger smoke flavor, a better bun, and a more generous portion would make a big difference.
I'm planning to visit Kanab again this summer, and if I get the time, I may stop by again and provide an update with pictures.
Giving generous 2 stars in hopes for future improvement and kettle corn.
