This was our first visit to Fort 88 Smokehouse, and we would definitely come back! The service and the food were wonderful. The portions were good, and despite others' reviews, we thought that the price points for the quality and the amount of food, were spot on. We were seated in a booth, which was very comfortable and the atmosphere was great. Lots of space for dining, as well as a large bar. There were just a few minor details--served water in a very cracked plastic tumbler that went unnoticed and quite a bit of dust and cobwebs on the light fixtures above the booths that prevent us from giving five stars. (Cool light fixtures, tho!) We'll be back when visiting the area, and believe this is definitely a try if you are in the area! read more

See all

Stopped in for cocktails and an appetizer and it did not disappoint. The fried pickles were out of this world -- perfectly crispy and seriously addictive. The atmosphere is so cool and inviting, and the service was fast and friendly. The cocktails were excellent and beautifully made. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

I've been trying to make Fort 88 my Friday night fish fry spot because their clam chowder is consistently excellent. Unfortunately, the fish fry itself has been very hit-or-miss, and this visit was definitely a miss. The biggest disappointment wasn't even the food..., it was the service. It took quite a while before anyone took my order. Once I ordered, the wait for the food was longer than expected, and the clam chowder didn't arrive until the rest of the meal came out, defeating the purpose of having soup as a starter. The fish was just okay, but the fries were cold. To make matters worse, I was given an empty ketchup bottle. I asked for another ketchup and a refill on my drink, but neither ever arrived. I sat there waiting, and eventually gave up and just asked for the check. What bothered me most was the complete lack of follow-up. There was no acknowledgment that my drink and ketchup were forgotten, even though it was obvious I hadn't eaten the cold fries. No apology. No "I'll be right back." Not even a simple "Thanks for coming in." At nearly $29 for a fish fry, cold fries, and a bowl of soup, I expected a much better experience. Great service can make up for an average meal, but poor service only highlights the shortcomings. Sadly, it's time to start looking for a new Friday night fish fry spot. read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

This is a really nice barbecue restaurant. The interior is so nice and clean from the tables to the restrooms. The staff here is very nice and helpful and did not mind answering any questions about certain things on the menu. I came in on a Friday evening so it was not really busy and the wait for the food was not long at all. I enjoyed the delicious brisket and chicken with a side of their nice barbecue sauce that was not too sweet but good enough for me. read more

See all

Going to make this quick as I've reviewed the a couple of times before. Just had one of the best burgers ever. March Special suggested by our friendly server was a 1/2 pound burger with cheese, bacon, aioli and a large serving of smoked corned beef on top. Just awesome! read more

See all

The food at fort 88 was very good, as always. Our grilled chicken was a bit dry, but aside from that everything was good. I was very surprised with how busy they were. The only downside to our experience was our service. We had Tessa as our server and she was not very welcoming. She seemed as if we were a bother to her. She checked up on us once as soon as we were done eating. read more

We had excellent service. However, for $24 (one entree) I expected more food and even though it tasted good it was cold. (Beef Brisket) I can't recommend and would likely not return. read more

Came here on Sunday to watch the Big Ten championship and getting a bite to eat. In from out of town. Nice restaurant with great decor. Lots of wood and metal. Lots of TV's to watch your favorite sporting event. I had the prime rib sandwich with waffle fries and my wife had burnt ends brisket and sweet potato fries. Both were good. Our server was friendly, attentive and helpful. When we come back to Fort Atkinson we will definitely stop here to eat. read more

See all

Cheese curd- Crunch- 3/5 good initial crunch Cheese-3:5 Ranch-3/5 Beer-5/5 14/20 Have a nice day read more

Nice restaurant. Clean restaurant and service was friendly. Prices are fair for what you receive.

We had 20 friends in a big room with lots of space right in the front of the place. Didn't feel hidden away but still private. Outside seating available under a roof so rain or shine. Food was good with waffle fries. read more

Pretty good BBQ for a small Midwest town. Actually, pretty decent BBQ even without the disclaimer. Fort 88 does some things very well. A few others, not so much. First, the good: Great atmosphere. Spacious, cozy, and inviting. The brisket is a standout; it's tender, smoky, and meaty. The pulled pork is also a cut above average. If you order the 2-Meat Combo Platter with these two choices, you can't go wrong...especially if coleslaw is one of your sides. Looking for something handheld? The Pudgy Pig Wrap is delicious and messy, as good BBQ should be. The Fort 88 Mac 'n Cheese with pulled pork is a winner, as are the cheese curds and fried pickles. Come on a Saturday for the prime rib special, and you might find yourself wanting to come back every Saturday for the prime rib special. It's a generous cut, cooked perfectly to order, and well-priced. All three house BBQ sauces are good, especially the Carolina. Now, the rest. The Burnt Ends were neither burnt nor ends. Real Southerners would storm the place in protest if served a plate of these. I'm not saying they were bad, but they are NOT what you would expect. The pulled chicken is way too dry and the St. Louis Spare Ribs are so-so. The Brussels Sprouts weren't tender enough or flavorful enough. Service is generally fast and friendly. There was an issue one time where my dad insisted they served him the wrong beer, and they insisted it was the right beer. I have no idea whether or not he got the correct beer ordered, but I feel they maybe could have been a little more accommodating and offered a replacement or removed it from the bill. The customer is always right, ya know? I was too busy enjoying my brandy Old Fashioned to weigh in. All in all, if you stick with the winners, you're guaranteed a pretty good meal here every time. read more

DO NOT GO HERE! Absolutely HORRIBLE service as well as management. I have never in my life had so many issues with one singular restaurant. As Fort doesn't have very many options, we ended up at Fort 88 and boy oh boy was it a mistake. The manager is some inconsiderate, extremely rude blonde that never made it out of her hometown, so instead likes to start drama at her workplace. I have had more issues with this woman than one can count on two hands, and am extremely surprised to see that she is even still working here. This place has turned into an absolute disgrace to Fort Atkinson. read more

Maybe my standards for bbq are just too high, or maybe this place just needs some guidance on how to improve their bbq. The atmosphere is actually pretty awesome and our server was great. The food.... Not so much. House Old Fashioned tasted more like a Shirley Temple, way too sweet. Burnt ends... were definitely not what I expect, very fatty, just looked like they cut pieces off the brisket, nothing was burnt about it. The brisket nachos were not appetizing at all, the brisket was cut into very small cubes, when they say you eat with your eyes, this is one of those moments. Fort 88 Mac was supposed to come in a creamy Alfredo sauce, there was hardly any sauce at all, unless you looked at the bottom of the pan where all the oil from whatever cheese was on there sat. I do think they have potential, with some expertise! read more

See all

Okay, tonight was around my 8th Saturday Prime Rib night. Consistently phenomenal. The light smokiness and herb crust with 2 sides and a salad (or soup). Were spot on. Management has a tight crew and if you want a bartender with a little added levity to add to your night...this is your place. Plus the place has a great layout. read more

I visited on 3-8-25 for just a beer. I went in and sat down. There were four other customers at the bas but unfortunately no bartender. A girl walked out and talked to one of the couples, she saw me but returned to the back. I sat there for 10 minutes with no service. I left and will never go back. No customer should ever go to any restaurant that is empty and not get served for that amount of time. If I could give them zero stars I would but Yelp won't allow it. read more

the blonde manager was absolutely distasteful. we had a party of 10 they refused to split the bill when asking the manager when this came into plave she giggled and smiled and just said no one ever complained before so not seeing your point. They would rather their customers sit and do math on bills then rotate more customers in and out. we were all so beyond upset. and we will not be returning.... After my review I was reading some others. This owner is really really something. read more

The food is super fast. The BBQ Mac n Cheese is good (I added jalapeños for heat) and the cheese curds are big. I didn't get a picture of the full bowl, but you can see the size of them here. read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - Cheese curds (what's left of them after my family devoured them) - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Rustic Smokehouse Prime Rib Sandwich Yummy. Would order again. Yes. She is Praying! read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - We. A Ole Girlfriend &I had Dinner of Steaks an nicely broiled, an presentation was great. An drinks very well mixed an taster. - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Brisket was perfect. Lots of options. Coworkers got pulled pork and brisket. They said it was delicious. Beer was cold

not great the ribs were rough. the corn wasn't soft it was hard to bite into overall i'm not sure what to think about this. Lackluster service. Would not recommend 6/10 sorry not sorry read more

The atmosphere is clean and inviting. Service was attentive without being intrusive. The wings were well smoked and juicy. The battered home made cheese curds were outstanding. The prime rib sandwiches looked delicious. The smoked, pulled chicken and pork were cooked to perfection. The habernero bbq sauce added just the right amount of heat. Proportions were ample. The only problem was I didn't have enough room for the brisket. We could not even attempt dessert. read more

I love smoked meats so was excited to try out this smokehouse in Fort Atkinson. Ate at the bar during happy hour which meant that certain appetizers were half off! We tried the calamari and the loaded fries. I like that the fries were waffle cut and plenty of pulled pork was added, queso sauce is house made and very tasty. Calamari was pretty standard like most other restaurants. The merry mule was a Moscow mule with cranberry juice - refreshing! Got the three meat platter for entree, but substituted the ribs for pulled chicken as an upgrade for $7. All the meats were underwhelming and a bit dry. The ribs were the best meat of them all, but very skinny with a thick bark. Cornbread had a little spiciness to it. Mac and cheese as a side was creamy and good. Might come back for the drinks, but probably not for the food. read more

See all

I just had the best Manhattan and pork nachos. Thank you Fiona G! You are Number 1 in my book.

Love this BBQ place! I had the ribs, waffle fries, and mac and cheese and it was all delicious read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - st louis ribs with waffle fries - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

See all

Another quick date night! Was craving some good barbecue. We got pretty good barbecue. This place is extremely pretty on the inside. Great ambiance! I ordered a apple cider mule which wasn't too bad I've had better. I ordered the 2 meat combo with brisket and ribs a side order of cheesy corn. The corn was definitely the star of the plate. The ribs and brisket were both good but needed to be more juicy and hot for me this is the only mark it missed. The wife ordered a pulled pork plate and got Mac cheese side her pork was juicy and great flavor. The corn bread was not for me there was like pimento or something in there I did not care for it but the wife loved it. read more

See all

First time here. Saturday night date night. We both ordered prime rib. I like mine rare - as rare as possible. They made it perfectly. I'm the past 2 years, no other restaurant has been able to make it as rare or good. My husband got his medium and said it was great too. Sides were roasted beans and red potatoes - those were also great! Friendly server. I don't think the price was too outrageous for what we got. The restaurant was a bit chilly, but over all - we will be back. read more

We were a little trepidatious given the mixed reviews of previous diners. But each year around the holiday we try to have a meal with our family. We've been looking for a good barbecue place in Wisconsin since we moved from a southern state 4 years ago. Our service was top-notch, and the food was very good as well. We had the fried pickles for an appetizer and they did not disappoint. Pulled pork was flavorful and juicy and my wife loved her brisket melt sandwich. Some of the best items on the menu were the coleslaw and the fries. The sauces were really a great option as well with a Carolina barbecue that we all enjoyed. My daughter even ate quite a lot of the habanero option. We may not eat barbecue every weekend, but we will be coming back! read more

Only two wait staff. Place is huge couldn't get my drink had to go to the bar. Bar said I had to pay for My drink because I was at the bar it's ridiculous. Place is nice just needs better service. Food took forever to get. read more

THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE MILITARY. However, the place is clean inside and out. The hostess was very polite., but our server was very rude. I had to get my own refill, twice. Both times several employees saw me do this and didn't say anything to me. I had the pulled pork . It was cold and dry when I got it. Culver's is right across the street, I'd definitely recommend that before this place read more

I've gone here a couple times now and every time it seems as if it is getting worse. The first time I went here it was perfect and there was no problems. The second time I went I ordered the prime rib and I never got my soup that came with the meal and my friend that I was with got cold fries. The third time I went the waitress didn't want anything to do with us we always had to ask for everything, the only time that she was quick to our table was when we were ready to pay the bill. It might be awhile before I come back. read more

We just had dinner here this evening. The restaurant is decorated well and our waitress was very nice, but there were several bugs on one of our glasses. The smoked meat was wet and not very good. The manager did not even come out to apologize for the bugs. We will not be returning. read more

Great food and service! Have a large tap selection and good cocktails. Would go again

We found this resturant online and decided to check it out while we were in Fort. The service staff we encountered were great. They were attentative but did give space to our party. The bar staff however were not as attentive and/or able to keep up. We arrived a few minutes after 07:15p and were informed it would be approximately 40 minutes before we could be seated so we went to the bar. The bar staff walked past 4 times before we were able to get service. We started with the cheese curds, which were okay. They are breaded cheese cubes. We all got the smoked meat combos, one with ribs and one with Fort 88 Mac 'N' Cheese. The brisket was the best and only okay. The chicken was dry and the pork had no flavor to it. The Fort 88 Mac was dry, the regular Mac 'N' Cheese was better while the Cowboy Beans were the best of the sides we had. The meals were not worth the $23-30. The menu isn't well laid out. The ribs are clearly marked as having an upcharge. The menu states there is an extra charge for premium sides but those aren't clearly marked. Theyre is one premium, Fort 88 Mac 'N' Cheese, which is listed with the rest of the sides and are marked with a superscript $ on the right. We didn't find this until after the bill was recieved. The service staff didn't inform us of these upcharges either, which would have been appreciated. read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - Smoked Meat Combo (chicken, pork and brisket) with Mac 'N' Cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

So , recently, about a couple of weeks back, I went to order from this place, and they had an online service that was connected to their website. So I ordered delivery through Uber. was a scam, and I was very upset because it was an hour and a half after I found out. I did leave a message and I really feel it's on them to understand that there's their website whether or not they feel they've been scammed or not and I said I wouldn't want to business with him I should have been more clear I meant I would not do delivery. I go in there this afternoon, and I'm accosted by a very rude bartender. And eventually wanted me to apologize, and because my apology wasn't sincere, she kicked me out. I go there for the Mac and cheese. I never get to smoke meat because smoke meat sucks. Overpriced and once again, the bartenders are usually not very friendly or very uneducated on how to pour a drink. Absolutely unacceptable that she accosted me and threw me out because of her comment I made about their establishment. Do not recommend the place. read more

The Mac and Cheese was excellent. It was loaded with cheese, creamy and baked to perfection. Definitely go for the Mac and Cheese; Get nothing else. How is smoked meat dry? When it's over cooked. Trust me, do not eat it without the sauce as you will choke. I had the pulled pork and the brisket. Both meats HAD NO FLAVOR! BLAND BLAND BLAND. Even the fat on the brisket had no favor. Some of the pulled pork was so dry it was stuck together and was hard to pull apart. The corn bread would have been good for some. I prefer mine without bits of corn and jalapeño. The bar service was eh! She was new and her attitude reflected it; I considered taking my tip back. I should had listened to the other reviews that mentioned the bad food and ok service. Don't make the mistake I did! read more

We went with a few other friends. It was about 1:30pm. There was almost no one in the restaurant. Clearly not busy with maybe another 4-6 patrons. The waitress was not attentive. She would spend more time sitting at a table with another coworker, or on her phone. She did not come by to check how the food was, or if we needed anything else. One of our party had to approach her to let her we were done. The food was ok. Not too notch for a bbq restaurant. The burnt ends were a little dry, and very small pieces. The wings were ok. They should offer the bbq sauces on the table as a flavoring with the others listed. The Fort 88 fries were pretty good. As for a return visit, it might possible, but it won't be at the top of the list. read more

Wish the pimento macaroni & cheese had more of a "pimento cheese dip" style sauce with smaller chopped pimentos / peppers and more of them -- overall I liked the style of noodle but small portion size for the price - maybe put into a different big bowl and have a size of garlic toast or bread Coleslaw - okay not out of this world -- pretty basics tasted like it wasn't "homemade" Veggie Nachos were my favorite thing we ordered - I'm sure they'd taste great with meat but I'm a vegetarian so was just wanting those and sides - had a really good cheese sauce and the chips tasted fresh and homemade Drinks were great / waitress and staff were fast and friendly! Would go back for apps/sides and atmosphere or as a bar Would love to see live music in there on weekends at night! read more

Fort 88 Smokehouse - Pimento MAC & CHEESE - 3/5 stars ...I was wishing the peppers were chopped up smaller and more of them so you could have them in each bite - Barbeque Near Me - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

See all

Everything I have ever tried off of their menu is great. The outdoor seating area is really nice, and the service was good, too!

I'll start with the positive. The restaurant has a warm ambiance and a nice bar. Specials for beer seem reasonable and it might be a good place to meet friends and catch a football game. Unfortunately I went there for dinner. Service was eh. She did not know the menu and told us she hadn't really ever tried the food. Should have been my first hint. I ordered the beef brisket and a side of macaroni and cheese. I had wanted to skip the sides and replace with a cup of soup. $3.00 versus $4-5 dollar prices listed for sides. She said "no can do." I can skip the sides but the soup would bean additional $3.00. So I took the sides and skipped the soup. Our food came very quickly but was Lukewarm to cold. We advised our server who said that's how it's served. My beef brisket was dry and a small portion, 20% fat. For the price very little food, nothing special. We were there on Monday night. Server was not attentive at all. The fastest she came is when we put the money down to pay the bill. Bill was about $40 for two. I can get a much better meal locally for money spent. I won't be back for dinner ever. Perhaps a drink at the bar sometime. read more