We pass this place often and today, stopped in for a quick bite to eat to take home. Snagged the brisket nachos, burnt end sandwich and the Gouda cheese with bacon bites. Thankfully their barbecue sauce isn't tomato based, because of the three items picked, the burnt end sandwich was by far the better of the choices. There really isn't any place to see what's "in" or "made with/of" on their menu. So when you ask for brisket nachos, be prepared for waffle fries covered in Bush's Baked Beans, cheese, jalapeños, and literally 3 small pieces of brisket with a whole lot of fat. Definitely not recommend, sadly. The Gouda bites were so-so; one can definitely tell they were one frozen and plopped into a fryer for about 6.3 mins, then served as something bougie. I personally didn't have a bite of the burnt end sandwich, but from the lack of discussion, fairly certain that one was a hit in the park. It comes with 2 sides; or 1 side and 1 drink. If you like Bush's Baked Beans, you'll enjoy their beans. Their mac-n-cheese, I can appreciate the effort with the bread crumbs on top for an extra, special appeal. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Brisket nachos, burnt end sandwich, and Gouda with bacon bites. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Holy cow. So we're close to Kansas City, but dang!! The ribs, the ribs, the ribs. We had a big party, so we ordered family style: a full rack of pork ribs, a whole smoked chicken, and sides for days: fries, onion rings, cole slaw, and BBQ beans, along with mounds of corn bread and Texas toast. People we died and went to hog heaven. Hallelujah!!! Lol the meat was falling off the bones, and the smoked chicken had to be the best I have ever had...and I've eaten in Texas and Kansas City. That's saying something. All the fixins were legit, and we were seriously stuffed. You can judge the food by how much is left on the table, and all we took home were little freaking scraps of corn bread. Nuff said. So I'd say if you find yourself in Omaha for whatever brought you here, do yourself and your SOUL a favor and make the pilgrimage to this Omaha BBQ Mecca. It will be a spiritual experience. I promise. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Ribs falling off the bone. Smoked and legit. You can see they serve it dry, and I like it wet. It's all good!! - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Stopped for lunch today. The staff seemed nice. The restaurant looked tired.. needs some deep cleaning. We had the brisket sandwich, cheeseburger, and pulled pork. Sides were Mac & cheese and onion rings. The brisket was decent. The pork was pretty bland. The cheeseburger was average. The sides were also average. They supply a cup of bbq sauce, but I wish they had a selection of flavor and heat profiles. Maybe a pickle on the side would be nice. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Brisket sandwich, Mac & cheese, onions rings. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This place is delicious! Got a lot of food with my meal. Satisfied that craving I had for some BBQ

Cold, soggy and lacked quality. To start off I was excited walking in and to try the food, as it has 4 stars. Unfortunately, the server/ cashier was not friendly and seemed bothered we came in at 1:45. Now the food, we ordered and ate some of the ribs, nachos, Philly, burgers, onion rings, Mac and cheese and fries. Sadly only the ribs had good flavor but were served cold. Definitely avoid the nachos (soggy waffle fries with beans and cheese - not good at all). read more

If I could give 0 stars I definitely would. Whoever Jay is might say he has a talent for doing the smoking but I'm sending out a smoke signal to let you all know that with so many more BBQ joints around, you NEED to think long and hard before choosing this place to meet your carnivorous cravings. The ordering process was fine - I was pleased that we could do everything online and see the prices outlined clearly and with details listed. I was also glad to see they were open on Easter which is when my partner and I decided to give it a try. However, we wish we hadn't. The family meal we ordered was a decent enough deal - Brisket with two large sides (baked beans and the Jay's potatoes for us) lots of bread and, because we wanted to taste test a few things, an extra side of the mac and cheese. We went and picked it up and it was ready for the most part, needed to get bagged up and we paid on the app so we were good to go then. In fact, it was quite exciting and our tummies were ready for some down home BBQ. The non exciting part was opening the boxes at home. The brisket was O.K. The baked beans and bread - BASIC. The potatoes were BURNT (like literally INEDIBLE - see picture) and the mac and cheese NEVER MADE IT INTO OUR ORDER although we had PAID. I called back to see what they would do to repair this and because they were now BUSY the arrangement was that they'd call me when it was ready. No call came for over an hour. I called back and they said they would start to get it ready. Um.....Unacceptable. Overall BAD EXPERIENCE. Would rather drive 3 hours to Kansas City than to revisit this place in our neighborhood. When KC does BBQ they don't mess it up and I know that for sure. Omaha - well at least Smoking Jay's - has some catching up to do. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - DISGUSTING BURNT INEDIBLE "Jay's Potatoes" - this was what we got for a large side. Literally laughing. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

One of the best in Omaha! meats on point sides are very very well done great staff and loved the desserts read more

Was on my way home from little Bohemia and saw this place. So happy I stopped in. Staff was super friendly and the place smells amazing. Nothing special about the atmosphere but they do have a money stealing claw machine. Daily specials and some excellent kona craft beer make this a place special. I enjoyed the "heart attack burger" with house fries (amazing little fried potatoes cheese onions and bacon) soooo good. Corn bread was also very good. The burger was heaven and should come with a side of aspirin! Burger cheese pulled pork and onion make this burger amazing. read more

Great service, laughs with Jay and hot delicious peach cobbler! Good atmosphere in Omaha and fun conversations! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Brisket, Half Rack Beef Ribs, cornbread, Large House Mac and Cheese, Large Baked Beans - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Really good no frills bar b que. I must say that the sides for me were lacking, but the Q itself is off the hook! They would get 4 stars if the sides were better. The BBQ though, I can honestly say this is the best BBQ I've had since I e been in Omaha and I have tried lots of places and I finally decided I will have to learn to smoke meat. But nope, I'm saved that task now. The staff is so very friendly and helpful, which makes it even more of a joy to go there. It was a hot day and the AC was on the fritz, but we sat outside and it was quite pleasant. I will definitely come again and again. I really want to go d 4 stars, but those sides. read more

I stopped at Smoking Jay's when I was in Omaha on a work trip. I am a #BBQConnoisseur and had to try some of their local Omaha smoke and fire! Jay's has some decent Que. The brisket was thick with a nice smoke ring and texture. Good quality and smoky taste. read more

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Took a mini-vacation to Omaha and after leaving the zoo we were famished and came across Smoking Jay's. I personally see this little accident as one of the highlights of the trip. I had the three rib special wife my wife and son both opted for the Philly sandwich. We were not disappointed and wish this was closer than the 400 miles between the little diner and our home in Illinois. Jay took our order and checked on us during our meal so it's not some franchise. read more

Delicious. I was craving BBQ and this place hit the spot. The staff and cooks are extremely nice and the food made me feel like I was in a backyard cook out. Also, the corn bread muffins were perfect, I recommend ordering more than one! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Chicken, corn, Mac and cheese. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Went for the first time today and I can't believe we hadn't had it before! Overall, so delicious! We got the Mac and cheese and I was a huge fan, probably my favorite part of the whole meal. We also got the nachos which are really fries but they were delicious, though a smaller portion than expected. We ordered a side of cornbread and wow it was the softest cornbread we have ever had. With a little honey on top, it was perfect! The vibe inside is very old school which gives it its own unique charm. Pricing was reasonable and the food was great. I would definitely recommend! read more

Stopped in to Smoking Jays at lunch on a weekday. Not overly large. You order at the counter and there is a white board with the days specials. Went with the pork barbecue sandwich meal that come with one side and a drink for around $8. I went with coleslaw and got an additional side of baked beans which will set you back another $2.50. Sides are very small. Don't think you get your money's worth with those. You are asked what sauce you want and they will serve it in the side when your meal is brought out. Sandwich is decent sized and the meat has decent smoke, but did not seem to have much seasoning. I disliked the mild sauce and pretty much stuck with the hot. Coleslaw was of a sweeter variety which I found to be very good. Baked beans were okay, but seemed to have a measly or grainy texture to them, almost like they had been cooked too long and started to break down or something. Overall decent, but not what I would go out of the way for. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Pork Sandwich lunch comes with one side and a drink. - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

I always drive by here and haven't stopped until today! Super glad I did. We ordered loaded Mac, and 2 ribs with a side - both were specials. We also ordered fried Oreos. The loaded Mac was my favorite thing we had! Super creamy Mac and cheese with shredded meat and sauce on top. Would definitely order again. The other special was good as well, we got fried potatoes as our side and I liked those better than the ribs. Ribs weren't bad at all, just not my favorite. The fried Oreos were a little greasy, but also not bad at all. The staff was very friendly! We will definitely come again to try more options! read more

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I got the pulled pork sandwich with Mac & cheese. For quick fix BBQ this place isn't bad. They are pretty giving with how much meat you get and their mild sauce is good. The pork itself contained no flavor and with the Mac and cheese I couldn't necessarily taste any cheese. All I tasted was the toasted bread crumbs they put on top. They tasted like the Italian style crumbs for breading. Once again, food wasn't bad but it wasn't anything special or anything that would make me eager to return. I'd still suggest trying it out for yourself though! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Pulled Pork Sandwich - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Came here from southside chicago. All im saying is we need a Smokin Jay's in my neighborhood havent had a good meal on the road like that in forever. read more

10/2020 Update: We were in town buying a vehicle and had to try SJ's again. Did not disappoint, my friends. The brisket was just as delicious as before. Service was still friendly and welcoming to all. Jay still comes by and asks how things are going, clears dishes, etc. Had good business on a random Thursday afternoon during COVID, so you know the man is doin' something righteous. No fuss, no pretention, quick food that fills. Perfect meal to get us back on the road home! This will be my go-to whenever I'm in Omaha. Keep up the good work Jay!! read more

AMAZING! The service, the food, EVERYTHING! Eat here! Jay was working the counter and was beyond friendly. He had a wonderful calming presence and made our large group at ease. He helped make recommendations and had patience with our group changing their order several times. Our appetizers came out fast and were delicious, we had the fried pickles and corn bread (OMG!). Jay was attentive and we quickly received our plates of brisket/ribs/pulled pork. We left full and with leftovers for our flight home. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Combo plate - pulled pork and chicken- tender, yummy sauce. Ribs- fall off the bone. Crisp fries! Great Mac and cheese. They were very patient with our orders as we asked lots of questions. Friendly service. Refreshing change from touristy places we visited. Worth the trip. read more

BEST FOOD EVERRRRRR!!!! We came in around 4, no line, ordered at the register and then found a table. The employees are SO friendly and make you feel like family! The location is right off the freeway to the right of the zoo. Loved the homemade dishes. But the food...there aren't enough words..we ordered Mac and cheese, cheesy potatoes, fried pickles, and deep fried Oreos (I know, no barbecue, next time for sure) and as a Mac and cheese, fried pickles and deep fried Oreos *snob*(I order these items everywhere I go) I can tell you they are the BEST EVER. Mac and cheese was so so so good, texture, creaminess, cheese etc...deep fried pickles were amazing, and their homemade ranch is KILLER. Cheesy potatoes were also amazing. Beer was cheap. All the food warmed up great that night and a day later. All of this was under 25$. Thank god they're not in Des Moines or we would be on my 600lb life. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Marginal bbq but pretty much all that's available. Maybe we picked a bad day but if this place actually won all the trophies, I'm concerned about the level of competition. read more

So Good! My new favorite BBQ place in the area! Will definitely return! The brisket was super good! Restaurant was clean; service was fast and great! Good customer service! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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Pulled pork sandwich was perfect. Plenty of smoke and pork flavor. The spicy sauce had just a touch of heat (I could have used more, but that's me) Fries were delicious, no ketchup needed. The smoked mac n cheese had so much flavor, but wasn't goopy or runny. Jay was thoughtful and helpful with information about his meats. He even brought us a sample of his brisket. Next time rhat will be an item we will got read more

Great service, BEST BBQ in Nebraska- a must when in Omaha. This is how BBQ should be, great meat, baked beans were superb and this southern boy approves of the sweet tea! Loved it, thanks J!!! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This place is amazing! My son and I just flew in from AZ and we're starving and stopped here 1st Best BBQ I've had in a long time. Customer service is awesome! read more

I feel bad giving two stars when I previously gave 4. I wanted to give 3 stars because 2 seems so harsh; however 3 stars = "A-Okay", which this experience wasn't. It was exactly what a 2 star means = "Meh. I've experienced better." My first couple of trips here were wonderful. The owner is super nice and the brisket was smoky, tender and juicy with a bit of fat for extra flavor...just like Texas style brisket. However my last couple of visits the brisket (while tender) barely tasted of smoke. Really was like eating pot roast with a hint of smoke. Sides were just okay...slaw and mac-n-cheese. My dining partner doesn't like BBQ but agreed to come along and find something else. One of the specials was grilled cheese sandwiches. She ordered that and the chicken noodle soup. For $8.99 she received 2 grilled cheese sandwiches on regular white sandwich bread with 1 slice of american cheese on each. Okay that's a traditional grilled cheese but $8.99 and the cheese was not fully melted on them. Now the chicken noodle soup was a complete disaster. It came out cold (despite the fact I saw the cook heat it up in the microwave and test the temperature with his finger several times- yuck!!!) Before she took it back to the window to return it (and she NEVER complains about food in a restaurant) I tasted it also. It had absolutely no flavor, was cold and had green beans, corn and peas in it. Never saw this in chicken noodle soup. The cook simply said he didn't make it...the owner did. It was awful. To top it off 2 more customers walked in and ordered. We were the only others in there and we watched the cook running around the kitchen trying to prepare their food and exclaimed "I don't know what I'm doing." Then the cashier jumped in to try to assist him but it was clear they were struggling. Very sad to say doubt I'll be back. read more

I love BBQ now and then, and my favorite place to get some smoked meat nearby is Phat Jacks in Lincoln. Because they are an hour away, I don't often eat BBQ. I've tried most of the places in Omaha and while none of them are bad, none are outstanding either. It'll do for a hankering or a meal, but nothing to rush back for right away. Most of the best BBQ I have had was in OK, TX, KS, AL and MI, which is to be figured. Smoking Jay's is a cool family owned joint in South O near the Zoo on 13th St. I don't find this to be a "sketchy" neighborhood, but perhaps I'm just used to dining a lot in South O. It's certainly more rundown than newer parts of Omaha, but to me, that is part of the charm. Nothing pretentious here, just good ole BBQ with a ton of apps and sides to order too. The staff is friendly, and the menu has all your favorites (well except burnt ends). We went with a 1/2 rack of ribs, brisket sandwich, and ordered sides: fried pickles, potato salad, mac and cheese, baked bean, corn bread. The sides were all great, I really enjoyed it. Non dry corn bread and good everything else. The portions were nicely sized and they even threw in an extra corn bread for our longer than average wait for our to go order. The only complaint I have is that the meat was on the dry side- with some parts of the ribs moist but others very very dry. Same story with the Brisket. I would not hesitate to try this place again, but note, (sometimes at least) the meat is dry. read more

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Visiting Omaha and stopped for some BBQ! This place is a gem!! Jay actually took our order and waited our table. I recommend everything but the smoked wings and potatoes were my favorite!!! read more

My husband and I had a hankering for some smoked chicken, but I was having trouble finding any restaurants that had it (most menus just say "roasted chicken" or something vague). Smoking Jays was a bit further out, but we called in an order. It's been years since I had smoked chicken, but this definitely lived up to my expectations. We got the 8 piece meal which came with two sides and cornmeal muffins. The chicken was seriously AMAZING. The skin was nice and crispy and it made our whole apartment smell delicious. We got both their hot and regular barbecue sauces which were ok, but mostly we dipped it in some white barbecue sauce from Alabama that we made (I'd LOVE if Smoking Jays would add it to their menu!). The baked beans and potato salad were good, but the cornbread muffins seemed a little dry and crumbly. I also thought that the combo came with a drink from what I have read online but apparently it did not. We will definitely be returning for some smoked chicken in the future! read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Smoked chicken - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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I am always on the lookout for BBQ as it is a weakness of mine. Finding someone place close with excellent reviews is hard to come by. My favorite place was Swine Dining but move over! Sure, I had a pork roast in the crock pot and that was the plan for dinner but I wasn't feeling very pork roasty and we were traveling abck from Nebraska City. I wanted BBQ. I had been hankering for it for days. So what's a girl to do? Whip out Yelp of course! Hmm.. find BBQ close to my house. This place pops up, sure let's give it a try. Not going to lie, the neighborhood could appear to be on the sketchy side but there is plenty of parking. You want it and we are welcomed right away. There are menus on the table, so feel free to seat yourself. Menu is pretty straight forward and there are specials on the board. We ordered a 1/2 rack of the pork baby back ribs, an appetizer sized order of the brisket nachos, and one sweet tea. Total came to $32 before tip. Let me tell you about the ribs! Fall off the bone tender, smoke ring beauties, juicy and succulent. That's right, I used the word succulent to describe the smoked to perfection ribs. Plated well and served with a side of sauce which is a food group all its own. I picked up a bone and the meat all but fell off, dipping it the sauce and the whole thing just melted in my mouth. Here's the best part, when we moved to the brisket nachos you could TASTE the difference in the meat. You know how some places it doesn't matter what you order it all tastes of sauce? This is NOT that. Rich, smoky, meaty mixed with waffle fries, bbq beans, cheese and jalapenos. I ran out of room before I could try the cornbread but it was freshly made and cooling on racks in the pass. Go here and confirm to yourself this isn't one of the best places for BBQ! I might have to go back tonight since I am now drooling thinking about it. read more

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Probably the worst BBQ Omaha beside HOG Wild. Portions are small for a big price. Also most of it is poorly made . When the original owner had it , it was decent. read more

Being here in Omaha, I wanted to try some famous Midwest BBQ. I happen to drive pass and I stopped! I ordered the Smoked Beef Brisket sandwich with a side of reg BBQ sauce and fries. Meat was good and tender. Fries were like any other fries (wasn't too crazy). Staff was very friendly and nice. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting who wants to try what the Midwest is known for. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Inside - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

Well, 5 stars for being what you want to be.......a barbecue place. Good selection of menu items, tasty, meaty ribs, good potato salad. We got to go....walked in and ordered and had or order super fast. Service is above expectations. Friendly helpful considerate service. Beer is available. We will be back for the dessert menu. read more

This was a great stop after a day at the zoo very affordable and the food was really good. I really liked their spicy BBQ sauce with the brisket. The pulled pork sandwich was really good too. I think we may swing back in before we head back to MN. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - Store Front - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

We come to Omaha every few weeks to go to the zoo and always argue about where to go for food. Well not any more. Smoking Jays is the place for us. The folks are friendly and the food is fantastic. The fries are good. The fried okra is dope. The onion rings are fire. I had the heart attack burger. Bun was nice and soft but toasted on the inside. Burger was juicy and flavorful. Topped with pulled pork, BBQ sauce and fried onion rings put it over the top. I was soo full when we left. Next time I think I'm going to try the fried pickles and maybe some pork ribs. Highly recommended by a fat guy. read more

Amazing. We pulled up to this little joint and considered not going in. Soooo glad we did everything was amazing. My 7yo said he gives it 10,000 out of 10. You have to try this place order the smoked gouda and bacon bites and the okra. So yummy!!! read more

Picked up lunch here after I decided to not go to the zoo because it was crowded. Since it's down the street, it's a good place to grab lunch if you want to do that before going in. It was early, so the lunch crowd hadn't come in yet. Ordered the 3 pork and cole slaw for takeout, which was reasonably priced under $10. Ribs were good, though a little dry for my taste. People there were very nice, so I hope to stop in again. read more

Smoking Jay's BBQ - 3 ribs and coleslaw - American Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

So good!!! Won't disappoint. Melt in your mouth and so flavorful. Definitely recommend this place for your BBQ fix.