I had the cuban sandwich..nice! My wife had the Jethro..very good she said! The owner came out to check if we liked the food..Nice Touch!..The place has personality..ok..kids can eat here too..good! Nice casual, music down low..dim lights..I think the owners found a good location..and offering a good product..We'll be back. read more

See all

The best tenderloin tips we've had, ever! The waitress we had looked like a little Strawberry Shortcake thing and was super friendly. She was knowledgeable & knew the menu up & down helping us to decide what we should order. She always had our drinks filled even though they were pretty busy. Nice nostalgic atmosphere. Love this place, will recommend to all our friends for sure. Can't wait to try their weekend Brunch. Great Spot Downtown Niles! read more

Food was great! They were out of the brisket and the owner called and ended up giving us a platter of pulled pork and ribs. Super gracious and tasted great! Will be back. read more

I took my friend here today because she is moving to Mackinaw,MI for 6 months. My friend and I have been here several times in the past and the food is homemade. Come early as his food sells out fast. I don't eat ribs but my friend said they are fantastic as well as the different sauces. I try to eat healthy so I usually have grilled chicken with spring greens and spinach with homemade salad dressing. They ran out of the spring mix so they compensated with a cup of homemade tomato soup. I have never seen a restaurant do this so that is a plus in my book. My friend usually gets the pulled pork which I tried and it's very good. I enjoy the food here as it's a lot healthier than other places. I'll be back again soon. read more

See all

Spectacular food!!! Great little place to enjoy some very high quality food and atmosphere!! Staff is excellent!!!

The food here is amazing! My husband always gets the tenderloin steak tips, which are excellent. I am vegetarian, so I always get the cauliflower tacos which I have to admit, I am addicted to now! read more

Meaty slow smoked rack of ribs with good homemade sauces on the side. I will be coming back for more. Bonus The Clash and other cool music playing in the background read more

See all

Some of the best BBQ I've had. The ribs were off the charts. The owner was great and shared info about the mouth watering Sunday brunch with candied bacon, brisket, home made sausage gravy...wow! They also have a real soda shop. Can't wait to go back. read more

We stopped in for a quick bite. Cute place with vintage charm & antique Tonka trucks line the walls. The owners were very friendly and helpful. They smoke the meats & burgers over cherrywood. We had the pulled pork sliders & the brisket sliders. Both were good and piled high with meat, plenty for lunch. The sauce has a unique spicy, sweet flavor. They also have an ice cream counter, but we were too full from lunch, maybe next time read more

Their Brisket is awesome. Great atmosphere. Will definitely comeback. Especially for breakfast buffet on Sundays

My husband and I were looking for good BBQ and found this restaurant online and decided to try it based on its reviews. Great atmosphere inside. I love how it looks like an old soda shop. (May have been) Hubby ordered the brisket sliders which were amazing and ordered chips, which he did not get. I ordered the Jethro sandwich, which wasn't that great to me, but my husband polished off the pulled pork that was inside. The meat was tough and flavorless and it's supposed to come with coleslaw on the sandwich and there was hardly any. I mean, a few strands here and there literally, so the owner brought me out a nice sized bowl. So, I ate the beans, which are the best I have ever had, ate most of the pasta salad, which is good and ate some of the slaw, which is mediocre. We will be back because my husband really enjoyed the food and he would give this place 5 stars, but my meal was just not impressive. What made the meal really good though, is that we had this amazing server! I wish I knew her name so I could give her proper credit, but she wasn't wearing a name tag. One of the best servers we have ever had and we eat out A LOT! The prices here are very very fair! Our bill was 21 dollars and it costs that much to eat at crappy McDonald's, so the prices are super impressive! The owner didn't seem super nice, but the man could have a lot on his plate, who knows. We will definitely be back though and if you are in Niles Michigan, stop in and give this place a shot. read more

The meat was cold, and Cole slaw & veggies lousy. The only good thing was the sweet potatoes.

Jim's is amazing!! His Wednesday buffet is my favorite and always a good choice! However, when he does his cast iron burgers it's always the right choice! read more

Here for a late lunch. Server is super friendly & attentive. I got the Pastrami Rueben. WOW! The most tender & flavorful I've ever had. read more

We will not be returning to this restaurant. I do not suggest anyone else dine here if they have any real taste for true bbq. The "house" bbq sauce tastes like a mere combination of vinegar and ketchup. The ordered meat came out cold. Beans were a strange black chunky mush with little taste. The coleslaw was the most edible item ordered although it left a lot to be desired. Mostly vinegar on cabbage. Lemonade was this weird disgusting flavor. Interior looks neat inside the building. Not much to say about service. It wasn't great but not bad, just gross food. read more

Food was average at best and not warm. I can take it in a pinch but wouldn't go there as my first choice.

This unassuming spot totally knocked our socks off! It was a sleepy afternoon in Niles, so Jim - the friendly owner, who takes true pride in his kitchen - offered us an off-menu blackened grouper, which I ordered on tacos. Holy cow. I've had tacos in Chicago, Texas, Mexico, and California, but these held a candle to any of them: perfectly cooked grilled grouper, a tasty homemade side of their sweet (but not too sweet) house-made vinaigrette slaw, and a generous amount of onions, cilantro, and lime for on top. I was blown away. Will definitely be back to try the bbq offerings next time, but this exquisitely prepared fish was just what the doctor ordered on a picture-perfect summer day. Brought them over to the Node to enjoy with a local brew, and we couldn't have been happier. read more

The foods pretty good a little pricey for the size of the plates but it's some hometown cooking

Absolute amazing food! And amazing service. My fiancés favorite for bbq. Just mouth watering brisket woo! Such a cute mom and pop shop

I'm updating since my 2017 review. He now serves breakfasts which are a true blend of the right flavors, and just the right combination of creativity with making it real! In addition to his Wednesday Buffet, He has a Brunch Buffet on Sundays which is fabulous. Jim is a a TRUE master with food. THE MEATS are ALL smoked for hours over a real wood fire, as are the beans and a lot of other dishes. The reason he occasionally "runs out" of certain food items is that his food is "slow cooked", and the demand is so high. He makes his own New York Pastrami and smokes it!!) His ribs are always in demand. I just had the Steak Tips for a change-- wow. They were so tender and flavorful ( add the onions, they are a treat!) The Wednesday Buffet has the chicken, pulled pork, incredible bourbon baked beans, slaw, etc. et.. Jim creates soups and new food items, posting them on FB. It's a great value for people who truly enjoy food and the delightful subtle flavor of REAL smoked food. He doesn't have gelato at present, BUT you can get Malts and Shakes to remind you of when this was the Paris Shoppe and yes, Jim has a food truck and caters graduations, weddings, football gatherings, etc! read more

First time eating here. This place was hopping with every table full for lunch. There was a Wednesday Buffet that featured an amazing array of meat and sides. I ordered off the menu and today it was a cast iron cooked burger, cooked perfectly at medium rare. Guests had ham sandwich and homemade chicken tortilla soup. Other guest had the grilled cheese. All meals were perfect and the soup was outstanding. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

What a warm and welcoming place! Our server, Katie was warm, informative and the owner Jim gave us a detailed tour of the ins and outs of Niles, MI. As the bourbon beans were't ready yet, he snuck out a couple of scoops for us. The atmosphere is terrific and the old fashioned soda fountain was an unexpected delight. The best part-THE FROZEN mugs to keep your drink really cold. Terrific spot. Thank you Katie and Jim! read more

The food was very good, the staff was pleasant and friendly and very helpful I would recommend this place for breakfast or lunch and somewhere in between. read more

this restaurant gets a one star rating ONLY because the food is good. the male server with heavy accent ruins it for me! rude rude rude. I have worked in restaurants and other retail places and never ever would I act like that nor would I have a job had I acted like he did. my son talked this place up and I was in town visiting and we decided to eat there....definitely not the experience he had other times they ate there. a man that I can only assume works in the kitchen came out to our table a couple times deserves a big kudos tho, he was very kind and helpful! read more

They are open for breakfast now. I had an amazing omelet and the coffee was dark, strong and rich. No bitterness or acid bite. This place is a GEM! read more

We were lucky enough to get the ribs and OMG, they were wonderful! Very meaty, with a dry rub, they were so delicious we both skipped the sauce. Suggestion: if you want ribs on a Saturday night, call ahead. 2 sides we chose were both outstanding: a sweet and very crispy coleslaw and sweet potatoes that were such a treat, you can save they for dessert. read more

Great new place in downtown Niles. I had the pastrami sandwich. Sooo good. Old timey counter or cafe tables. Jim probably the best meat guy in SW MICHIGAN. read more

Jim's Smokin Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Niles, Michigan

See all

Had lunch at Paris Soda Shop in Downtown Niles, MI. Nostalgic decor that brings you back to your small town 50s milkshake shop, food was delish but expected more for what we paid for ($10 pulled pork meal and $8 ham sandwich). Ran out of lettuce and beans. Disposable forks and plates. Would love to try their ice cream and ribs. Menu said it's available Friday and Saturday but server told us it's only available by 5pm. read more

See all

Absolutely wonderful food and service. We went in after seeing the angus ribeye special on the facebook page. It was AMAZING! Husband ordered the steak medium well, it was cooked to perfection, tasted delicious and could seriously be cut with a butter knife. It came with a choice of sides, he got a baked potato that was large enough to feed two people and a side of green beans. I had the brisket tacos and they were awesome. 2 tacos on a charred soft tortilla, stuffed full of beef brisket with a onion and cilantro mix topping and lime on the side. Service was friendly and very fast. The owner came out and chatted with us for quite some time and put up with all our food related questions. this is located on Main in downtown niles and it is worth the drive no matter where you're coming from. read more

This place is a vibe and a half! It's small but very cool music and great customer service. Hands down THE best Mac and cheese I've ever had! The pulled pork melts in your mouth and pulls apart so easily. The sauce is very different than any other sauce I've ever had -- not your typical sweet bbq sauce but it's still very good! The prices are so reasonable for the quality of food. Definitely will be coming back for the pulled pork and Mac and cheese! SO SO SO GOOD! read more

Another one of Niles, Michigan's many gems... Outstanding food! Jim smokes all of his own meats, and produces the best pulled pork, chicken, ribs and sweet bacon I've ever tasted anywhere (I'm a Chicagoland resident). Prices are most reasonable, service is friendly. Jim has a Sunday brunch buffet from 9 am - 2 pm, with the usual sampling of smoked meats as well as an amazing "French Toast Casserole". Be sure to come hungry... you'll leave very satisfied! read more

My husband and I ate at Jim's Smokin' Cafe on the first Friday of August. We ordered the "create your own" burger. We added olives and Swiss Cheese and Provolone Cheese. The first burger was so delicious that my husband and I ordered another one to split. Night and Day were served to us. We were in Heaven with the first burger. We both agreed that it was the best burger we had ever had - EVER! The second burger was not made in Heaven. It had a bitter, smoky taste. I took one bite and couldn't eat another. No doubt the first burger was made by the owner and the second burger was made by a line cook. We ordered the second burger medium rare and it came to the table well-done. Unfortunately, we don't believe the owner had passed on his expertise of how to make an outstanding burger. We actually wondered if the second burger had been made by another restaurant in town. So unfortunate. It is critical that food be consistently delicious. We will go again but will be sure to ask for the owner to make the food. Hmmm...We gave it four stars only because the first burger would have gotten five stars. However, the second burger demoted it to four stars. read more

This was the first time that I ordered from Jim's. Ordered three special plates that had pulled pork and chicken and two sides, and three brisket plates with two sides. Everything was excellent, from the ordering process to assembly of my take-out order to the food. Will be going out of my way to visit them again. read more

Fantastic!!! Jim's catered my son and daughter in laws wedding and....holy cow! They did a superb job!!! The food was perfect. Every guest specifically complemented the food. Jim and his crew provided A+++ service. They even stepped in when the beverage company didn't send enough staff...Jim saw stuff needed to get done and they did it! read more

We had lunch here yesterday after hitting the local garden centers. Cute, low-key place with really good BBQ. Spoke to the owner on our way out and he indicated that he's working on getting a liquor license in the near future. They also have gelato which we didn't try but looked very good. read more

We came here for a wedding rehearsal dinner the restaurant was closed so this review is more for their catering/buffet service then the normal restaurant. They had a generous selection of delicious smoked chicken, tasty pulled pork, beans, yummy coleslaw, mashed potatoes and gravy and of course all different barbecue sauces from mild to spicy. They also had to it so you could go up go get ice cream. If you need a place for a party you should consider Jim's Smokin' Cafe. read more

The Reuben is just amazing. I strongly recommend it. The pastrami on the Reuben is melt in your mouth delicious.

You'd think a place that said soda shop, malts, and sundaes would have these things! Not the case! Ice cream case was GROSS service was lacking in friendliness. My husband's hotdog bun was stale, they were out of lemonade and my chips were crumbs. Very disappointing! read more

See all

We just had lunch at Paris Soda Co. BEST brisket ever!! My husband had the pastrami sandwich and it was awesome as well.

I was a little unsure of a place that was mixing BBQ, gelato, and "Paris". Furthermore, while I'm a fan of BBQ I'm not necessarily a fan of dry rub. I was pleasantly surprised! My husband had the half rack of baby back ribs - they had a very flavorful dry rub that had just enough after-kick to be spicy but remain edible. I had the pulled pork sandwich - lots of meat, again dry rub (but not dry!) but no spicy kick on this one. Both our dishes were great with all three house-made sauces but we liked the Caramelized Onion and the Spicy best. Service was outstanding and Jim visited with the customers when he wasn't out back checking the smoker. This was a fun stop and we'll definitely be back next time we're in town. read more