Had these folks cater my 50th birthday party for 40+ people and the food was the hit of the party, not me. The brisket and pulled pork were criminally good. Give these folks a try, I promise you won't be sorry. read more

We contacted Smokin' J's for a large order to serve at our son's 20th birthday party. The food was delicious and guests were raving about it was all night and even the next day. We ordered the brisket, smoked chicken, coleslaw and lots of their wonderful bbq sauce for 40+ people. Everything was ready for pickup on time the afternoon of the party. Great service from Tommy and his staff! I highly recommend it! I also recommend it for a casual lunch or dinner ( the pulled pork is pretty amazing too)! read more

Smokin J's stands for Josh, Jeremy, and Jonathan. You'll spot them right away taking your order and the kitchen. I love it when new eateries come to Poway so we had to come to support them. Came at 11:30 on a Sunday and was told the brisket was not ready until 3pm. So we got 1/3 pulled pork ($7), half rack of baby back ribs ($15), 1/3 burnt ends ($11), 1/3 pork belly ($8.50), and the smoking poutine special with chopped beef ($15). You can taste the quality of meats. They make their own bbq sauce with ketch up as the base and it's delicious. The pulled pork was moist but a bit bland for my taste and needed dipping, same with the ribs. The pork belly was the last of the order to get ready because it was in the fryer. It's rare to see pork belly. It has a crunch like chicharron. 1/3 pound was 3 strips of pork belly. The chopped beef in the poutine was really good but my favorite would be the burnt ends. It was tender and fatty with perfect seasoning on its own. The location is a bit of a risk but based on the hours and marketing, I think they will attract a lot of people for bbq. It would be perfect to come to Poway Farmers Market on a Saturday and then stop by here for lunch. Their current hours are at 11 from Thursday to Sundays which can change as they get busier. There's a few tables for outside seating and about 10 bar seats inside. Would like to come back to try the brisket and sandwiches. Based on parking, customer service, quality of meats, outdoor seating with optional pets, this little Poway joint deserves a 5. Welcome to Poway! read more

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Located on the main strip of Old Poway, this new BBQ joint just recently had its grand opening. After the recent local boil water advisory, my friend and I wanted to support a business or two in the area so we chose this spot for dinner. When we had arrived, two items were already sold out, the brisket and bean crack. I had really wanted to sample the brisket so that was disappointing. We settled instead for small servings of the baby back ribs, burnt ends, and pork belly along with an order of the cajun fries. The dinner crowd showed up right after us because the ribs and burnt ends were no longer available. My favorite of the bunch was the pork belly as it was lightly deep-fried after being smoked. The burnt ends were sauced and meatier than what I had anticipated for a KC style BBQ staple. The ribs had a great smoky flavor, however, they were a tad on the dry side. The prices were reasonable, and I thought their best attribute was the variety of meats offered. I have not seen smoked pork belly at another BBQ restaurant in the SD area. I am glad that the owners have successfully opened a brick and mortar location after being strictly a mobile outfit for so long. read more

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stopped here due to the high ratings and was disappointed. portions are small and overall taste is BBQ really is nothing worth going out of your way for. read more

Smokin Js is by far my favorite bbq spot in San Diego. If you are looking for delicious bbq, come make the drive to Poway. Order their smokin j sandwich, some Cajun fries and finish off your meal with the bread pudding. 10/10 I will continue to recommend! read more

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Five star Barbeque restaurant just opened in Poway. Better get here early because items sell out every night! I came for the soft opening and just absolutely love it. Everything I'd dry rub and they have a sauce you can add. I am told the bean crack us to die for but I haven't tasted it because it sells out daily! Try their pecan pie its delicious! You will be hooked. read more

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Really loved the beef brisket which was so tender....the sauce was good too! Haven't had pork and beans in years so I'm glad I ordered some...Austin's Franklin was great and Smokin J's was pretty good too. Will definitely order again and it's convenient since it's close to home. read more

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Really great guy at the front register. So nice and oolite and attentive! This was our first time here and after a 8 mi hike we craved something so good but so bad lol...great meat and great sides. The crack beans are delicious and the yams were too. My burnt ends were also great. The meat was tender and had so much flavor. Only thing is it wasn't so burnt, but I didn't mind because they were still fire!! read more

Smokin J's BBQ - Bean Crack and Candied Yams - Barbeque Near Me - Poway, California

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Dood -- ordered their Brisket TV Dinner (fatty version) w/double cole slaw + cajun fries + slaw sauce ::drool:: it was packed with their amazing bbq sauce; i called to thank them after i had my fill (but they close at 8 & it was after hours ::oops:: ) -- so delicious!! decided to post here to let them know that i'm seriously grateful, yet again, for their BBQ style ::sunglasses emoji:: & also to encourage more ppl to try 'em out! eat well ::very-satisfied emoji:: read more

I can definitely see why locals love Smokin J's. The delicious smell of the smoker definitely draws you in. They have a cute neighborhood friendly look to them that is inviting to the whole family, dogs included. The staff is super friendly and helpful especially for first timers like myself. One of the owners, Josh, was really kind and helpful when I had questions about gluten-free options. They don't offer GF buns but their sauces and rubs are GF. He was also very helpful discusses their catering options, which they have something special for any occasion! You can't go wrong with anything. After one bite you can instantly tell they take pride in their meats. So moist and not overdone. Their meats are dripping in sauce to mask the dryness of the meat. Flavors and sides compliment each other so well. So the secret is out. Tell your momma, daddy, auntie and nana boo-boo... Smokin' J's knows how to serve up their meats. read more

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Delicious BBQ! The family platter had everything you could need. Mac 'n' cheese was gooey and so good. I loved the baked beans! Brisket, chicken and pulled pork all had great flavor and smokiness. read more

Smokin J's BBQ - Family platter - Barbeque Near Me - Poway, California

Gotta say it....came for the brisket and it did not disappoint. Tender juice meaty! Yum! We opted for the family platter that includes brisket, pulled pork, chicken, 6 brioche buns, pickled onion, pickles and extra sauce. The sides were mostly good especially the beans. No one in our party of 6 liked the Mac n cheese. I thought It tasted bland and it lacked that gooey cheesy sauce I've come to love. Take out service was friendly and quick even on a busy holiday weekend. Parking on saturdays or during events at poway park can be a huge challenge though other days that isn't a problem. read more

Excellent brisket. Delicious bark which most other places can't seem to get quite right. Only reason it isn't 5 stars is because my side of Mac n cheese and dessert were forgotten in my to-go order. Make sure you double check Place is really busy and it's unsurprising why with how food tastes read more

The food was absolutely amazing! I had a tv dinner of burnt ends and Mac and cheese and the crack beans (which is rightfully named). It was fantastic. I live up in Santa Clarita, but my son lives in San Marcos and we went there for dinner and I will come back just to go here. The service was good, very laidback. The atmosphere is pretty rustic, however you don't go there for the ambiance you go there for the Epic food! Does not disappoint!!! Thank you excellently done my friends! read more

Tried Smokin' J's for the first time based on recs from friends and we were not disappointed! The burrito was HUGE and so so good. It seems like an odd combo before we tried it (brisket, Cole slaw, French fries)...basically a BBQ California burrito? But it worked so well. Don't mind if I do!! The Cajun fries were yummy (and not spicy as some might imagine). The brisket grilled cheese was delish. We also got chicken salad (would've liked the sandwich but they were out of sourdough...will try next time!) which was good on a salad or alone. This seems like food that needs to be eaten pretty fresh and not as leftovers. There is great ease of ordering (on the phone and they'll make when you get there or online and they'll start making right away). Parking right in front of the shop. Easy pick up! Recommend and can't wait to come back. (Sorry for the bad pictures...we were too hungry to get good ones, apparently!) read more

Smokin J's BBQ - Brisket Grilled Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Poway, California

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It was freezing the night we went, it's only outdoor seating to my knowledge, but they fired up the outdoor heaters. The staff were personable and nice. The BBQ was good, especially for the Poway area. read more

So good. Like really. When folks ask me where to go for BBQ in NCSD: this is the joint. It's high quality protein, the flavors and smoke are on point, staff is fun and local and the sauce is proper (but barely need it cause the meat by itself is super tasty) My Top TEN things to be aware of: 1: Items sell out. Tis the nature of smoked meats so just be early and don't get your heart set on one cut of meat. Just go for BBQ, and some sort of BBQ you will get. 2: If you're timely, get the brisket and burnt ends. Trust me. 3: There's sides: and even though they're all good, it's the pickles and red onions for me. 4: It's small. There is limited seating nearby 5: They sell breakfast on certain days and times, but again, things could sell out. There's a Brisket Omelet. Just sayin. 6: Subscribe to their emails. But only if you're not a grammar freak and enjoy a stream of consciousness with a smirk. Their newsletters make my professional copywriting brain bug out, but I laughed a lot. 7: It ain't cheap. 8: Get the Chimichurri. 9: If there is any sort of pie offered, buy it. 10: AgainL Hours and offerings can vary. All and all, it's a five star joint if you come a knocking for a laid back good time. One of my favorite old town Poway businesses. BUY LOCAL. read more

Quaint bbq spot in Old Town Poway with all the tasty fixings. Came for their soft opening and saw that the menu had your standard bbq fare. But that was the only thing that was standard. The flavor of the meats alone, even without the bbq sauce, could stand on their own. Ordered a pound of brisket and baby back ribs and a 1/3 lb of chicken for the kiddos. Also had to try their bean crack. All were ordered to go. The place itself is smaller with limited seating inside and out. Noticed the majority of people were ordering to go too. Nice to see more dining options in Old Town Poway! read more

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We were not fans and would not recommend, portions were small for the price and the taste was just no great at all

Yes, very good! Interesting and varied menu. The salt fries are great. Cole Slaw is the tangiest we have ever had!

Smokin J's is wonderful! I am a Texan with a high standard for bar b q. I was impressed by the speed and quality of the meats and sides. We had a party of 10 that came on a Sunday afternoon. We had our food with 10-15 minutes. I would definitely recommend Smokin J's to anyone in the San Diego area. read more

Smokin J's BBQ - Cali J-Rito - Barbeque Near Me - Poway, California

10/10!!! I love this place overall. Amazing customer service. Found this place on tik tok and we had to try! No regrets. Everything was so yummy! Except maybe the Cajun wings were 5/10 personally read more

Smokin J's BBQ - Wings Mac TV Dinner - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Poway, California

Staff is great good is amazing good beer on tap I would def recommend we purchase lunch for our staff here and they all have a smile at the end read more

The brisket! All. Day. Long. I've ordered a couple of times thru Door Dash. Every time the brisket has been incredible. Recently, I went to the Poway location and Josh was very helpful. Even though they were out of the burnt ends, his recommendation of the ribs was on point. Thank You for making such good food! I will be back soon. read more

Arranged a team lunch and the team was great! From the planning to the execution of the food delivery it was all top notch! Food was delicious! Brisket and Pork were great recommendations. read more

Came here to grab something to eat while enjoying a bottle of wine with my wife at Mission Cellars. Long line and wait for walk ups, should have pre-ordered online. They were out of burnt ends so we got "regular" brisket. The meat itself was tender and tasty but our portion was way too fatty. I know brisket is a fatty cut but we seemed to get the fat cap and with the whole order being 1/3 lb there wasn't a lot of meat when picking around the fat. Pickled onions were a nice touch on the side to cut through the fat. Cajun fries were very well seasoned. Next time we will explore the sandwiches, burritos, etc. All of their food is served in non-recyclable plastic containers. read more

I ordered catering from Smokin' J's in Poway for a forty person event at my home on February 16th. I coordinated everything with Tommy, who was super helpful. We ordered brisket, smoked chicken, coleslaw and beans. Everyone loved the food. I heard someone say that they didn't know until now that you could get great barbecue in San Diego! Thank you, Smokin' J's, for helping to make my party a big success! read more

Overall Brisket was tender it had good flavor felt a little under cooked but it was pretty ok. Our order was on the lukewarm or cold...even though that was a disappointment we managed to enjoy. Also ordered the ribs good Enjoyed the slaw, cajun fries, pork beans great. The reason for not the five is: As many people mentioned, the mac and cheese was not creamy at all and it must be improved, should be deleted or simply replaced with other dish from the menu!!! mine was grainy and really not recommended unless done fresh. Like a good south Texan missed the a basic. The white bread, mustard to eat along with brisket and more drink choices. Other than that better than most. They have potential !!! Service was good, ambiance nice. Thank you. My favorite place in the world Rudy's BBQ, Texas. read more

Love Love Love the food here!! Always thought that I wasn't a BBQ person until I came to Smokin J's. The sauce is delicious and not overpowering. Everyone has their fav protein, mine is brisket , hubs love burnt ends and son is a ribs guy! Sides are delicious too. read more

Wow! We can definitely understand the good reviews after trying this spot! My husband ordered the burrito. Filled with cole slaw, fries, pork belly, and brisket, it was saucy and flavorful. The tortilla was a bit cold, but the flavors made up for it. However at $19ish dollars, it'll have to be a treat rather than a regular stop. Love the convenient location. read more

Hands down, best bbq I've ever tasted my boyfriend has been raving about this place forever and we finally got around to coming today and it definitely did not disappoint! The Cajun fries are a MUST and the bbq ribs just absolutely melt in your mouth The texture and flavor, the perfect charring on everything are just mouth watering . Wow J is also super friendly and kind ! His smile as you walk in just melts ya as quickly as the food haha read more

My husband and I came here today around 11:00 for lunch after hiking Black Mountain. It's become sort of like a tradition to get bbq after a hike, and since we were close to Poway, we decided to try this place out. I am so glad we did! This is the best place for BBQ in my opinion that we've tried so far in San Diego county. I've been to some great bbq places in Texas, including Franklin BBQ, but this place sells itself as a Kansas City-style BBQ. I was open to trying it. Here's what we had: THE TRIO: PULLED PORK, BRISKET, & SMOKED CHICKEN All three proteins were smoked well, but my favorite was the pulled pork. I'm normally a brisket girl, but this pulled pork was special. It had the taste like beef, but with a juicy and tender consistency like pork. 10/10 recommend HALF RACK OF BABY BACK RIBS Very soft, smoky, and overall well flavored. When I dipped them into the sauce, I appreciate that it wasn't too sweet PORK BELLY It's pretty hard to screw up a fatty meat like pork belly, so this was great. I would order this again SIDES: COLESLAW, POTATO SALAD, CRACK BEANS The crack beans were too sweet for my and my husband, but that's just personal preference. We're also newly back on our keto diet, so our sweet taste tolerance is way down right now. I guess that's why they call it crack beans, because you if you a sweet tooth, it's really good! The potato salad had a mustardy taste, which my husband loved, but it's not my preference. Coleslaw was great. I would confidently recommend this place to foodie friends who want to see what San Diego BBQ is all about. read more

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Been meaning to try this place for some time. It's located in the Old Poway Park area on Midland. Easy to order online and pick up. Hubster reported that it was pretty busy when he went to get our dinner. We went H.A.M. with giving this place a try (ordered when we were super hungry and basically tried one of everything on the menu). All in all pleasantly surprised and would report that it's solid smokey bbq... very smokey flavor.. more vinegar than sweet overall.. but it's a different style that can be appreciated. Would definitely recommend giving them a try. Better than Phil's for sure.. but can't crown them the best bbq in san diego.. let's give em an honorable mention because it would make for a great tailgate feast. Pulled Pork: 1/2 lb.$13.00 is a bit high imo. It was solid pulled pork but nothing to write home about. mostly juicy but we got a big ol chunk of burned pork butt that had to be tossed. At least you know it hit the smoker! Brisket: 1/2lb.$15.00 is worth. This was super well done. Almost meat butter in your mouth and very tasty. Definitely have to get the brisket. Sticky St. Louie Spares & Baby Back Ribs: Both types of ribs were tasty and flavorful. We don't usually do st. louie style but it was a nice change in pace. dry rub was done well.. baby backs were tasty especially when coupled with the sauce. they do have decent house bbq sauce. Sides: Don't order the cauldron (32oz.) unless you have 6+ people in your party and want hella left overs. I wish they would offer the 16 on the website.. 8oz was too small.. 32 was too big. we have beans for days to eat during the next week... - Potato Salad: Tasty, thick, almost german style potato salad. it was yum. careful not to fill up on this. - Mac n' Cheese: big ol shells with thick cheese. a little heavy on the salt but it was good home style mac and cheese for big boys. - Bean Crack: tomato based beans with chunks of onion and fatty pork bits. tasty .. but definitely didn't need the 32 oz of this.. this we could have ordered as an 8oz without issue. - Cajun Fries: tasty but mindblowingly salty. Of course.. you gotta end it sweet! - Pecan Pie: sweet and tasty and everything it should be. Definitely needs to be served warm and heated with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. - Brioche Bread Pudding: this was ok. not bad for a bread pudding but after al that food.. we didnt need the extra bread. had a very thick french toast feel to it. All in all~ not bad. Decent bbq.. would definitely recommend giving them a try. It's a bit pricey for what it is... but given covid.. it's small business status.. etc.. i'll say it's worth a first time go to see for yourself. Check em out and lemme know what you think! SYOY! read more

The brisket was smoked to perfection and the salad with the green goddess dressing was very fresh.

We've eaten at the best BBQ restaurants in the Carolinas when daughter lived in Charleston & have since been in search of decent brisket, baby back ribs & beef ribs in our home town of SD. Neighbors on NextDoor recommended Smokin J's... this adorable spot in Poway has OUTSTANDING food! Easily the best sliced brisket we've ever eaten next to Lewis in SC. Nothing in SD compares if you're wanting BBQ & brisket, in particular. Ordered the fatty brisket & the Cali J burrito which was also delicious (saved for the next day & so huge that it easily satisfied 2 of us), along with the mac n cheese & beans sides. Service was on point. Mmm... I'll never go anywhere else for BBQ! Thx, Smokin J's!! read more

One of the best BBQ places in San Diego. Their smoking J burger is amazing, as is their sauces.

Great BBQ. Brisket was amazing. Order at counter. Staff was very help full. Will definitely be a return customer.

What can I say about our fave bbq joint? Well, it's mostly all good things. The food is incredible! The pork belly, brisket, pulled pork & Mac and cheese being our fave items. Our family has been dining here since they first opened several years ago and long before they expanded their store and menu. We've loved everything that they've added over the years such as the breakfast items and tacos. We decided that since we love it so much to have them cater our vow renewal last May. We emailed and discussed our venue, how much food was recommended and delivery. It was super easy to get that all taken care of. Our only issue was that food was late the day of our event. My sister had to call to see where they were, as my husband and I were out doing photos. They never called to let us know that they'd be late. The person on the phone said they had gotten busy. They rushed the food over with 1 person and it took him awhile to set up. He had to pause the set up since our ceremony was starting. He's even seen in some of our photos standing at the door waiting to finish. Once the vows were done he quickly finished setting up and left. The food was incredible, as expected, and our guests were happy. It didn't interfere too much with our plans but I do wish that they had been better prepared or at least communicated with us. Keep that in mind if choosing to use them for catering and make sure to give a buffer. Our venue was only 2 miles from the shop so travel time was not the problem. With all that said, we still stop by for the occasional burrito or tacos since the food is so tasty. read more

As a preface to this review, this is my experience. Atmosphere: 8/10 Staff: 9/10 Condiments: 6/10 Food: 6/10 Went about an hour to closing (which partly is the reason why the experience may not have been the best) and the only items they were out of was the burnt ends (unfortunately). I ordered the 3x3 with double brisket, chicken, mac&cheese, coleslaw, and smoked succotash. I also ordered an additional chicken taco to see what it was about. Brisket: very good, will highly recommend the fatty option. Good smoky flavor and great texture. Chicken: good, nice smoky flavor, but quite dry for a drum and thigh. Mac & Cheese: very disappointing. luke warm, no flavor. Succotash: best side on the menu. Will recommend. Coleslaw: decent. Chicken Taco: would recommend, a bit dry, but add BBQ sauce. Overall, just not super impressed with the quality vs the price. Given I did go later in the day, I may have been given just the 'leftovers' that remained. Not in the area often, but may give a try again earlier in the day? read more