Hubby and I visited this place since we had a gift certificate. It was a Tuesday night so we were seated right away. Cameron was our server and he did an excellent job. I ordered the brisket tacos and hubby got the 3 meat platter with ribs, brisket and chopped pork. The brisket was very good, but I suspect we received brisket from 2 different batches because one of my tacos was salty and the other two were fine. Hubby said ribs were a bit overcooked and a tad dry. My tacos came with one side so I chose broccoli salad. However it arrived with coleslaw instead. Upon mentioning it to Cameron he apologized and brought the correct side. Was planning to order bread pudding for dessert but was completely stuffed after our meals. Considering it was a Tuesday, the place was hopping. Servers were moving around at a brisk pace. We will return again! read more

Hostess tried to sit us in the corner next to the kitchen. Not a great start as my baby ain't corner material. Out of cornbread. Mac and cheese wasn't up to par - swimming in cheese. Swimming. No ice cream for the cobbler. Oops, out of cobbler. Then double billed my order on the bill. My first trip was exceptional. This one wasn't. read more

From the moment you step inside, the aroma hits first: a deep, hickory-laced perfume that signals hours of slow devotion rather than shortcuts. This is barbecue that announces itself honestly. No gimmicks, no pretension--just meat treated with respect. We started off with the Texas Sausage Sampler which includes 3 Sausages. Jalapeno Cheddar, Hickory Smoke and Original Old Fashioned. Served with Carolina Gold Sauce, Mustard and Horseradish. The sauce is outstanding. Smoking J's Rib House in Ashland, Kentucky, is the kind of place that reminds you why barbecue isn't just food--it's culture, patience, and pride rendered in smoke and fire. The ribs are the undisputed star. Thick-cut, generously portioned, and lacquered with a bark that balances sweetness, smoke, and spice, they arrive with that elusive perfection every pitmaster chases. The meat pulls cleanly from the bone without collapsing into mush, proof of disciplined temperature control and timing. Each bite delivers layers: smoke up front, pork richness at the core, and a restrained tang from the sauce that enhances rather than smothers. Brisket lovers will find plenty to admire. The slices boast a pronounced smoke ring and a pepper-forward crust, with fat rendered to a buttery softness that melts on the tongue. It's assertive, confident barbecue--unapologetically Southern, yet precise enough to impress even seasoned purists. The sides refuse to play second fiddle. Mac and cheese was amazing, creamy with a baked top that adds texture, while the baked beans carry a subtle smokiness that echoes the pit rather than competing with it. Coleslaw provides a crisp, cooling contrast, cutting through the richness exactly as it should. What truly elevates Smoking J's, though, is its sense of place. This isn't barbecue chasing trends or Instagram aesthetics. It's barbecue rooted in community--food that feels earned, familiar, and deeply satisfying. The atmosphere is unpretentious and welcoming, the kind where regulars are greeted like family and newcomers are quickly converted. Smoking J's Rib House doesn't just serve great barbecue--it reinforces why Ashland deserves a seat at the table in Kentucky's smokehouse conversation. It's a destination for locals, a worthy stop for travelers, and a reminder that when barbecue is done right, it doesn't need to shout. The smoke speaks for itself. read more

We HIGHLY recommend!! All of our food was absolutely delicious! Our server, who was also the bartender, Holly, did an amazing job, especially considering the fact that they were under staffed. Really cute, rustic atmosphere. Very spacious! We will definitely be back. read more

Smokin' J's - Full rack of ribs with sweet potato fries. All was perfectly cooked and delicious and flavored! - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

See all

Visiting my family in Ohio, they asked to take us to this BBQ joint for some lunch. I was surprised how big this place is on the proximity of the size of the town...but it looked to be doing great business on a Thursday afternoon. They got some fried pickles for the table and shared with us...these were pretty good. Hub and I decided to split a three meat plate for 20 dollars...a bargain with all that food...it came with two sides. We picked the Mac and cheese and the baked beans. All the meats were fabulous as were the baked beans and cornbread...the only thing that fell short was the Mac and cheese...but this is just a side and not the star. When we come back I will ask to come back here..I,was pretty impressed! read more

See all

This is a pretty big place; there is indoor and outdoor seating and it's attached to a movie theater. The music was country (I like country music) and it was played at a good volume. Their selection of country songs added to the atmosphere. Our server was great. She was attentive and helpful. The food, though, we didn't care for. I prefer smoked meats where the flavor permeates the meat. We ordered the three meat plate which came with two sides. We got the turkey, chopped pork and ribs with toast, baked beans, and green beans. Only the chopped pork had a decent smoke flavor to it. There was no smoke ring in the turkey and neither did the ribs taste smoked. We were told that the beans were smoked as well but those were disappointing; my wife described them as similar to the cheap pork and beans you get in a can. I thought they had an odd flavor to them. The green beans had bacon in them but you can tell they were not cooked traditional style with bacon so they were more watery than bacon like. The manager described the ribs as Danish style. They were from a younger animal (hence smaller) and were supposed to be more tender. I prefer American style ribs as they are larger and can be slow cooked so they are tender; in fact American style ribs can be made to be fall off the bone tender. The Danish style ribs here were not tender, were small (each bone being 3" or less long), and lacked the smoke flavor. I was going to give this restaurant a 2 star until the manager explained the ribs. At first, I thought they had cut the ribs to half size but now I know that's how they were supposed to be. Our plate came with toast which was a piece of garlic toast. I'm not totally disappointed (my wife was) but to spend that much money in BBQ and to have the smoke flavor so lacking, is just disappointing. We won't be returning to this establishment. read more

Smokin' J's - Sampler Plate - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

See all

I ordered catering today from Smokin J's for a large business meeting in Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and coordinated everything remotely from Missouri. When planning events like this, the food experience is a big part of the overall success of the meeting, and Smokin J's absolutely delivered. The customer service was five-star from start to finish. Michael was great to work with while setting up the catering, and the ladies answering the phones were always friendly, helpful, and quick to assist with any questions I had. A special shoutout to our delivery driver, Cam. He was on time, professional, and honestly provided the best delivery service I have experienced in all my years of coordinating catering events. Before my current career, I spent several years in the hospitality industry, so I understand what it takes behind the scenes to successfully execute an event. Your team knocked it out of the park. The communication was excellent, the delivery was flawless, and everyone loved the food. You all did a fantastic job. Bravo, Smokin J's, and thank you for helping make our event a success! read more

This place looks and "feels" like a franchise bbq place. Doesn't taste like one though. First off ambiance, the place looks nice. Plenty of big screens, and decor is solid. The food unfortunately, was forgettable. I ordered the Juicy J sandwich, $16. The best part was the bun, very good bun which held up on the generous portion of meat. Only problem is, the meat had no flavor, no smokiness to it at all. It came drenched in bbq sauce. It tasted like one of those little buckets of prepacked meat you can buy at the grocery store, think the brand is called Lloyds. Yeah it tasted like that. My fiancé got the brisket tacos and they were inedible. No flavor. Also her food was served lukewarm, so on top of the lack of flavor, they couldn't even serve it hot. French fries are tasty, their ranch is actually really good. Overall, $34 for 2 entrees neither of which passed the taste test. Would we return? Unlikely. Hey, the guy who served us was nice though. read more

Service was slow, food was mediocre at best. Salad came out after filet medallions (a stretch to call it filet) for one of our group. One and done! read more

Very cozy, appealing, and unique atmosphere. Amazing food didn't have one bad thing. Great friendly staff. Also, if you go to the men's bathroom make sure to read the sign! read more

The last two times my husband and I ate here the food was just sub-par. A month ago, we had horrible service, had to ask for refills, took 10 minutes to get our check. This last time the service was better but food was lacking. Also noticed that prices keep going up. I think it's ridiculous that cornbread or garlic bread counts as a side. Done with Smokin J's. read more

This place gets us every time because we will have multiple bad experiences then not go for a while, decide to go and it will be great then be bad again for multiple times in a row. This last weekend, our food was not good and tasted like it was old. I'm not sure how it's possible to make ribs that tough but what little bit of meat was on them was extremely tough. We only saw our waitress to order our food and get our check so even if we wanted to bring it up, we couldn't. Looks like we're back to not eating here. read more

Food came out cold (room temp) that's literally the only "issue". I'm not knocking a star off for that. It tasted good and it was a pretty big meal so that can happen sometimes. Ive worked in the industry so I know how it can be. The service of the wait staff was perfect and friendly. We liked the food enough to just take it home and heat it up ourselves. The manager (I assume) offered to remake it for us. We declined, so she gave us a discount on it instead. It honestly works out. Now I have BBQ to eat at work tonight so I'm happy either way. Will definitely return in near future. Lastly, look at the attached picture. Who can be upset with that?! read more

Smokin' J's - Feast - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

Great food, great service, lots of tables to sit and a bar. Defliently recommend this place for couples or a big group. The desserts look great too. read more

Smokin' J's - Beef brisket sandwich and fries - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

See all

This used to be one of my favorite spots in town. Ever since moving location they've gone down hill dramatically. The majority of the wait staff is subpar. The food is about 60-40 on being hot. The majority of the time something is cold or luke warm. Disappointing in the changes. read more

The service is fast and courteous There is a friendly vibe it's always crowded and the food is excellent read more

This was my second time here, and both were excellent. The bbq ribs are outstanding. The first time, I was with a large group and everyone was satisfied with what they ordered. It's a friendly and clean place. I would definitely recommend it. read more

One of our favorite go too's! We have introduced a little t of our friends to the great food, great service. We love the 3 meat with the fried corn on the cob and broccoli coleslaw. You cannot go wrong with that. read more

Good food lots of Bourbon options! I often set at the bar have a beverage and order my food to go.. read more

The restaurant was larger than most in the area and was able to accommodate large groups. Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. The pulled pork and brisket were absolutely amazing. I came looking for delicious ribs but they were my least favorite as they were very tough. I had also hoped for potato salad but they didn't have that as a menu item. However, the baked beans and cornbread were delicious sides instead. They pulled pork was hands down the best I've ever had. We also had the boom boom shrimp for an appetizer and they didn't disappoint either. Overall, they are a hidden gem of eastern Kentucky. read more

I do not like anything on their menu. I can usually find and appetizer or something at restaurants but they don't have anything I like. They need to expand their menu to some things besides meats. read more

Was in the area for work and I wanted to try this place again. Well, this time it didn't disappoint. I had a seat at the bar and ordered a beer. Bartender was polite and gave me a menu. I was going get something different than the last time. I ordered chicken wings (5) with dry rub. Got my beer and was just chilling. Wings showed up and I have to admit these were excellent wings. I was happy. I ordered 2 meats and two sides. I got the St. Louis ribs (3). They call them 3 bone ribs I think. The sausage, baked beans, and cornbread. Sausage is cheese infused, it may have japalenos in it. But, it wasn't overwhelming spicy. It was excellent. The cornbread was warm and delicious. The baked beans were ok. This place would have gotten a 5 if the there were more baked beans and they were hotter. However, this place is a go to spot for delicious bbq when I am the area. I don't drink a lot of hard alcohol, but they have a good selection of bourbon too. read more

Smokin' J's - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

Smokin J's was a new experience for my wife and I. The building itself was inviting and creative, once we walked in we were hit with bourbon style barrels, a nostalgic feeling of an old western like brew house. Hostess was amazing and seated us within a timely manner and the staff overall was outstanding. Food menu has a very nice selection of different foods and sides. We ordered pretzel bites for a starter and jumbo wings and a jalapeño Pepperjack burger. Once we received the food it was outstandingly good. Great flavor and cooked to our liking. Jacob our waiter was outstanding in making sure our experience was one of a kind. Very much recommend to anyone who interested in trying it out. read more

See all

Service is first class, the Ambiance is great and the Food is really, really good. We eat here every time we have a chance. read more

Smokin' J's - 1/2 - Rack Baby Back Ribs, fries,baked beans - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

Worst beer selection ever. No IPAs and only bud products. Country Boy is butt. Figure it out.

This place was recommended by our campground host as one of the favorites and now we know why! The food we enjoyed was all very good. First a sampler of appetizer that included cheese curds, pretzel bites, potato skins and wings. Yum. Then we just split a rib plate with baked beans, French fries and definitely upgrade to get the cornbread! Well worth an extra buck! You will be happy you did! read more

I ordered their fish and it was very good. Their cornbread however was dry and pretty plain. Honestly some good seasoned hush puppies would have been much better. Their green beans were very good, kinda like momma used to make. My wife had the ribs and she liked them and the portions on both meals was good. Service couldn't have been any better. They were busy but she was very attentive and kept our drinks topped off. The restaurant itself was typical rib joint as far as atmosphere. The biggest problem we had was, even though other tables were empty but not bussed, was they sat us buy the door. It was a chilly day and every time the door opened i thought it would blow our plates off the table. Crazy to seat us there when other options were available. read more

My Pop was flat and it stayed flat and I had to order a new drink but the food was decent

I ordered one of their ribeyes (very expensive) to go. When my husband got it home (I live 5 minutes from steak house), it was nothing but gristle and fat. It tasted like lard. Worst steak I've ever had. read more

This is the best bbq joint in the tri state. Everything was delicious. For something unique tried the smoked turkey. Would recommend this place to anyone who loves bbq! read more

Smokin' J's - Baby Back Half Rack Ribs - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

When I think of pulled pork or bbq, this is what i think of. Perfect sweet tea, Texas toast, chopped pork, and choice of sweet or spicy sauce. approved by this Texas girl. So sad we live 3 hours away Husband got the 1/2 lb pork dinner with baked potato and baked beans read more

Smokin' J's - Sweet Ice tea on a hot day - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

See all

Absolutely love love love this place I order from here quite frequently and I have a house hood of six with that being said usually it costs a lot to feed us but I paid $30.00 dollars and was able to get a big family meal deal. And their corn bread is finger licking good! read more

This establishment actually surprised me with how good the food was. We were passing through and looking for something new that we hadn't tried before. As we pulled into the parking lot I was disappointed to see we were in a large entertainment complex. I thought I might be in for a more generic experience. It was Saturday night and the place was packed. We walked straight back to the bar and lucked out with an open table for two. Service was a little slow because the bartenders were waiting the tables but I was happy to be seated immediately. Food: Ribs and The Appalachian Sandwich. Wow! That was a great sandwich. Much better than I expected. All side dishes were also delicious. I would defiantly come back and try more items off the menu. read more

Baked beans and coleslaw are great!! This is a lot of food for the price! Highly recommend!

I didn't really know what to expect here but I tried it anyway. First of all every time I come here, the customer service is very warm and inviting. There were 4 people discussing something at the host stand and everyone greeted me. The staff make me feel like I'm having bbq in their backyard :) they just moved locations and the new spot is even better. I had the same bartender from last time and I like that she didn't remember me but her service was still exceptional. Mason is both effective and efficient behind the bar and still made everyone feel at home. I ordered the potato skins and they did not disappoint. I got ribs and corn for the kiddo to go and it was gone in a matter of minutes haha! Very good! I really like this place. read more

Smokin' J's - Potato skins - Bars Near Me - Ashland, Kentucky

I've never had anything less that delicious at smokin J's. Food is great, portions are huge and Bourbon Slushes are amazing!

Second time I've been to this establishment since it moved and went big. First time couldn't get waited in. This time, food was terrible. You'd be better off getting bbq from the Chinese restaurant. read more

The steak was good however the sides were terrible. Worse or at least as bad as the prepackaged stuff at the supermarket. And I tasted my sides as well as my friends' Looks like they would have someone making them fresh in house read more

It was nice. Great service! Food portions were fair. Great location. TC Xoxoxo read more

1st of all let me say I don't judge a place by just one visit , I've been here at least 5-6 times service has always been good but food is always poor to adequate. Ate there this evening and the baked potato was cold and brown the ribs were tuff and hard the pulled pork was almost all fat and bones in it. Not all was bad the bread and salad was good but who wants to pay $40 for just salad and bread. We weren't the only ones unimpressed As we were leaving there was someone throwing up all around the front door. read more