This five star review for this little family owned barbecue joint is pretty much dedicated to one delicious 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. read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Passing thru Rockford and remembered a great little bbq joint near 20. Got their bbq pork showboat. 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 read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Menu as of July 30, 2025 - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Oh so good! Excellent shoboat!!! We will be back!!! The sauce on the fries was out of this world. read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Adorable. Cash only. Connected to a gas station. Busy. A trio of lovely, effervescent women run the business. The food is excellent. Came out piping hot and couldn't have asked for a better meal on the way to/from Galena. We ordered the Sho-Boat and the 1/4 chicken. Both were excellent. The sauce is on the sweeter side and without heat. I'm guessing they use apples in their recipe. We will be back! read more

Everything is fantastic. Get the Sho Boat and you will not be disappointed. Great people and more than you would expect from outside appearances. read more

Such a great place to have some bbq. Had the rib dinner. Such a great experience!! Felt like I was at an auntie's house and enjoying some home cooked food! If you're in the area definitely give it a try! It's definitely not a fancy place but the food is great and had a wonderful experience!! read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Ribs with beans and creamy coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We shared a sho boat (pictured) and a small Mac and cheese and each ordered Cole Slaw. For two people it was great! The atmosphere is fun in what looks like a hidden gem judging by how busy the place was!! It's a hole in the wall spot connected to a gas station with delicious food - nice customer service, and a fun stop on the way to Chicago!! Cole slaw and friendly staff were my favorite parts of the meal!! read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Sho Boat - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Get yourself a Sho Boat and thank me later! The ladies here have amazing customer service and even better food! This place doesn't disappoint read more

They need to give more food portions are too small .not enough food for the money the barbecue is good but too small pieces on the rib tips

We stopped off in Rockford on our way back to the Chicago airport and we are so grateful we found this spot. We are visiting the Midwest from the South, and have been desperately searching for a proper meal for days. This hit the spot. Amazing BBQ, best fries ever, and great hospitality. Do not miss this! read more

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Amazing lunch at Smokehouse today. Such a great, Ma and Pa style restaurant! The chopped pork and ribs were great. Baked beans and Mac and cheese- were really good. Good portions for the price! Service was great- personable and welcoming! read more

My boyfriend and I ran up to Rockford for the day and I was craving pulled pork. He was sick of the place we have always gone, so he suggested we try something new. This was suggested so we decided to try it. We both got the pulled pork boats and we loved them! I want to try the ribs next time! We will be back again! read more

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Everywhere I go, I keep comparing the flavor to Smokehouse. It will always be my favorite BBQ spot regardless of where I live. I've never had anything taste bad EVER. The only complaint I've ever had about Smokehouse is their running out of certain meats (understandable). Keep up the good work, Smokehouse! read more

The owner is very friendly and cares greatly for her customers. This is a great place to get BBQ you won't regret it.

Came into town for a job from Idaho. As soon as we walked in we were kindly greeted and offered a sample of the Shoboat. Hands down some of the best BBQ I've ever eaten, and the service was quick and amazing. If you're in the area you've gotta stop in! read more

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing You need to stop here if you want real, mouthwatering BBQ! It's family owned, and the women in there are beautiful, soulful sisters! They treat you like family & you won't leave hungry. Get there early, especially on Sundays. They are waiting for them to open at noon. When everything is gone, they close. You can try to phone in your order if you can through. I loved their presence they sing out loud, soulful gospel music, I loved the whole atmosphere. CASH ONLY NO CREDIT CARDS ( they have an ATM machine in there). Don't wait to get over there, you'll be glad you did!! read more

This was my first time there & I was absolutely impressed. The food was fabulous & staff was incredible. I definitely will be going back, Linda K read more

Great food and friendly service. Don't let the location fool you...food was delicious and priced right

This restaurant is absolutely amazing, definitely worth going out of the way for! The Shoboat was hands down one of the best pulled pork sandwiches I have ever had. Jerry is the friendliest person with a magnetic personality and should expand the business. Thank you again for a great experience, and an amazing meal! read more

Food was great. It is a hole in the wall, on the side of a gas station, but great service! The showboat is their best seller and I highly recommend the coleslaw. read more

Always friendly and courteous. Fast service and the food? The bbq is some of the best in the rock river area in my opinion. My only wish is that they were open more and had their full menu available everyday. My suggestion for the business, like many others, maybe think about getting a mobile truck and setup at different places around the city? I've heard that's much more lucrative than a storefront nowadays. read more

Doesn't get any better than this place!! Visiting from South Carolina, felt like I was right at home. Their sandwich was good, but I got the half rack with the fries, and I cleaned my plate. read more

great BBQ, great service, sho boats are the best thing ever will recommend to my family and friends

Smokehouse was absolutely delicious!! Got the chicken, sho boat, Mac n cheese and bbq fries - they added in a peach cobbler as well. Everything was so yummy!! First time having peach cobbler today and I'm a huge fan now - my expectations are set pretty high because of theirs! Amazing customer service - such a kind staff! You can tell they truly love their job and bbq!! :) read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Sho boat & bbq fries - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Customer service was great, we felt welcomed in this small establishment. I felt like $13 for a plate of shoulder pork that barely had any meat and too much bbQ sauce was kinda expensive. Taste was good kinda too sweet for me, but for the price I would be expecting more meat, bigger portions. I don't frequent small establishments, but I had never been in the area and options were limited. Probably would've got more food at Culver's,, but I'm pretty sure I won't be in the area ever again. No AC!!! Bathrooms were not great. Overall the ladies were very nice and communicative with everyone, I still gave them a nice tip. read more

We stopped in yesterday for the first time and can't wait to go back! The brisket was PHENOMENAL, ribs were DELICIOUS, the chicken was SUPERB! Everything was seasoned and smoked to perfection! Don't forget to try the cornbread, beans and macoroni salad, because they were AMAZING! The staff was very friendly and if you like BBQ, I suggest you check this place out! read more

I've known that this place existed for a while now and finally got a chance to give it a try. Before I embarked on this endeavor, I went through and read a lot of the comments listed here to see if I could find a more accurate picture of what I might expect; there were a lot of positive things to say about the Smokehouse and only a handful of negative reviews. My assessment was that there was truth in all these, both good and bad. First, I must agree that the staff at the Smokehouse are genuinely warm, inviting, and kind. The woman that took my order called me (and the people calling in orders) "sweetie", always had a smile on her face, and was patient with while I ordered. These are good people! The atmosphere and décor were not upscale. I didn't feel like the place was dirty, but the dining area had chintzy quality to it (plastic folding chairs, vinyl table covers on folding tables, hand written menu board, etc.); but I wouldn't count that against them as it is a barbeque joint and should have a picnic-esque vibe to it (which it did). The only other possible "issue" with Smokehouse's appearance is that it's connected to a slightly sketchy looking gas station. Personally, I didn't let that deter me from trying potentially delicious bbq. Regarding the real reason I came here: the food. I ordered the pork shoulder meal which came with a generous portion of chopped pork shoulder piled on, what seemed like, a Turano roll slathered with garlic butter (a nice touch in my opinion) and drenched with a sweet and peppery bbq sauce. I assume the sauce is house made because the impression what that they are very proud of it; I base this off their liberal application. The meal also came with a large portion of fries which were, again, covered in bbq sauce. The sauce, to me, tasted like Sweet Baby Ray's with a thinner viscosity and a peppery bite to it; it was clearly a Kansas City style sauce: thick and sweet. The pork itself was enjoyable; I liked the texture, mouth feel, and the right amount of smokiness but the entire experience was detracted how much sauce was on it. Overall, I would go here again; after all, I only tried one thing they had to offer. I would, however, order the sauce on the side and recommend the same to others; it was a lot of sauce. This place has potential and I would come here again for carry out but I wouldn't say it's my first choice for bbq in the Rockford metro area (see Big Papa's). read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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This is definitely a hidden gem! I actually found this place on Yelp when I was craving bbq one day and my friend has gone here and has vouched for it. It is located next to the gas station and is like a hole in the wall restaurant (which is where I find most places to eat tastes great at). My husband and I shared the rib tip dinner which came with a decent amount of rib tips, side of greens, mac & cheese, and peach cobbler. Everything was amazing! The thing to know is that they're only serving at different hours and days, so it's best to know their schedule before going. It's not a big place either, so not sure if it's best for groups. Another thing to know is they may run out of things early, so it's best to go when they first open to ensure you get what you want. Everything tastes so authentic and home made from the meats to the sides. read more

The service was super friendly and they really took care of you. My son has some food allergies and we didn't realize that the bun was buttered and toasted and they remade the whole order no problem. We had the pulled pork and polish as that's all they had left as it was pretty late. It was great. As others have noted they don't make extras and when they're out, they're out. read more

Even with my GPS, I kept on passing Smokehouse because I never thought to think of the possibility it maybe attached to the side of a Shell gas station. I should have just turned my GPS off, rolled down my windows, and followed my primal senses. I should have sniffed out scent like a lone wolf or even tracked the trace of smoke like the Native Americans. Instead I used my technologically advanced hand-held device to communicate wirelessly regarding the exact location. So as chief of the tribe, what does my highly evolved gustatory senses say about the smoked meats here? Pulled Pork I will rename Dances with Skunks. Ribs I will call, Rave with Buffalos. The Smokehouse tribe was very friendly and generous, my stomach was thankful and felt like late November. read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - BBQ ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Gale is one of the most friendliest, & most amazing person I've never met! She was a regular at my workplace. I've heard so many good things about this place, I decided to try it for myself. The shoboat is my go to! Smothered in very delicious bbq sauce. I usually ask my fries to be plain (they smother those in bbq sauce too) because I don't like them soggy. I had a little chat with Gale one time and she told me about going right when they open when the meat is freshly out of the grill. & to get some pork butt, ask to get them sliced instead of chopped & to ask for sauce on the side. One morning my coworker and I did just that. Omg, that pork butt was so smokey & crispy from that small layer of fat. Words can not describe how amazing that meal was! read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - 1 lb of pork butt sliced, with bbq sauce on the side! - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

BEST RIBS EVER. I don't even like barbecue sauce normally, but whatever they did with their sauce was amazing. The meat was juicy, falling off the bones. (They've got a smoker in the back where they make their food, and it smells so delicious when you're outside!!) Their GREENS are also deeeelicious. i only thought it could have been made better with some bacon added to it. And they have cake too. I got a very tasty CRUNCH CAKE, which was like a lighter pound cake with some a topping of crunchiness. YAMS, BAKED BEANS, COLE SLAW, MAC & CHEESE, CORNBREAD were the other tasty sides that were offered. (Typing in CAPS-LOCKS = EXCITEMENT!!!) The tricky part is that this restaurant is located next to a Shell gas station, as in they share the same building, and you might easily pass by this hidden gem. It is hole-in-the-wall restaurant that I could imagine being on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives". Super useful link with coupons! http://aboutabiz.com/Rockford/SmokehouseBBQ.htm read more

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This is the best BBQ place is town! Great food and a great family who owns it. Go. Eat. Here. You're welcome! ;) read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Yum!!! Go eat here!! - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

A nice place for a quick good quality hot meal with a friendly staff. They are known for their shoboat and bbq fries which I found to be good. The restuarant itself has all the hallmarks of a good independent restuarant with lots of character and a unexpected location. read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - This is the little boy. - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We used to love it SO but it's hard to love it if you can't get it. We called at 7:15 PM on a Friday night and the woman was so rude we gave up and hung up. All she could talk about was how they close at 8 and we better be there to pick it up. I've never been talked to like that by anyone. Rude, rude, rude. That is one way to lose a customer and today they lost me. They are also constantly out of just about everything. The only way to guarantee you get what you want, you better get there right after they open because apparently, they don't know how to cook more if they run out during the shift. read more

Great pork shoulder sandwich. My husband and I got the same thing. Good size open face sandwich with side of seasoned fries. The fries had a sweet bbq sauce all over them. Yum. Will go back when I'm town. read more

Smokehouse Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I really enjoyed this place. It is a fun place. I took my family there, we had such a good time. The BBQ is very good. I don't know if it is the best, but it is up there. The prices were not too bad. read more

BBQ place ... This is the place... Sho Boat chopped BBQ! Legit BBQ in the back! Every flavor of Crush cold ready to drink! Fine chopped Cole slaw WITH apple chunks! BBQ sauce drizzled on the French Fries! Must stop & experience! read more

I love this place been coming since 2015!!! We lived next door to one of the owners he is such a awesome guy, he even used to do over & bring home the left over bones and clippings for my dogs once and awhile !!! This is the only ONLY ONLY PLACE WE GO FOR BBQ!! out of all the BBQ places around the area they are #1 love Yaaaaas!!!!! read more

Service was great, our server kept checking on us. Great atmosphere with a nice bar. Great spot for a date night. Very up to date!