JL Smokehouse kept coming up as a recommendation for a restaurant near our AirBnB. We were celebrating my brothers birthday, so we decided to try it out. JL was in the back getting the smoker going, so we knew it had to be a great place. We were not disappointed. We ordered one of the family pack options since there were 6 adults and 3 kids. It had a full rack of ribs, 6 meats and 5 sides. It was way more than enough food. They even gave us rolls and a full bottle of their own BBQ sauce which was delicious. We are all from out of town (came to AZ for spring training), but are already talking about stopping by JL's next year- especially since we didn't get a chance to try the brisket!!! read more

This place is amazing, and food is so juicy! The Service was fantastic. The ambiance is so welcoming . Can wait go back!

Wow, the food was great!! We've been wanting barbecue for months and it's hard finding decent places in Vegas. We ordered a combination of ribs, brisket and pulled pork with macaroni and baked bbq beans. I can tell this food was made from the heart! We will definitely be back!! read more

I've ordered brisket from at least 25 BBQ restaurants in the Valley. This BBQ place had the toughest brisket to ever touch my teeth. No, I will NEVER go back! No thanks. I just did the "Pull Test" and couldn't tear the brisket apart. ******* UPDATE******** JL from JL Smokehouse reached out to me immediately after my post. He will be refunding my purchase. The owner was very concerned and offered his apology for the brisket being cut wrong. YES, I will go back to meet JL and give him another chance. read more

Some of the worst bbq I have ever had tasted days old, pork belly and ribs both dry like how do you mess up ribs... brisket was juicy but had zero flavor, Mac and cheese had zero flavor , corn bread was literally burnt on the bottom, only decent thing we ate were the beans and the sausage... Barbecue sauce was the worst so bring your own if you dare to eat here Maybe I came on a bad day but if you fuck up the food that bad just don't even open for the day... read more

Buckle up buttercup. This place is the real freakin' deal. Pro tip: order the combo packs, I suggest the heavy hitter: You get the full spectrum of what's offered here without overcommitting - this is the way to go for first-timers. We ordered take out for 11:30 and it was handed to me by 11:50 but when I arrived home, all my worries melted away with every. Single. Bite. Of. South. In. My. Mouth. WHOA. The brisket. The ribs. The mountain of pulled pork. JL raised the bar so high for BBQ in The valley. The meat is juicy, the rub is aggressive (in a wonderful way). Nothing fancy going on here just some really stinkin' good food. For the love of brisket, show this place some love and don't forget to thank me later!! read more

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What a great find. We had three families fly into Sky Harbor Airport and all of us had early flights that didn't get into Phoenix until 2 pm. We were starving. I looked on Yelp and JL Smokehouse looked perfect. The place doesn't look like much from the outside but the food and friendly service make up for the lack of ambiance. We ordered a couple of brisket sandwiches, a pork belly sandwich and brisket tacos. With ranch style beans and coleslaw as sides. Nothing disappointed. The pork belly was the winner. Awesome flavor, smoked to perfection. The brisket was extremely tender with a beautiful smoke ring. The portions were huge. The sausage was a kielbasa and was ok. The tacos were also a hit. In regards to the sides, the slaw was perfect, a little creamy a little sweet. The beans were also nice. The owner came out and met everyone and was very personal. This place is a must have if you are looking for good food at s good price and aren t trying to impress anyone with a fancy atmosphere. read more

Food has always been good, service has been good, always clean inside and they make sure you get the best meal deal for your money when placing your order. read more

everything was delicious. I would come back here every single day if I had the opportunity! got a sneak peek at the brisket eggrolls , they will leave you unspeakable. read more

This Place f Gave me the worst feeling. I wanted to throw up all day and night. Maybe they don't wash their hands before they touch the meat. Don't go here. If you value your health. Maybe i got food poisoning read more

Best bbq ever and great prices. Close to phoenix airport. Everything was amazing, but The Mac and cheese and pulled pork were my favorite.

I paid 18.49 for a pound of rib tips. I am very disappointed. I don't like mines all charred and burnt. I asked for some that wasn't too charred. I could only salvage five eat eatable rib tips. The rest of the rib tips taste like it was barbecue yesterday and reheat it for today. I'm not happy with this at all. I love me some rib tips, and this is the place that I found that has the best tasting rib tips the more more I go there the more more I'm disappointed with my rib tips I just I keep telling myself I'm not gonna go back there, but I keep giving the place another chance I will not waste my money anymore because I don't want burnt up rip tips. I'm very very very disappointed I used to come there prices were like 15 bucks went up in prices, and then seem like the meat just got worse , I'm very disappointed . thank you read more

JL Smokehouse - Rib tops - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This is an absolute must. We are from out of town and found this place by chance and absolutely love it. The smoke is perfect. The sauce is outstanding, and the sides are southern to the max. The portions are generous. I can see why this once "gorilla "operation is now a brick and mortar place. read more

JL Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

If aliens decided to travel billions of light years to visit Earth for the first time, I wouldn't be surprised if they came just for the food at JL. I've been wanting to try this place for a while and I finally did. Wish I would've came earlier. I got the 3 meat combo and sides but the owner was nice enough to toss in some others for me to try. So the first thing you notice is the aroma of smoke, the smell coming off is amazing. I tried the meats on their own, without sauce or condiments. They are insanely good as stand-alones. They season their meats with a powerful rub, you can tell. And the bark is amazing. Brisket (Lean)- Texture is soft, it's moist, and just really tasty. Pulled Pork- Smoky and flavorful Ribs-Not too fall-off-the-bone, which I prefer. On point. Sausage links-IDK if they make it there or what, but that's some of the best links I've ever had. And I'm not really a bbq link fan. Chicken-Great skin, a tad bit on the dry side but I'm sure if I got it off the rack it would be different. Still great Collard Greens-This was made with a turkey hock I think. Whatever it is, holy crap was it good. The BEST greens I've ever had. Mac & cheese- This was okay. I'm not a big M & C fan to begin with, but this was alright. The sauce- Here is my only issue. The sauce is a tomato/vinegar base. I'm not a huge fan of this type of sauce. It's okay and works well with the meats, but I would prefer a classic sweeter sauce. My next trip will include the pork belly, coleslaw, and the peach cobbler. Make sure you try this joint because it's just too good. It's probably the best BBQ in Phx. read more

JL Smokehouse - Link, Chicken, Pulled pork, ribs, brisket, Collard greens, Mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Came here on a Saturday afternoon. Place was slightly busy. Food: I ordered the straddling the fence, which includes 3 meats and 2 sides. #1 - ribs - too dried, salty, not a lot of flavor on its own. Their bbq sauce that they do have is "watery" and just doesn't do it any good. Tasteless. Bland. Even the bbq sauce could not save the ribs. Maybe they had an off day. I'm not sure. #2 - brisket - dried. like real dried. meat well fall apart, but not in the good away. flavor = salty #3 - pulled pork - probably the only ok meat that day, but I have had better elsewhere. **you can't double up on same meat as well** Sides: -potato salad - edible, but doesn't make you crave it again. -mac and cheese - pretty decent. **Incident: They lost my order on the paper they he hand writes down about 10 mins into waiting. They had to retake my order. I had to wait even longer** Service: They were nice about it, but another star off. Price: Pricey. $18.46 total with tax. If the meats were good, then the price would be justifiable. But not today. Parking: enough around the building given the limited seating. Environment: home feeling on inside. Restroom has a shower??. More of hole in wall feel then upscale interior. Limited seating. Overall: Would not come back here for awhile or possibly ever. Other bbq places to try in AZ. read more

JL Smokehouse - Inside the works - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Without question, and hands down the best BBQ I've ever had! A small, family owned joint, and fantastic food. You know the pitmaster is confident about his food when the BBQ sauce comes on the side and not slathered all over the meat to hide what's there. Had the opportunity to meet the owner and family to chat about his "Q". I don't get a chance to be on that side of town a lot, but JL will be my stop whenever I am there! read more

This food is awesome! We ordered for our entire family (7 adults) and talked with JL about the portions and options. They delivered on all fronts as we love our BBQ as most the family is from Kansas City. Best BBQ we have tried so far in Phoenix - we have toured about 10 restaurants off Yelp and agreed this was the top choice for us. The food was prepped very well and wasn't BBQ where you really taste that dirty smoke, it was clean and the sauce paired well! Great work by the team at JL Smokehouse, we will order again soon!! read more

Came here because of Mark Weins, and it did not disappoint. Everythjng tasted really good especially the ribs, pork belly, and potato salad. And also the food is extremely affordable, I got a 3 meat platter with 2 sides that serves 2 for only $24!! Will definitely come back to try other items. Also, great customer services read more

Just happened to stumble across this awesome BBQ place yesterday and I must say that it was delicious! Employees are super nice and the food was amazing! Kudos to the bbq master! read more

I wanted to love this place, the people were nice, nice Motown background music. Hardworking people. The food was ok but just a bit too much liquid smoke which is overpowering. However the potato salad was the star of the show. It's pricy and I just expected better read more

Amazing food and customer service! If you are in Phoenix, you need to stop by this place!

My family and I were in the mood for barbecue. We ordered the "Slugger" with an extra half-slab of ribs. The specific meats comprised of ribs, brisket, chicken, smoked sausage, and hot links. Today, they were out of pork belly; nonetheless, everything was freshly prepared and well-seasoned. The sides were macaroni and cheese, potato salad, baked beans, and collard greens. The food was very tasty and delicious. The customer service was phenomenal. They also offer a discount for military and first-responders. All in all, this is a humble establishment with flavorful food and peaceful ambiance. read more

JL Smokehouse - Macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and baked beans - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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The Good: A family owned and operated single location Great food with huge portion size at a great price Awesome customer service The Bad: Not the cleanest dining area The Skinny: 5 stars. James is a BBQ artist extraordinaire. My taste buds were happy, this is some of the best BBQ I've had in a while, and I've been to BBQ places all over the South, Chicago, St. Louis, Georgia, the Carolinas, etc. Although hard to spot from the street, thanks to Yelp and GPS, I found a barbecue heaven. I tried going to Little Miss Piggy's a few miles away but with no parking and long line outside the door, I came here instead. One of the coolest things for a foodie is to step into a hole in the wall and pull out a great prize. Here, there is great food, good portion size, and a good value. Barbecue places that are decent usually cost over $20 for a good sized platter. But not here. For $13, I got the choice of two meats and a fantastic mac and cheese for $13.00. It was enough to feed two people. I came in smelling like after shave and came out smelling like wood smoke. Heaven. Just so you know, the dining area has seen better days. The walls had customer scribbled words of positivism and love. I had just finished my last appointment of the day, so I came in at 2:00 PM. There were still a few people coming in that were regulars. The owner said some of the selections might not be available, but I was able to snag the last of the Tri-Tip and Pulled Pork. I waited for them to pack it, and then I saw they also had a home made peach mini cobbler. Yes, sir, gotta have it! Driving out of the parking lot was a challenge for a few minutes in this busy street. I took everything back to my hotel room and had a messy feast. Both meats had great flavor, and were juicy and so tender from slow cooking in smoke. The mac and cheese had a spicy tang. The peach cobbler was a great finish with cinnamon peach in a cake like crust. As hungry as I was, I could only finish half of what they gave me. I certainly hope if I'm in the area again, I can try more of their selections. read more

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Best BBQ in Arizona!!! The ribs tips are amazing! I don't like bbq sauce on my meat but theirs is good! I'm glad she threw some in on the side for me. I'll be getting it everytime now. I will highly recommend this place to anyone who asks me where to get good BBQ from now. I'm from South Texas and we love our bbq and this place hits the spot!! read more

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Small location best to order and pick up so you won't have to wait lock the brisket tacos were excellent. They have a home made shell that appears to be like made of hot water cornbread. Also we had the two meat meal with brisket and sausage their cabbage and sweet potatoes. The sausage read more

I give the Rib Tips (5) Star Rating. Taste like Chicago Rib Tips. Excellent. Best in Arizona, better than Famous Davs's read more

Six stars. Was really good! Smoked sausage and Mac n cheese were supreme. They have a bbq seasoned potato salad too. So good. The people were so nice and it has a relaxing atmosphere. read more

JL Smokehouse - 3 meat plate. Got side of cole slaw and potato salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Haven't been to JL in several years. There is a lot more staff on hand which means they are knocking it out of the park. I had the same things that I ate last time I was here. I brought my brother along for this ride. We ordered a 1lb of brisket, a 1/2 rack of ribs, baked beans, coleslaw, and some collard greens. What a meal. My brother kept saying " Man , this is the best ". The BBQ here is not sweet and slathered with BBQ sauce. It is on the side. That is the way to do it. Fall of the bone ribs. Brisket with a great smoke ring by the fat which at times just melts in your mouth. Love the sides too! Hands down my favorite BBQ joint in this neck of the woods !!! read more

Best BBQ I've had in the last 20 years! The food was simply amazing. First time there and will Be back for sure. read more

oh my God, top-five barbecue experience of my life... still licking my lips. The beans off the hook, collard greens amazing. Smoked sausage to die for. Homemade barbecue sauce slathered on everything. Hot water cornbread? Different but amazing. All of the meats were so flavorful. read more

Not sure if this place is still in business. I attempted to get food from here. Drove over 30 min and arrived around 5:50ish. Hours online and window state they are open 11-7p but everything was chain locked and gates closed etc. as if closed down for business. read more

Have to say, another desire was to find the best BBQ in the Phoenix area. Happy to say so far this is the very best I have found. The sign says made with Love, and clearly it shows. The ribs were perfectly done, rub was fantastic, and the dip in the sauce with a hint of spicy and sweet was perfection. Other items I tried... The pulled pork, again cooked to perfection and still moist, drizzle some of the BBQ sauce and it is delicious. Then the links for good measure. Nice bite with a snap! Good crunch and good spices. The potato salad was solid, with great flavor. Last the mac and cheese. Oh boy very rich, and creamy, cheesy, goodness. Love this place and will be back again soon! read more

JL Smokehouse - Pulled Pork, Ribs, and links with Mac and Cheese side. AWESOME BBQ! - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Good food. BBQ spaghetti. I was really surprise that this little barbecue spot had such good food.

I came here from California for work. I had the Heavy Hitter and everything was like being at the family or neighborhood BBQ! read more

JL Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

if I could give this place more than 5 stars I would! By far the best bbq Ive ever. the food was so juicy and full of flavor. the sides were all very good. not like the basic sides you normally get. The owner and staff were very kind and helpful. I would definitely make the drive from tucson to here every single time. it is worth it!! You would not be disappointed read more

We came here based on these reviews and I must say... I'm speechless the brisket is 10/10 highly recommend I'll be back for sure. Brisket tacos are the best!!!!! read more

Pulled pork sandwich full of flavor highly recommended Brisket very strong in flavor also a must have read more

So I Have been in phoenix Arizona for 2 weeks straight now, for my first time (work trip) , we have ate out everyday and today so happens to be my last workday before returning to San Antonio , Tx.... I am glad we decided to try this place out....this spot is undoubtedly the best place to get great food In phoenix. Affordable prices, friendly staff, very delicious and filling . Great job guys thank you read more

We ordered JLs for an awards ceremony at our school building. He was incredibly helpful in planning the event and getting us everything we needed (including things we didn't even think to remember like buns and bbq sauce). The amount of food for the price is insane and every item we had was insanely good. The pulled pork even without bbq sauce was out of this world. The smoked flavor of both the pulled pork and the ribs was perfectly balanced. The baked beans were perfectly seasoned and the potato salad was AMAZING (not sure what seasoning was in there but that was so good). We will definitely be using JL again in the future for catering and I can't wait to go back with my family to have it fresh. read more

Really wanted to like this place! I love supporting small owned businesses but I can not say anything good about the food. I was in the Art District and really wanted rib tips. I had planned on going to Trapp Haus but they were closed. Looked up BBQ and JL's came up. Read the reviews and figured I was up for an adventure why not. Walked in and was greeted immediately. The cashier was very pleasant. We ordered rip tips, sausage sandwich, bbq beans and potato salad. We were told there were 6 people ahead of us and it would be a while. My husband and I said no problem. When a restaurant tells you a while you figure 15-20 minutes! NOPE 45 mins later we had our food. Many people around us were getting impatient waiting for their food as well. The rip tips were very meaty but had no flavor except the wood from the bbq. The portions are very big! There is no complaint there. The beans were okay but the potato salad taste like they pored a whole jar of sweet pickles in it. My husband's sausage sandwich was ok and tasted like smoke Kabasa. Not what we were expecting at all. read more