As befits their appearance on the PBS show Signature Dish, you enter the world of competitive barbecue. Chef and Pitmaster Andrew Darneille really earned those awards. I liked the modern industrial interior (exposed ceilings, cement floor), complete with bespoke woodpiles. Super cheerful service. BIG portions (with an extra side, each entree is a meal for two), everything hand-made, many nods to modern American cuisine such as the care they spend on sides and the well-crafted cocktails. Amazing how many things you can smoke. Now, drinks and food. Nothing liked a smoking whiskey cocktail, people sitting next to you will stare in envy (as well they should). Wife's grilled pineapple mojito was topped with such a large mint sprig, it was positively horticultural. Along with the complementary cornbread, a great start. My barbecue expert's half rack of St. Louis-style ribs was trimmed and plenty moist, with six BBQ sauces to choose from. Lots of pickle slices (cucumbers in any form are perfect with seasoned meat). I had the "signature dish:" plank-smoked salmon, wild rice & roasted Brussels sprouts, a superb adaptation of the art of barbecue to a healthy piece of fish. Interesting chat with Chef Darneille about the challenges of the restaurant scene. Appreciated his honesty, he appreciated our business. Even as he had a party of 60 to attend to (there were just enough tables to accommodate us). And, only a block from Metro, making for a short run through any rainstorm. Shrinkflation has yet to hit Smokecraft Modern Barbeque. Eating the leftovers, now. read more

Really good BBQ spot in Arlington. You can really taste the smoke and other flavors you don't get a lot of the time in Arlington. All of the meats were tender. Service is confusing. It was seat yourself, no physical menu, but still place your order with a waiter, drinks came out slow, but food came out quick. read more

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Food was delicious! We loved the brisket sandwich and the pulled pork sandwich. The beans and Mac and cheese were also great. Service was fast. Decor was nice. read more

We had a wonderful mid-day meal here! Our server was attentive and so kind. The menu had so many wonderful options and our group had a hard time deciding what we wanted! (as someone who has mostly vegetarian preferences, I was pleased with the options available for me) I think I would love to come back for their brunch and try more of their offerings. But overall, we were all so happy! read more

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Delicious barbecue! We loved the brisket, it was super tender. Deviled eggs were also good but have a strong smokey flavor, which I personally liked but my friend didn't as much. Banana pudding for dessert was a great way to finish off the meal. The service was great and they checked on us often. The interior was nice and great for a date night or nice dinner with friends. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Smoked Avocado Deviled Eggs - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Representing 2023 in alphabet series, S is for Smokecraft Modern BBQ. I visited Smokecraft once in July 2023 although got to have again in September 2024 at Clarendon Day festival. The one time I was in the restaurant was celebrating a friend's new job with a large group of his friends (mostly my friends too). Wow, this BBQ was the best I've had in the DMV, and it didn't come cheap, but it was worth it. I got a BBQ brisket sandwich with my favorite vegetable...Mac n' Cheese, which haha I know isn't technically a veggie. Wow, the meat was tender on a fresh buttery bun, and the mac n' cheese was a large amount and homemade, excellent too. My friend who we were celebrating really seemed to enjoy his large, delicious looking brownie ice cream dessert. Yeah, the parking is a bit of a pain in Clarendon, traffic is a bit chaotic, that crazy 6-way intersection of Washington, Wilson, Clarendon, Irving, & Fairfax [deep breath], and the bar scene is annoying here, but some good restaurants & businesses, and this is the single best restaurant in Clarendon! The 2nd time I went here was with my girlfriend in September 2024 for Clarendon Day. We took Metro as parking is even worse for an event. We were looking at our lunch options while here, and I was excited to see Smokecraft had a booth. I told my g/f how great this was, and she was game. We each got a sandwich & split the mac n' cheese. The line was long but worth the wait in the hot late September sunny day. I also spun a wheel and got a $10 gift card for here, which I never ended up using as it's extremely rare I'd ever be over here. I was looking for that card but couldn't find, but it might've had an expiration prior to 2026; I don't recall. But if I find that card, doesn't expire, I happened to be Clarendon, want to eat, in the mood for BBQ, and Smokecraft is still in business (which hopefully will be for a long time). read more

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I came here last night with friends and we had a great time! We got there at 5 so the place was pretty empty, but we also had great service. Within probably 10 or so minutes of ordering, we already had our food. I got the brisket sandwich with collards which were both great! The collards were heavy on the vinegar and spice which was good, but maybe could have been a bit meatier imo. The brisket was fantastic, drenched in sauce and not dry at all. Would definitely come back! read more

Pretty heavy but tasty food! I enjoyed the ribs, my drink, and the complimentary cornbread. I didn't like the birria tacos though - pretty dry in my opinion. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Great spot when you're in the mood for bbq. The pulled pork burnt ends and sandwich are great. We liked everything here. Service was great too and plenty of seating. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Our Iconic Pulled Pork Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I came here with a friend for happy hour after work. She wanted to treat me for my birthday, and I knew both of us would love a barbecue place. We shared the brisket egg rolls, which were wonderful and took some food to go. We got the smoked chicken and brisket to go with a side of mac and cheese. Everything was impeccable. We were some of the only people there, which worked well because the service was quick. They have plenty of seating at the bar for those who want happy hour. I would definitely come back here again! read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - 1/2 Dozen Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We were in the area and hungry for BBQ so we searched Yelp and found this place. This must be Executive chef owned because the food is fun and incredible. We had brisket egg rolls and the smoked deviled eggs. Delicious. The Cubans and the pulled pork were amazing. The desserts-keylime pie and a smoked cherry fudge brownie with icecream. We did go in for restaurant week and got a great sampling of what they offer. We will keep this on our list of GOto places. read more

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First time visiting Smokecraft Modern. I came here after a big game and the place was empty. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign. The bartender was very friendly and pleasant. I ended up sitting at the bar. I couldn't decide on what I wanted so I opted for two things. The chicken nachos and the Mac and cheese. The nachos were massive, the chicken is extra but the portion size was too big for me. The chicken was flavored and you could tell that the chicken had a smoked flavor. The Mac and cheese was served in a cast iron skillet and was a decent portion size for the price. There was a little insect problem but the bartender took care of it right away. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Mac & Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I visited on a weekend and there was not a wait so I don't think reservations are honestly needed. Parking is scarce, as it is meter city street parking. The service wasn't bad but they could stand to have more waiter's/waitresses because the waiter was also the bartender and the host. It was like a movie where you have an issue and you ask the cashier to speak to the manager, then they pop a hat on and say, "You're speaking to him/her" lol. The restaurant has a hangout spot/bar look to it. My table ordered the Whole "V" Pit Wings, Southwest Brisket Eggrolls, Smokehouse Burger w/cheddar and Mac & Cheese. You receive complimentary cornbread with butter. Unfortunately, we were not huge fans of the food and won't be returning but it wasn't the worst I've had. The cornbread was very dry, my boyfriend liked the wings but for me it tasted too much like turkey than chicken, the burger wasn't spectacular but very juicy and a simple burger honestly, the eggrolls were ok and they come with what tasted like a tzatziki sauce & lastly the best thing we ordered was the mac & cheese. Overall the food was a 5/10 but for the price, it wasn't worth the prices. read more

Made dinner reservations for 2 on a Saturday at 6pm. Upon arrival I was surprised that the restaurant was pretty empty, as I was expecting the need for reservations. When I mentioned that to the hostess, she said it would get busier soon. It did get busier but not where every table was occupied. But reservations are still a good idea. I tried one of the craft cocktails, the Southern Sky. I took a video of it being presented. It was fun but not as much smoke as you would think. I was also surprised that I didn't get a buzz from it. It was pretty good though. The cornbread bites were delicious! I was happy to see them because I didn't see cornbread on the menu and was disappointed at first. For my entree I ordered the crab cakes. The server wanted to call out that they were smoked so to not expect Maryland crab cakes. But once they arrived, I honestly wouldn't have known there was a difference. They were delicious and tasted like I would expect a crab cake to taste. Opted for mac & cheese instead of fries for a side which was a smart decision because it was just how I like it: baked on top but cheesy inside. So good! Kept the other side of Brussels sprouts (which were a bit too charred and greasy for my liking, but still good). Ordered a blondie for dessert. It underwhelmed me and needed more ice cream, so I didn't finish it. This is a cute but small spot, playing country music, and with some fun decor (see the video of the different types of wood). It's in a great location with plenty of parking options (street and garage). A solid spot for food and drinks. read more

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Spacious restaurant that was surprisingly quiet on a weekday night - we were the only ones there for a good hour! And I say surprising because they have genuinely good bbq here. Initially I was hesitant because it's a bit more than I'm used to paying for a pulled pork sandwich but the portion and sides more than justify the cost. The sandwich is massive and the sides alone could be a meal. The pulled pork was tender and there were a range of bbq sauces at the table to try. And I gotta say, the cauliflower was damn good. read more

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Came to this spot for brunch but went straight for the ribs. I'm glad I made the right choice. From the very first bite I was sold. You walk it and you're welcomed by the smell of bbq. The service was quick and our waiter was well versed with the menu. read more

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I don't eat a lot of barbecue but I didn't think this stood out too much. The sandwich was ok for the chopped brisket, and the potato salad was fine. I did enjoy that there was some egg salad at the bottom! My friend got the nachos which looked good. But the meat was cooked a bit tough for me, and I prefer it more tender. I probably would not come back here. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Chopped Brisket Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The portion size, the quality, the cornbread butter, the smoke! Ahhh man even the smokey burps are glorious memories of what you had lol I mean this is like the Cheech and Chong of smoked bbq, it's smoked everything down to the drinks, the nana puddin' and even the key lime pie! What a spin! The smoked chocolate cherry bread pudding is always their best dessert but in regards to the actual food the pork belly burnt ends get me every single time! Those things are so juicy and flavorful, it's always the hit. But the cheesesteak eggrolls were an experience of their own. The barbecue style cuban is the only way to do it in my opinion, idc if it's classic, we can still do mayo but with the mustard bbq and you're good to go. My wife and I were so excited to show my Brazilian in-laws what real smoked American barbecue is all about and I knew this would hit the nail on the head. What I didn't account for was the bartender/server who was very rude and giving us a hard time about needing to order four restaurant-week meals between myself, my wife, and two diabetic grandmothers. Suddenly he had to be really strict with everything, whereas before when we called ahead they literally said they're really flexible with the restaurant week. It was more than him trying to enforce this rule though, he just had this smug unpleasant feel about him acting very irritated when I told him I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to stay and order since I may be called into work. At that point, he clearly put the brakes on our order because the much larger table next to us, who ordered after, received all of their food before our appetizers even came. Then when they did come he picked one off the table and told the other server to take them back that it was a mistake even though it was the exact apps we ordered. I was apologizing to my in-laws as we felt extremely (forget unattended but) unwelcome and we were getting up to leave 40 minutes into being there, at which point another server came around and sat the classic cornbread on our table and completely changed the energy and gave relief to all this frustration. He took our order with the original three restaurant week meals, no problem and things went smoothly from there on out. He didn't do anything over the top aside from being a nice welcoming person, but it felt like he was an angel after the negative contrast we just dealt with. 5 big stars for the food as always Negative stars for the first server/bartender unfortunately read more

What a great place!! Found this on TikTok and it didn't disappoint. Went for brunch and it was delicious. I would recommend going for lunch or dinner if you are in the neighborhood. Service was great and the decor has a southern bbq feel. Prices were reasonable. Nice cocktail menu. read more

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The food here was SPECTACULAR!!! Service was great (super patient staff and we had a large group with some wild kids). Highly recommend it!! This place makes pulled chicken better than I've ever had, I actually wanted seconds and I don't even really like chicken! Lol. read more

Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Quality of food: 2/5 Presentation of food: 5/5 Came here party of two on a Saturday, and there was lots of space inside and made for a great ambiance! We ordered and were quickly served within 5 mins (extremely quick!) The food came out looking AMAZING (if you see the photos, I presentation gets 6/5). However, the quality and flavor - very disappointing. The pulled pork was dry, the cauliflower had the right flavor but was extremely buttery, and the deviled eggs were just okay (note, it has cilantro!). As for the banana pudding - again, presentation great, but flavor just mediocre. Wouldn't come back again unless I had a large group that wanted fast food service. read more

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I enjoyed this barbecue spot! Parking wasn't too bad. Found a spot on the street, but there's a nearby garage. We sat at the bar and had great service by Charles. He was very personable, helpful, and made great drinks. The drink I had was the "Red and Smokey." It had illegal mezcal. hiibiscus, ginger, agave. It had a smokey taste to it, but this drink isn't for everyone! They smoke other cocktails. I'll definitely try a smoked old fashioned next time. I got the brisket sandwich - came with cole slaw and one side. I opted for the brussel sprouts, which were just ok and needed a bit more seasoning. I enjoyed the sandwich. I was a lil worried at first about the caramelized onions, but Charles assured me that they were mixed in and it wasn't an overwhelming amount. He was right. It was tasty, and they had great sauces to choose from. Overall had a great time and I'm planning to come back. read more

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Perfect Smoked Turkey & Saved Our Last-Minute Thanksgiving This was my first time ever ordering a pre-cooked turkey for Thanksgiving, and Smoke Craft Barbecue absolutely saved the day. This was a last-minute family Thanksgiving that was not planned well in advance, and being able to purchase everything I needed for dinner made our family Thanksgiving the best ever. The smoked turkey was outstanding -- perfectly cooked, juicy, and full of flavor without being overly salty or smoky. Reheating it was simple, and it tasted like it had just come out of the smoker. The sides were just as impressive. The mac & cheese was rich and creamy, the collard greens were flavorful and well-seasoned, and the gravy tied everything together perfectly. What really made this special was how easy they made the whole experience. I picked up the turkey and sides, had the time to actually enjoy being with my family instead of being stuck in the kitchen all day, and still served a dinner everyone raved about. I will absolutely order from Smoke Craft Barbecue again for any holiday or special occasion. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Smokcraft Mac & Cheese, the amazing Brussels, gravy and best ever collard greens all from Smokecraft - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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The pork belly burnt ends were quite fatty, about half the dish was wasted in fat but if that's something you enjoy, you would like it! Mac and cheese did not disappoint, and neither did the quesadillas. Had a good flight of beers but the staff did not share which beer was what ... We sat in the outdoor area which was cute! Service was alright but nothing crazy. read more

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Smokecraft has been on my list-to-try for a while; glad I finally got the chance to check out their brunch on a Saturday morning. The restaurant wasn't too crowded around 12:30pm (surprisingly) - my group of 5 was seated immediately for our reservation. The ambiance and environment is really nice; I appreciate the wood finish and display of barrels throughout the space. Really made it feel like an upscale BBQ restaurant, while still keeping the energy casual and comfortable. The drinks were excellent. We went throughout several carafs of mimosas for $10 each, which are a great price for the size. Each caraf easily pours 5-6 mimosas. There was a small variety of flavors to try - we did the regular OJ and berry, both were perfect. They also had a selection of other brunch cocktails - my friend got the smoked old fashioned which she said was really fantastic. Man, the food. Just what I would have expected from a BBQ restaurant - everyone loved their dishes. We split a buffalo chicken dip to start and I had the pulled pork sandwich and fries as my entree. Both dishes were flavorful and really well made. I like that they offer a selection of bottled BBQ sauces at the table to add to your dish - I went with the the sweet original (and it was awesome). Other friends had the chicken and waffles, the cue-bano, and the avocado toast - everyone loved their selections. The staff was friendly, attentive, and quick; A+ there as well. I look forward to my next time dining here, there are a couple other menu items I want to try! read more

We had the brisket and the Monte Cristo. The Brisket was fall off the fork tender and sweetly smoky. The Monte Cristo was a blasphemous experience. Stop calling this a Monte Cristo. The Texas Toast was too thick and dry. There was no evidence it was bartered or dipped in anything. It was OK. But calling it a Monte Cristo would have you compare it to an actual Monte Cristo. In that light the sandwich sucks! Don't order it! read more

The food was delicious! Some of my faves were the deviled eggs, egg rolls, and the corn muffins. Packed with flavor and perfectly prepared. Great service! Our waiter was very friendly and attentive throughout the meal. Although the bar was not on point. The restaurant was busy but not too loud just the right amount of energy for a good dining experience. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Ribs Macaroni and cheese Deviled eggs Corn muffins A south west egg roll - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Great Mac & Cheese And love the ribs. Great late night service. Would definitely recommend read more

This place looked promising but was a bit of a let down in some areas. Pros: the mac n cheese was phenomenal. Some of the best I've had in a while from a restaurant. Plenty of cheese and flavorful. Service is also fairly quick. Location is in a great area of Arlington. The pineapple bourbon sauce was outstanding!! Cons: The meat was extremely fatty and bland. No char on the BBQ, my meat was cold and overall had no flavor, seasoning or anything on it. I got the brisket and pork belly. Didn't even finish the brisket it was that tasteless. The pork belly wasn't much better either. Don't think I would go here again anytime soon, but if I happen to be in the area, I would stop for the sides. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Mac n Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Babe, this food right here was SCRUMPTIOUS!!! From the drinks to the food, everything was delicious! Our service was incredible and our waiter was excellent! I promise I'm not trying to hype this place or the service up, but our experience was great! It's very cute, but it's not a huge restaurant. A lot of the items have a "smoked" kind of taste and it's great!! I give this place 5 out of 5!! I'm coming back because I want to try the brunch menu! read more

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Smokecraft was a solid choice for brunch in the Clarendon area that we love. We visited for brunch and ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich, which is an award-winning item, and this was an explosion of flavors with every bite; we absolutely loved it (share it between 2!). The mimosa carafe is such a good deal ($10!) and it did not disappoint. We also ordered some meat samples and it totally lives up to the modern BBQ experience! All meats are smoked in-house with up to seven different types of wood every day. Will definitely be returning ! read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Monte Cristo - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Well... I came back, and I'm here again for one reason.. that Smoke On The Water handcrafted cocktail. That wood smoker finish on top creates such a nice, sweet, smokey flavor mixed in with the bourbon. Also, it's just a beautiful drink to look at as well, the presentation is great. Great job Smokecraft, very nice drink you got here! I'll be back again :) read more

Great spot for BBQ in Arlington, VA. There's also Texas Jack and Rocklands in the area which are two other good BBQ spots but this seems a bit more in the mix of Clarendon. This place is one of those dine in BBQ restaurants and the aesthetic of the restaurant is quite appealing. Although the dining area is small, there weren't too many people there when I arrived (around 6pm on a Thursday). The menu actually has a great variety of cocktail drinks with a lot of good flavors and a decent amount of alcohol that you can taste. The brisket sandwich was good in flavor but not too fatty. The mac n cheese was also very good and baked well. I tried all the sauces but my favorite was the spicy and pineapple habanero. Overall, a good experience. The other observation I found worth noting was we were done for about 20 minutes and just sipping on the ice waters after being there for an hour. Had a very hard time waving down our server to pay the check. I guess she was behind the bar but felt like she was avoiding eye contact. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Brisket Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Popped in later in the evening when my girlfriend said "I want pulled pork" and they didn't disappoint. Her sandwich was huge, and she loved it. I had a bowl of chili that was way way way bigger than I expected for what I paid. The sweet tea was sweeeeeet, just the way we like it. We will be back to try more than just the pulled pork read more

Bomb spot. Super tasty barbecue. Loved the free corn bread served with your meal. I got the pulled pork sandwich with mac and cheese side ($2 more). The Mac was totally worth it. Highly recommend. Very cheesy, hot, and tasty. The sandwich was stacked with meat. Loved trying all the sauces on top. Coleslaw was fine. Matt was our server and he was terrifically kind and attentive. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Staff was nice. Ambiance was chill. The food is pretty decent for a quick meal, but not comparable to other BBQ places around the area like the one in DC or Vienna. I did enjoy their little breads because I've never had corn bread like that before. I would recommend this place especially if you like Mac and cheese and hearty meals. read more

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue - Bread?/ corn bread? Haha it's so cute - Barbeque Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Been a bit since we were last here! Some really intriguing items on the weekend brunch menu.... Plus full menu always available which is a major plus Hubby had a Rueben... he thought the rangy sauce paired well with it! I had a monte cristo and it's fab! I didn't like the smoked berries on their hen but when you add that to your sandwich and a drizzle of the syrup it's amazing!!!! I watched some omelets come out and those looked good plus there are also Benedict options... this makes it an intriguing and unique brunch option that should have something for most folks! My only ongoing negative is that they are a Pepsi shop... I really prefer coke products! There is street parking but we opted for the garage across the street which is a flat $5 on the weekends read more

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Great experience. Best bbq in the area. I was very pleased with the entire atmosphere and service. I'll be back

The restaurant was quiet during that time of day, which made for a nice, relaxed atmosphere. I had a turkey sandwich with fries--simple and satisfying. We also ordered the deviled eggs, which were delicious! The cornbread was especially good--definitely a highlight! read more

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Proprieter/pitmaster Drew Darneille and his team have it going on! I've been a Kansas City BBQ Society Certified Master Judge for several years now and know great BBQ when I taste it. Due to strict rules, competition BBQ is boringly straight forward...chicken, pork ribs, pork butt and beef brisket.... At Smokecraft, the sky is the limit and creativity is king. This is some of the best restaurant BBQ there is. During the Pitmaster Symposium the other night I asked Drew for his dinner recommendation. Barbacoa tacos, he said. He was spot on. Tender, gently smoked beef with a perfect blend of topings/condiments. My friend went with the beef brisket slices, which he gave rave reviews. read more

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