This five star review for this little family owned barbecue joint is pretty much dedicated to one…read moredelicious sandwich that they've been serving up for a number of years now. I'm talking about the Sho Boat. Plenty of reviews have already mentioned it, and even though I've had other items on their menu, and they've all been delicious, when you stop by Smokehouse Barbecue, you will notice two things... 1. There is typically a line. 2. 99% of the patrons are getting the Sho Boat. So much so that the woman behind the counter just points to people with her pen and says, "Sho Boat? How about you, Sho Boat?" The sandwich consists of perfectly seasoned chopped pork shoulder. Smoked daily on the pit outside on the back of the establishment. It's an awesome blend of juicy, meaty chucks of pork with just enough fat to pull it all together. It's then covered in a sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce on a nice crusty French roll and served with a side of fries, which are also drizzled in their signature sauce. The Yelp! reviews for this place mostly feature pictures of this sandwich, as you will see here in mine. There's not much else to say that hasn't already been written. Yes, it occupies a side space in a local Shell gas station. Yes, it is family run business by people who are absolutely lovely, super friendly, warm and inviting. Lastly, and most importantly, the sandwich is fantastic! The Food Network has got a TV show where all of the top chefs in America tell you about their favorite places and things to eat. The exact name escapes me, but if there were one of these famous chefs that was from Rockford, Illinois, there is no doubt they would be telling you about the this sandwich. It's that good. Again, their menu features more food besides the sandwich, although it is quite limited... But if delicious barbecue is your thing, and you don't mind waiting a minute or two, then this is a must have. Some of the reviews said this is cash only, however when we were there, they were taking a credit card. There is also ATM inside of the establishment. Smokehouse Barbecue isn't much to look at, but the people that work there know what they're doing, and it definitely shows! No frills... just one of the best sandwiches I've ever had served to you with a warm smile by wonderful people that care.

Passing thru Rockford and remembered a great little bbq joint near 20. Got their bbq pork showboat…read more Just as good as I remembered. They were quick and the food was flavorful. A small family business on the side of a shell station. Worth a stop

A party of four we went on this past Sunday The food was…read moreexcellent The service was exceptional When they found out, we were first timers, practically everybody on staff Make sure our accommodations were delightful atmosphere was veterans based you will not be disappointed

Greetings as you open the door! Friendly smiles and best of all -Good Food. I enjoy going to…read moreMission because of the warmth of the employees. They make you feel special. Did I mention Good Food- the 1/2 chicken, collard greens, and warm cornbread are my go to for take out! Always fresh! Plus, I love the Focus on Those Who Serve...

Best barbecue in Rockford hands down. I would recommend this place to everyone his side dishes are…read moregreat best collard greens and macaroni and cheese

Service is friendly jerk chicken was good 4 stars there. I had the st. Louis ribs the first time ok…read morebut kinda dry and tuff some parts were moist overall ok. Had the rib tips large size boney and dry some were very good. Sauce needs some ump kinda bland. Really just an ok place. Yes I'm from Chicago and know what's up

The best food is found here. I don't usually enjoy a potato salad or any traditional bbq sides. The…read morecornbread is incredible. The baked potatoes are always perfect. The meats are always cooked beautifully. The open eating area is nice and cozy but spacious and inviting. The outside area has a kids ply area and another canopy area with additional seating nearby but it all gets pretty full on the weekends. The staff are always pleasant and the service is superb. Always pleased with everything here.

This is a fun roadside stop with a cool atmosphere being in a barn with rolled up doors so you can…read moreenjoy the weather. Service was incredibly quick and the prices are hard to beat for BBQ. If you need a quick BBQ fix, stop in. I really wanted to love this place but found it fell short in a few areas: the pulled pork sandwich meat lacked much flavor, as did the sauces. Nothing stand out. The pork was very juicy and had a nice amount of fat. Slaw was also just okay.

I Ordered the rib dinner which came with two sides. My only…read morecomplaint was they put too much sauce on the ribs. Next time, (and there will be a next time), I will order it with sauce on the side. Service was great.

Food is on point. Fast and friendly service. Location close to my employment. Love the atmosphere.read more

We came back to try smoky bones for the second. Time. What a…read moredifference compared to when it first opened. Had the pulled pork sandwich on brioche, which was fantastic with many sauces to choose from.. The grilled cheese with smoked brisket, also outstanding. I had a side of mashed potatoes and gravy which was very good. We sat at the bar and our server was fantastic and very friendly. Frank the kitchen manager came out to see how everything was. He spoke about some changes that have been made since the opening. We thought that was great that he took the time to come out and speak to us and make sure everything was up to par. We will definitely be going back.

First time customer and I was very happy with the whole experience. My salad was so delicious and…read morethe service was amazing. It's a little loud but I will definitely be back.

Our family loves Famous Dave's! We've been getting BBQ here for years and it's always been…read moredelicious. To me, their brisket is the star of the show, but their ribs and roasted chicken are fantastic too, as well as their other meat choices. Most meals come with 1 or 2 sides, and they give you a bunch of options for those, so anyone can find something they're craving. We get takeout a lot, but when we do eat there we love the ambience of the place, makes you feel like you're not in Rockford anymore but somewhere down south. The servers have always been nice and helpful, too. Surprised by some of the low reviews of this place, I personally don't think they're warranted. Check it out for yourself and see!

Another trip to Famous Dave's in Rockford and another great meal…read more First off, the service was wonderful. I'm sorry I forgot his name but he was great! We had the Baby back ribs plus two meat platter. We actually added a third meat for $4 more. Besides the baby backs, we had brisket, chopped pork, and burnt ends. All of the meats were fantastic! For sides we had the Wilbur Beans and red skin mashed potatoes, along with the pickled onions and hell fire pickles. We love them all. I love going into Dave's and walking around the restaurant looking at all of the cool vintage signs and pictures hanging on the walls. The pictures of Dave in front of all the old historic bbq joints all over the country are really cool too. Stop in at Famous Dave's in Rockford and have a great meal like we did.

Why do I do it. Why do I continuously bludgeon myself ordering barbecue with only halfway…read moreexpectations so I can make false claims about how good the food is, and have an excuse to fall back on? I got this off of grub dash or whatever delivery service it's called. I really wanted barbecue, but I didn't expect to get mostly unpalatable, stringy meat substances. Before you guys read this & judge me, I do a LOT of smoking. I have some stuff I've smoked, in my profile. I have Backwoods Lil Chubby G2 competition reverse flow water smoker, smoked tons of meat and have been in competitions, so I know my stuff. This isn't my stuff. I ordered the three meat combo, with brisket, pulled pork and chicken. I'm not too sure where the brisket is? Was it that stringy beef meat stuff? I couldn't tell the difference between that or what the pork was supposed to be. The chicken is obvious, and while we're on the topic, the chicken is the only thing that had a distinguished flavor of smoke. As far as the other 2 meats, other than a hint of smoke, bland and flavorless. Meat portion size is insulting. I basically paid $30 for five sides and cornbread. Cornbread is actually really good. The highlight of the whole meal, and the only thing that I actually finished. I can't wholeheartedly say that the mac and cheese is made in house, nor the pasta or potato salad or beans for that matter, but I could be wrong (but I'm pretty sure I'm not, seeing the caliber of this food). I was reserving one star, out of consideration for this place, in case the brisket wasn't as tender as it should be, seeing how I had this delivered 11 miles away, but then again, I don't even know where the brisket was. If you're shredding or chopping your brisket (who does that!?), you need to close your doors, because it's obvious that you don't know how to smoke brisket. Brisket is meant to be sliced, not masked by chopping or shredding, then thrown in a steamer tray. I ate about half of it, and tossed the rest out. Headed to Denny's for another lackluster supper. Obviously the people on here raving about how good this place is, haven't had barbecue outside of famous Dave's, Dickies or some other low end franchise. Very disappointed, and waste of money. Sorry Ritchies.... Live and learn I guess. ***DISCLAIMER*** This pure, uncut, honest review is federally protected under Federal Law by way of Bill #EO14149. Removal or alteration of this review by Yelp and/or their affiliates without Expressed consent by it's author is strictly prohibited by FEDERAL law. VIolators will be prosecuted, and litigation imminent.

I ordered a side of Corn bread, Baked Beans, and Banana Pudding...to make it simple:…read more Corn bread: 7/10, needs more salt Baked Beans: 10/10 really yummy actually! Would come back just for that Banana Pudding: 1/10, Definitely need to find an actual recipe for BBQ (perhaps Texas style) Banana pudding instead of just spooning instant banana pudding with sliced banana and wafers in a cup. I was really disappointed by it, unfortunately. The service was friendly and nice! The dining area, albeit I didn't sit in for dining, seemed a bit sterile. I heard somewhere it's under new management so I'm hoping some things change.

Everything from the food to the experience is wonderful! 2…read morepeople can have a feast for around $100! The decor is really nice and you get the feeling of privacy despite other tables being there. It's like you're in your own little work in your booth. I love it! My only warning is that you better be ready to have a forearm workout from grilling your own food, but it's SO worth it!!! I go whenever I can!

The customer service was less than pleasant and the food was unfortunately not up to our Korean…read morestandards. I was excited to try something local but unfortunately it seems the establishment is trying their hand at the Korean food experiment for the first time.