Ordered pickup from here on a Friday night before the rush. We ended up getting there early enough that we decided to stay and eat there, as tables were open. Online ordering was very easy and the food was ready right on time! We got the smoked pork shoulder sandwich platter with coleslaw and corn bread bites and the spicy chicken breast sandwich platter with baked beans and Mac & Cheese. The buns they use for these sandwiches are a great texture and hold up well to the amount of meat and sauce that you want on a BBQ sandwich. It never felt soggy, which is rare around the area. The pork was flavorful with a very fine shred. I wouldn't say the chicken was spicy as said on the menu, but more peppered. The real star is the bbq sauce because it comes out warm and is thin enough to pour but has enough texture to stick to the meat. Went well with everything from the meats, to the Mac & Cheese, to the corn bread bites. The corn bread bites were the stand out side, kind of like a hush puppy. Would recommend at least one person in your group gets them. I even liked them topped with the baked beans. Overall, very tasty food and nice people working. After hearing so many great things about this place over the years, it's about time I got there. Lived up to all the hype! read more

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First I should say I judge a barbecue joint by its ribs. That's it. I have had barbecue all over the country and smoke a mean rib myself. These ribs were as good as any I've had around the country, and better than most. Some places brag about "fall of the bone tender." To me that is overcooked. Ribs should be "fairly easily coaxed off the bone tender. The need a little bit of chew to them or the are too dry. Smokey Jon's ribs were just right. Now the rest. The barbecue beans were very good. I put a little brisket burnt ends in when I make them. That would have improved these to top notch. I usually shy away from barbecue joint mac and cheese but I ordered it here. Hey, I'm in Wisconsin. It's got to be at least ok. It was better than just ok. It had a generous amount of cheese and the symtickiness that good Mac and cheese must have. For my taste, it had too much garlic. I'm a big garlic fan. When I see a recipe that says "one clove of garlic," I figure it's a misprint and they meant "one head of garlic." Here, they used powdered garlic, and I feel like the amount they used covered up the natural sweetness of the cheese. The ambiance of the place was spot on. I am visiting Madison, from Oregon (Go Ducks!) Driving by the place it looks like they've got to have at least passible 'cue. Inside it was classic back woods barbecue chic. "Log cabin" looking interior walls, red and white checkered plastic table cloths, and great old school blues on the sound system. Is this place perfect? No, won't get that until you pass through the Pearly Gates. But it's about as good as your going to get anywhere else, unless you come over to my back yard on 4th of July. read more

I've eaten a lot of BBQ in many different states. You can truly judge how good a BBQ place is by their mac and cheese and collard greens. Unfortunately, Smokey Joe's doesn't have collard greens, but their mac and cheese is one of the best I have ever eaten. The consistency is perfect- creamy but not soupy. They use real cheese and it has perfect seasoning . The sugar biscuits were amazing as well. I got the burnt end plate and it was the perfect amount of meat and fat ratio. The meat should be tasty without BBQ sauce and Smoky Jon didn't dissapoint- the BBQ sauce was tangy with just the right amount of spice. Yet, the meat was absolutely delicious without it- the BBQ sauce complimented the meat. Also super nice people. I would definitely come here again. This is in the top 5 of my favorite BBQ resturaunts and judging by all the awards and trophys on the wall, I'm not alone in that opinion. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Sugar biscuit - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Every time we are in Madison or passing through Madison this is a MUST stop place. The BBQ is amazing. You get to put your own sauce - so you know there a good focus on yummy meat! Favorite sides include the corn, Cole slaw and Mac n Cheese. The restaurant itself is cozy and can get crowded but it's easy to take the food to go. Service has always been pleasant and friendly. read more

I want to rate this higher because the other top Madison barbecue restaurants are so corporate/suburban, and Smoky Jon's is the original. But based on my experiences this autumn, I can only rate this as okay. Its okay to keep things the same and not change things perhaps because change feels like disrespect to Jon. But keeping quality high is always a must. Thus far half chickens and brisket dinners have been had. All the sides have been fine if not a bit small considering the overall price. We do not eat ribs so maybe its the ribs that bring the highest rating. Overall I would consider trying this once more as we like the smoke shack divey look, southern vibe, and personable staff. Just come with expectations in check. read more

I'm not gonna lie I've never had barbecue in Wisconsin. When I found this place I was kinda curious but kinda skeptical. Let me just say this has to be some of the best ribs I've ever had. The meat was so tender it fell right off the bone. The sauce was amazing as well. I will definitely come back every time I'm in Madison. The restaurant itself was very clean. The service was great. Upon entering the restaurant you see all the different awards they won. They deserve each and every award. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Full slab of ribs spicy corn and Mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Still some of the best ribs in Madison Smokey John's has been around a long time. Nothing has changed on the inside with checkerboard plastic table cloths and rolls of paper towels. Well, they have added a few food items, but really, just get the ribs Polite service, nothing fancy, but they keep the tables clean and the food is prompt read more

Best bbq sandwiches in town the meat off the bone is right on. Sides may be a little small for the dinner menu but if you're there for lunch it's a good taste and variety. I have to say I've had better ribs locally but this my go to for the rest. Small parking lot and not a lot of tables but good service. read more

Umm. Obviously wisconsin struggles with BBQ spots. But I thought Smokey Jon's would be decent. Until we ordered catered brisket. and was forced to buy 5lbs of it for $150. Which would be fine if it werent 3 lbs of SHREDDED brisket and 2lbs of bbq sauce. What a waste. Shredding brisket down to microscopic fibers and drowning it in sauce is sooooo sacreligious. and came off as very cheap and penny pinchey. read more

Ordered 2 brisket dinners... NOT sandwiches. Got 2 very dry brisket sandwiches. I calledto complain and got, " Oh well, maybe next time our communication will be better." THERE WILL BE NO NEXT TIME!!! read more

Staying overnight in Madison, and since I love BBQ thought I'd give this spot a try. The interior was small, and the smells of smoked meats wafted through the air. I ordered a combo that included ribs, a brisket sandwich and a couple of sides. I settled in to my table and waited for the goods to arrive. Ribs were decent and had a bit of smoke ring and required some "chew" to get the meat off the bone (as they should!), brisket sandwich was finely chopped meat on a bun that I did not really enjoy at all. Main BBQ sauce was thick, smokey and had a serious kick to it. Baked beans were slightly sweet in a thick sauce. Mac-n-cheese was so salty it was hard to eat. Meal came with a standard dinner roll and butter. Some hits, some misses...overall an average experience for a BBQ joint. read more

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A friend brought over a family meal he got to go and I'm not exaggerating at all when I saw we had to saw through the meat with steak knives. Might be my worst experience with ribs ever. read more

Ribs tasted great, brisket tasted great. Food overall was great. It did take a little while to get our food.

Stopped here for lunch a few weeks ago when I was in town visiting friends. It's a small, no frills BBQ joint that gets the job done. It has basically every main style of BBQ meat you can order, from brisket to pork to ribs to brats. I got the cheese brat sandwich, which was served on a warm sesame seed hamburger bun. I'd never seen a brat sandwich served on a bun like that before but it worked. it was still able to stay together, and I enjoyed it. I got sides of mac and cheese and coleslaw. They were small portions but still good. Service was fast. There isn't a whole lot of seats, so might not be best to go with a large group. There isn't a parking lot that I recall, but there was plenty free street parking nearby. If I'm ever back in town and wanting BBQ I'd come back here to try some of the other meat options. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Cheese brat sandwich, sides of Mac cheese and cole slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I got the half slab and two sides. Their sauce is really good! Definitely will be craving the sauce. The location is right outside the airport and a fun cabin feel. Service was great. Will definitely be back. Only downside is they don't have beer. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I reviewed this place enough years ago that i can barely recall doing so. So my recent check in, being the first time I've been there in a long time, was based on ancient memories of the place when i lived on that side of the city a decade ago. Grabbing a pile of ribs for lunch was worth the slightly out of my routine drive. Should've gone all out and ordered enough for leftovers because when I eventually was back home the cravings were not going to leave my mind easily. The particles lodged in the the tightly confined molars, I had to floss to get rid of, were all that i had to satiate my pangs of sorrow as i knew I may not be able to return soon enough. Now I am hoping a job on Madisons east side, will make my phone ring, so I can have a justification to make the trip sooner them later. read more

Amazing spot. We went here on a recommendation of a friend. I'm mad at myself that we didn't go earlier than we did! The ribs are fantastic. Sauce is darn good. The burger was amazing. The Mac n cheese and mashed potatoes were great. This is a small spot, with only a few tables, but when I tell you that their food is fantastic, it is amazing beyond that. The ribs were fall off the bone. My son's burger, well, let's just say he crushed it. The chicken was good too, although it was probably the "worst" part of the entire meal. We will be back for sure! My son said that if he goes to UW Madison, this will be a weekly spot for he and I to break bread. Enjoy! read more

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I've had Smoky Jon's bookmarked for quite some time and today was finally the day I found myself hungry in Madison during the lunch hour. Having never been in this area of Madison before, the building kind of sneaks up on you and is not in a location you'd expect to find a restaurant. The building resembles an old warehouse type facility with only the front corner decorated for the restaurant. I liked it, but I could see how someone trying it for the first time might be nervous on initial approach. The parking is not very good and I actually parked on the street in the residential neighborhood just behind the building. The parking situation might add to the initial trepidation. The building does fly a Packers flag so good things right? Good things inside indeed. You enter and order at the counter and find a seat. It's a small dining area with only about 10 small tables. I would be concerned there are likely times where a seat isn't available. The inside is nicely decorated and fits the barbecue restaurant theme perfectly. I ordered the brisket sandwich (double meat) which comes with two sides (fries & slaw) for me. I also had a large soda. My total came to $18, which is a bit pricey for lunch but that's about the going rate for good bbq. My meat was tender deliciousness. My slices had minimal fat and were just fall apart in your mouth perfect. Typically with barbecue sauce I'm kind of "meh", but this sauce had just the right amount of kick/flavor to be spot on with the meat. They use just a plain bun that was overwhelmed with the double meat. I think they'd be better served with a bakery hardroll to enhance the experience. The fries were hot and seasoned nicely. I also enjoyed the creamy coleslaw, but wish the side container for this was just a little larger. This was a solo visit for me during a work trip to Madison. I will definitely keep Smoky Jon's bookmarked for a return trip with the family. Keep on barbecuing Smoky Jon's. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Placed a $70 order for a family meal on 1/19 and had the worst experience. Whole rack of ribs were dry and inedible, chicken was dry and crusty, potato salad was 90% mayonnaise with no seasoning, beans were thick and literally broke my spoon when scooping and the only edible thing was the mashed potatoes which I give a 10/10 completely! What did not help was the fact that I called back twice with no answer so I feel really upset at the service and now they're closed until Wednesday so who knows the reaction I'll get when calling in. read more

Excellent service. Fantastic food. All at a reasonable price for bbq. The place is quaint so be ready for that. We will definitely be back!

Smoky Jon's is offering takeout with curbside pickup during COVID! After reading the reviews, I was craving some good ol' bbq ribs and was excited to give them a try. The service is really nice. You can order online and just send a text when you've arrived and they'll bring your order out to your car. Two of the workers happened to be outside when I parked so they were nice enough to come up and ask what my order was and brought them out! Despite the service, I have to say I was disappointed by the ribs. Reviews raved about them, but my order was fairly dry and tough. It was a little difficult to get off the bone at some places and the bbq sauce was sickeningly sweet. It made my stomach hurt both when it was fresh and the next day. Overall, the ribs just tasted and felt old. That being said, their potato salad is so out of the ordinary in the best way! It's creamy with plenty of potatoes and other vegetables. In my opinion, it was the best part of my meal. Their baked beans are a little on the sweeter side, but they still are better than out of a can. The portions are huge for the price and I got a little more than 2 meals out of one order, so definitely a good value! I probably won't be returning for the barbeque, but I know a place for when I'm craving some bomb potato salad! read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Half rack of ribs with baked beans, bun and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Smoky Jon's is definitely worth going out of your way for. The amount of awards and recognition they have received speaks volumes and is very representative of the food quality. The brisket was unbelievably tender, and that's coming from a native Texan. However, it's Smoky Jon's famous sauce that truly sets this place apart. The sauce is extremely smoky and smooth with a hint of spice, which is the perfect compliment to their various smoked meat selections. The prices are fair and main portions are generous as well. My only gripe is the side dishes, which are very good but the portions are a little skimpy. Overall I highly recommend this place both for the experience and the food. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Brisket Dinner w/ Mac & Cheese + BBQ Baked Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

There's a reason they win so many BBQ awards! This is the type of restaurant that my heart desires... a random, hole in the wall in a not-popular location with killer food and vibes. Literal hole in the wall location across from the airport and Ale Asylum. You'll miss it if you're not paying attention. Inside is an old log cabin type theme. You order at the counter and your food will be brought out to you. The sauce. It needs its own review. It's atypical of most sauces. It has a Chunky texture with onions, peppers and who cares what else because it is thaaat good. It leaves a little tingle from the heat but not too bad (I'm not a fan of spicy). Pair it with any of their meats and you are in B-B-Q heaven. My husband loves their burgers but how can I not order pulled pork or beef? The meat is tender, tasty and top notch. The fries are great and so are the beans, Mac and cheese, slaw; errything. Only thing I wish they'd step their game up on is the buns. They are bright yellow and almost look fake, I wonder what's up with that... Hubs is a Madison native but I'm a Southern Ohio girl. However, whenever we are back in Madison, this is the first place we stop for lunch. Bonus points for selling and shipping bottles of their awesome sauce online! Just wish they had high chairs. read more

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This small place has been here a long time and still manages to put out quality BBQ. My Jumbo chicken dinner was perfect as was the sides. Lots of good sides to choose from. Coleslaw, mac and cheese, beans, and fries were all great. My wife got a boring hamburger but she loves them here and was equally happy. The staff all wore masks and were friendly. My on line order was ready on time and everything was there. All good. I hate the parking here, especially on a dark night because you have to back out towards a busy street but if you can back in it's much better. You can also park over by the bar next door which is part of Smoky's property, and makes it easier. On this night only two dine in tables were in use and masks were being used. If just picking up take out it's easy and safe. read more

I enjoyed dropping in to check this place out, but it probably won't be a regular stop. Staff were masked, but the seating area is small (maybe 12 tables?). There was only one other person there at 1:30 on a Wednesday afternoon, but it could get crowded in a hurry. I had the turkey sandwich with potato salad and baked beans. It was all delicious - the turkey was flavorful and moist and I liked the sides just fine. As far as I could tell, there's only one option for sauce. It was good - smoky and a litte sweet - but a little on the spicy side! Down sides - I'm not much of a BBQ sandwich person and the only way I could see to get a lunch-sized portion was to order a sandwich. The side sevings were not generous - maybe a quarter cup of each? And the reason I won't bring the spouse here is that the only options that I saw for brisket were chopped, no slices. Since he's super picky about burnt and gristly bits, I don't think he'd like it. I'd definitely come back to try some ribs with a friend. read more

We have been trying out the barbecue restaurants around town and finally got around to Jon's. We did take-out since that was the only option these days - not sure if they even have dine-in. Their take-out process worked relatively well and our food was ready on time when we arrived. We tried their ribs which were very good - nice and tender. They are slathered in sauce vs. ribs at other places where there is more of a dry rub. I prefer dry rub versions but Jon's sauce was very tasty. A big thumbs up. Also we tried the Texas hot link - it was great with a good spice and a real snap to the skin. I would prefer if they offered this as a standalone item versus just as a sandwich. Finally we ordered the chopped beef brisket sandwich - the sauce with this was awesome but I must say I prefer my beef brisket sliced. This chopped prep with the sauce tasted more like a pulled pork. The coleslaw side and mac n' cheese side were disappointingly bland. Overall we will return for the ribs and sausage and skip the brisket and those two sides. read more

Solid stack of half BBQ ribs with decent sides to pick from when getting a dinner combo is a bit on the pricey end since the sides seem to have gotten smaller (in a tiny container). The fries that came with the ribs were also soggy, so not sure if it's cause we waited too long to pick up the order. The tiny container of beans were delicious, just wished there was a bit more. I can see why the ribs may be considered award-winning, as half of the menu is just a list of awards they've won in the past. The beef brisket was also tender and delicious, but I personally like the ribs over the brisket. The corn and mac n' cheese are also good sides as well, just again wish it was bigger portion than was was given. Each take-out dinner box had a fork and knife (even though on the menu it claims that utensils cost $0.50 extra, so just keep that in mind). Parking can also be tough as there are only a few spots located outside the restaurant and just keep an eye out for coming in and out of the small parking lot. read more

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Great BBQ. What a gem to find right outside the airport. Perfect place before getting on a flight. Thanks fellas for a great meal.

I was in Madison for a quick business meeting and love trying new BBQ joints. I visited Smoky Jon's last Thursday for some Q before returning to the airport. I received a warm welcome from the nice lady behind the counter. She asked where I was from when she heard my Southern accent and I gave her one of the BBQ Judge business cards. I pondered the extensive menu and chose a sampler plate to try both ribs and brisket. I was disappointed to learn that they were out of sliced brisket, but they had chopped brisket. I ordered, sat down, and the food arrived very fast. The 4 bone ribs were covered in a chunky heavy BBQ sauce. I normally like my ribs dry, and don't care for chunky sauces, but this sauce was surprisingly good. The ribs had a beautiful smoke ring and smokey taste. The only complaint about the ribs is they don't remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. The membrane leaves a thin plastic like skin that must be removed before eating. On a few occasions I have had chopped brisket, usually when a cook messes up the brisket and it is too tough to serve sliced. However, I don't think that was the situation at Smoky Jon's. A large helping of chopped brisket was placed on a large bun without sauce. The surprise to me was how finely chopped the brisket was; my experience with chopped brisket is it is chopped into chunks, not finely shredded like at Smoky Jon's. Regardless, the taste was good and it was a large portion. The baked beans were good, but I didn't care for the mac & cheese side dish. The mac & cheese was too cheesy for my taste, but I recognize I was in Cheese Land so I am not surprised that they used extra cheese. The interior of the restaurant is lined with log cabin style wood and a huge trophy case displays there numerous BBQ contest trophies. Additionally, some of the walls have magazine covers showing their selection as BBQ restaurant of the year for many years in a row. Overall, Smoky Jon's has good BBQ, especially for being north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I would have given 5 stars if the rib membrane had been removed and the mac & cheese wasn't so cheesy. Good Q and good people at Smoky Jon's!!!! read more

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Update as of July 2023: 1. Sauce is still awesome. Always has been. 2. Overall quality is still wildly inconsistent. 3. The pulled pork looked like it had been through a blender. There's just no standardization or consistency here. I'm not sure the staff knows what quality 'que and ribs should actually be. read more

Delivered a pulled pork sandwich with no meat and wouldn't refund. Do not frequent this business. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - No meat - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Excellent barbecue sauce. I've never had a bad meal from Smoky Jon's. I recommend the ribs and pulled pork. All the sides are good although I recently had the corn and it was too spicy for me. read more

I have heard several friends of mine rave about how good the BBQ is at Smokey John's. I was really excited to finally get a chance to be able to run over there during g a break from work and give it a try. When I pulled up there was a sign warning of several random food items that they did not have. A weird combination like fries, hot links (which was my first choice), ribs, burgers, etc. I should have kept driving and came back another time but against my better judgment I decided to see if they had brisket. The young man at the counter confirmed they did in fact have brisket before taking a call for an online order where he had to describe the situation to them. It sounded like some critical piece of equipment was down thus the lack of half of the menu. I received my food (a brisket dinner with mac and cheese and coleslaw) very quickly and headed back to the office to eat it. When I got opened the box I was confused to find that my brisket was chopped. I actually thought it was pork. It seems like they may have also run out of the sliced brisket which is pictured in previous reviews and replaced it with the chopped brisket from their brisket sandwich. They flavor of the meat was good though my only complaint is that it was colder than I would have expected given my drive was only 5 minutes back to the office. The portion was also nice. The coleslaw was nothing to write home about but good. This brings me to the biggest shock of the day. The mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was ice cold and unmelted cheese shreds in it. Once I microwaved it the mac and cheese was actually pretty good but still this seems odd. If it is the norm for them to give you cold sides for you to warm up yourself so be it, it's odd but is what it is. However, if this is the case or it has to do with the on going technical difficulties there should be communication about that to the customer. I'm saddened because I do believe that this place is as good as my friends say, but I also believe that if they are incapable of keeping that quality due to technical difficulties they need to close down for the day (this was a Sunday of all days). I'm curious if any of the food that I had was fresh or if it was what left from the days prior to their technical issues. read more

We stopped by to try this place on our way back to Texas. This BBQ surpassed our expectations, both with service and taste! The food was ready in just a couple minutes which was nice. The wait staff was so friendly and quick on their feet to help and serve us. I would recommend the chopped brisket (of course!) and this restaurant as a whole. Thanks! read more

The best BBQ that I have had in a long time. The ribs practically fell off the bone and the bbq sauce was delicious. I took off one star because their heat was not working and it was freezing. read more

Not as good as it was since new owners took over I believe it was better when Joel was there

Ordered the marinated tenderloin steak sandwich and a spicy marinated chicken. The size of both sandwiches seemed to be off the childs menu. The chicken sandwich had no toppings at all and was dry, only 2 bites were taken. There were no packets of ketchup for the side of fries. The tenderloin steak sandwich was good just wish it wasnt so small. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Spicy marinated boneless chicken breast sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The best ribs I have ever had. Always delicious and cooked to perfection. the side dishes are fantastic as well.

"Forrest, what's going on with them damn sugar fried biscuits!" Yes, that is what I literally heard there. This was followed by a refund on some of our meal-more on that later. My friend is a UW student and after deciding to visit him he took us here to eat. We ordered the brisket, rib and chicken. The brisket was cut, almost chipped with a tangy/sweet sauce with a little bit of a bite at the end and little bits of onions that were chewy/crunchy. I asked the person taking my order about his recommendations for sides. He said-definitely the fries and the baked beans. The baked beans were delicious! Also sweet with a little kick at the end and then with a little sweetness to it. I just want to take the time right now to say that I hate beans-the consistency of it and the way that they're often overloaded with lard/butter. As mentioned above, yummy and on top of that he said that if I didn't like either of the sides he recommended to let him know and he would get me something else. I tried the ribs which were so soft that it basically came apart in my fingers, the sauce was consistent throughout. My friend placed an order of the 'doughnuts' as he called it but they were sugar fried biscuits. We waited and waited, ordered them to-go and even then they weren't ready. The counter-man, who must have been the manager then asked the unseen Forrest what was going on with the damn sugar fried biscuits and then said he was going to give back the money for the biscuits. That's really an extra step in fixing a slight problem in an otherwise small kink. read more

Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Ordered 1lb Sirloin Cheeseburger to go, wanted medium rare but was way too overdone and burnt. The fries were about all that was edible. Called up to complain about the issue and was hung up on rudely. Would not come back or recommend eating here, save your money. read more