Was lucky enough to try this place over the past weekend and it was exceptional from top to bottom. First off, the location is great. Just deep enough into the mountains where you are lost in the beauty of Colorado but actually only about 35-40 minutes from downtown Denver. The restaurant is located on the river and has a ton of outdoor seating, picnic table style. It was about 72 and sunny so needless to say, a perfect day. Darryl, the owner, has mastered his smoking and BBQing over the last few years in his own smoker that he built. We started with a few orders of wings that were smoked and then fried briefly to crispen up the skin. These were outstanding. For my meal, I went with the Pulled Pork sandwich topped with fried pickles (a very nice tough) and coleslaw. Because it was my first time, I ordered all 4 of the sauces on the side. One of the great things about the sandwich is that you actually don't need the sauce, the sign of a great tasting pulled pork. It stands on it's own. Still, I would rotate dipping into the sauces on bites and each one was unique and delicious (all made from scratch). I also had a side of Jalapeno Elk Sausage which was delicious, crisp snap on the outside, and a little kick from the jalapeno. A great side to share. All in all, it was some of, if not the, best smoked meats I've ever tried at a restaurant. If you are in the Denver area or are within an hour driving distance and can afford a drive into the mountains, do not miss Switchback Smokehouse. P.S. Get a Moscow Mule from Mark the bartender. He'll treat you right. read more

We were driving back to Denver from Evergreen Lake. We drove by the restaurant and saw that they had outside seating and were very busy. We went back to sit outside by the river. The staff came up to us and were very helpful! The food was amazing! A few of their sides; Mac & cheese, zucchini, brussels sprouts, waffle fries... Entrees: chicken, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage. YUM!!! Cocktails were great! The BEST advice for this review..."go early, they run out of most of everything"! Especially my favorite, the brisket... It was relaxing, beautiful, fun, and I will definitely go back! P. S. I think Courtney P. was there with her friends...read her review. read more

This is the absolute best smokehouse in Colorado! Get there early, they run out quickly because, they are that good!

This is the best smoked BBQ we have eaten in Colorado. The Pork and the chicken wings are my favorite. Such a find after a hike at Lair of the Bear. The outside seating by the creek and the Sangria make it a perfect Spring and Summer Spot. Make sure you get there early cause the do sell out. read more

I've been to a few good southern BBQ spots in my life. Grew up in Georgia and have been stationed in South Carolina, Virginia. I'd say that, the pulled pork sandwich we had from here did not need any BBQ sauce and this is a good thing. Our sandwiches were pilled high and topped with a nice coleslaw. But, if you want some sauce on that, go for it, the sauces are great as well. Happy with the place and it a great place to get BBQ anytime. P.S. If you sit outside they'll allow your dog to sit with you. read more

I almost don't want to write a review because all of you people take my meats and make them run out. BUUUT. It's an amazing place. As a bbq snob from Kansas City I have to say it's some of the best smoked meats I've had. It's laid back and the employees as always chill and easy going. It's the perfect little mountain restaurant with high quality food. Now if I could just convince people it was terrible so not as many people went and they didn't run out of the good stuff so early. read more

Wow great food, amazing service and very friendly staff. We made it too late and ended up missing the brisket and ribs but we did get to try the wings, salmon, potato salad, and rooster sandwich. Everything was great and worth the 40 minute drive. read more

I cannot even stop raving about this restaurant- it is that good! We went out of our way from Denver twice in the past two weeks and both times it was out of sight. You MUST try the brussels sprouts and german potato salad, killer. My family and I all got different entrees to share and nothing was bad. I loved the pulled chicken, and my husband swears by the pulled pork. I could keep going on, but will finish saying, you need to go here! read more

THIS IS THE BEST DAMN BBQ I HAVE HAD IN COLORADO IN 18 YEARS, PERIOD. So legit. I grew up in the BBQ Belt in Texas frequenting places like Salt Lick, Coopers, Black's etc- and this is the closest thing to that that I have had outside of Texas. Hell, it may even be better than a few of the "destination" joints. The staff is incredibly nice and will walk you through everything on the menu with crazy knowledge. All their sauces are good and the sides are great as well. I stop in for lunch 2 times a week and it's always fantastic. On my never-ending quest for legit BBQ this place is far and away the leader. Max out the credit card and get everything on the menu, you won't regret it. read more

Well being appreciative of good barbecue. And my first time here...... here's my honest opinion. The brisket is quite flavorful and surprisingly not dry. The pulled pork while having excellent flavor was a bit dry for me. However it's one of the better available in the Denver area. The spare ribs are very tasty, tender and moist. The macaroni and cheese while I feel that should have a bit more cheese ( note to reader: I really really really love cheese) was very creamy and quite delicious. Now to really give kudos where it is due. They smoke their own bacon here, now if anything I love bacon way more than cheese. So without saying they sell it by the slice. So if you like or love bacon what ever number you decide to order I strongly recommend that you add a few more. Because you will find yourself going back for more. OFF THE FRICKIN' HOOK IS THE BACON. Now the young staff here are warm friendly and seem quite customer service oriented. read more

Good ambiance outside but the service could improve. Bartender couldn't manage to get a beer to interrupt his macking session.

Holy son of delicious. But you shouldn't go here, because next time I go I want a seat by the river. Shhhh. read more

Nice place. Decent food. WAY over spiced and sauced. Blah blah blah. My review is too short. That's all I have to say read more

Yeah... This place was awesome. Came up on a Friday afternoon, enjoyed the patio, fresh air, and creek with a few beers and our dog, Lloyd. The BBQ was phenomenal - savory pulled pork, life changing cherry bourbon sausage and amazing side dishes. Tried all 4 sauces - really like mixing the traditional with the root beer. The service was really great - cool, laid back dudes just serving beer and BBQ. Cannot say enough good about this place. We'll definitely come back!! read more

Switchback Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Kittredge, Colorado

Another couple and my husband and I were hiking. We were looking for a place for lunch and as we were driving on 74 we drove by Switchback smokehouse. We stopped after passing and went back as the smell from the smoker made us turn around. It was awesome!!! Best ribs I have ever had and the brisket was extremely tender. If you like smoked meats this restaurant is a must!! read more

Where can you sit stream side, not wait for a table, bring your dogs, and have decent BBQ? Switchback Smokehouse in Kittredge. We ended up here after being tossed from an Evergreen spot that first said dogs were ok on the patio, but then decided dogs were not ok. All for the better. Try this spot if you are in the area. read more

Good BBQ is rare in the Denver area but this would have to be our go-to BBQ place for the food quality plus overall experience. I do have to say that the brisket is not my favorite but all is has been stellar. Love being able to sit outside along the creek! read more

In town for a wedding, checked Yelp for nearby lunch options, dragged three other friends, ordered family-style, ate a bunch of food. Everyone was happy. Smoked duck breast was awesome if a bit spendy but we only spent $48 total for lunch for four people so who cares? Other winners: pulled pork, goat cheese stuffed dates, waffle fries (OK, you can get fries anywhere but these were cooked to the correct level of crispness/non-greasiness), fried pickles (wedges, not coins); also tried their brisket (very lean hence a bit dry), and mac & cheese, which was fine, but I would suggest getting more meats over more mac. read more

Never had a bad meal here- Great place to take in the sun and have excellent BBQ, without a doubt the best in the foothills. Perfect place to grab a table near the creek and relax with a genuine down home style meal. Walk in and get your order placed (show up earlier, rather than later as everything is cooked fresh and when its gone, its gone) grab a pint right next to where you order, or head straight outside to the patio. read more

Amazing food! Get here early because they sell out of food fast. We are from St. Louis and have high expectations for bbq and this place did not disappoint. And their fries?! Omg good. And they have good sauces. We live in stapleton and make the drive here when we want bbq! read more

Let me start off by saying that I am from Kansas City so I'm very picky about my BBQ and I have high expectations. We came into town for vacation and we like trying different things. It had great reviews so we tried it. The food was just okay. The sauce is okay and the pulled pork had no flavor unless it was covered in sauce. Not even a little Smokey flavor or some kinda of meat rub. The coleslaw tasted like dish soap. Like they didn't rinse the soap out of the bowl they made it in. All in all it was okay and not bad considering it's not Kansas City BBQ read more

My family loves this place. It has some of the best, local BBQ we have ever had. My hubby loves the duck and I'm a fan of their pulled pork. You can choose from a variety of homemade BBQ sauces and handmade sides. Oh, their fried pickles are also very tasty. They also sell their bacon to you uncooked and it is always a treat for my family when I cook it up for them at home. As you drive by, they are always cooking something delicious out back in their smoker and the smells alone will beckon you thru their doors. It sits creekside and they have picnic benches to enjoy an outdoor meal when it's warm. I hear they have live music on the weekends, and my husband and I would love to make a date night out of it sometime soon. The only drawback- it is a bit pricey, but still I give it two, very enthusiastic thumbs up. read more

This place is great ALWAYS. Service and food are first class. Thank you Darryl and Mark! read more

Switchback Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Kittredge, Colorado

I don't write a lot of reviews. However, given the gem I found in Switchback Smokehouse I felt compelled to write this review. It was late, about 8pm, after my son's baseball game. Rather than drive home we decided to try something in a neighborhood we have ever been. It was a great decision. Switchback looks like it should. Small and welcoming but once you walk in you feel right at home. The person taking our order at the walk up counter could not have been nicer. He took the time to explain the great menu and offer his input. They have smoked, ribs, duck, pork and brisket. They had so much more but that is where I focused. I couldn't decide so I got the 1/2 slab of ribs and smoked duck breast. WOW. Amazing flavor. Perfectly smoked and seasoned. 3 days later and I am still craving it. My son had the pulled pork sandwich. It got 2 thumbs up from a discerning 14 year old. In fact, he wants to go back soon. The sides, Brussel sprouts and bacon, along with french fries and sweet potato fries were great. Light and not heavily fried. The fried pickles were a tasty choice as well. All in all it was a great experience with fantastic service and amazing food. We will be back!!!! read more

It's hard to write a review about this place...I just want to babble and say Brussels sprouts..brisket..fried pickles..bacon..fried zucchini..brisket..popeye salad..duck confit..brisket..pulled pork..sweet potato fries..brisket..but I can't say it all fast enough, and I'm stuffing too much food in my mouth so nothing is going to make much sense any way..... The atmosphere is perfect. Exactly what you'd expect. With a great outdoor eating area and a brook running behind it, And the smell of smoke assailing your nostrils and making your even hungrier. And if you're a vegetarian - don't worry!! You can make a fabulous meal on the amazing vegetable sides!! So what are you waiting for?!?!? read more

What a delicious find for lunch after a beautiful hike in Evergreen. I had the smoked duck breast sandwich...which was divine! Hubby had the Bay of Pigs (a mighty fine Cuban) with waffle fries. I had a bite of his and loved it as well. My side salad was fresh and tasty.......and some of the best sweet tea I've ever had. Can't wait to return to try another delectable....though it will be tough to not re-order the duck breast! Super friendly service and sitting on the patio was very relaxing. read more

Best bbq I've found in Colorado. I've been coming here since they first opened. It's a perfect post hike meal wether you started in evergreen or further up 70. I've only ever sat on the patio by the creek because it's beautiful. I can't think of another patio this pretty as far as nature goes. On to the meats! The brisket and pork are my favorite but the chicken and duck are good too! My suggestion is to come early because the meat tends to dry out during the day and on beautiful weekend days are known to completely sell out of food! My favorite sides are the zucchini fries and the slaw which is tangy flavorful and not sweet and mayo-Y which I don't really like. Not any great drink specials but it's worth the visit for the view and bbq. read more

Switchback Smokehouse - Smokehouse Near Me - Kittredge, Colorado

Holy chrome!!! Don't bother with getting anything with bread, it'll take up too much room. We had the pulled pork, brisket, Mac 'n cheese, asparagus, baked beans, waffle fries, 4 pieces of bacon, and bloody Mary's. We tried the root beer, traditional, and mule bbq sauces. Jesus..... if you go home hungry or if you think that there is one thing wrong with this bbq you need to get your head checked. I have NEVER had better bbq in my life..... hashtag get the meat sweats here!!!! FRICKING TASTY!!!! And sssoooo worth the drive! read more

Some amazing BBQ, y'all. The pulled pork sandwich - incredible. Those baked beans - oooh baby. The CRUST on their salmon, how do they do it?? And don't even get me started on their BACON, it's amazing. My husband and I are pretty much weekly eaters. read more

The food was amazing! The Devils elbow sandwich was great with the Standard sauce and fried pickles. The Mac and cheese was creamy and tender. The fried gardinieria was a real surprise, deep fried to perfection with just the right hint of spice. Highly recommend this place. read more

I love this place! Amazing brisket, ribs, and sides! Great outdoor seating! A must have after a hike!

This place is awesome! Friendly staff, great food, great view. I recommend getting the signature sandwich that has fried pickles on it, it's great! read more

Excellent food. Big portions. Definitely worth the visit! The pulled chicken has tons of flavor. Pulled pork is also good. I had a blt and it was also huge. We'll definitely be back. read more

Fantastic BBQ. We had the Broken Rover brisket sandwich and a Devil Elbow pulled pork sandwich with fried onions. Both were so good. The meat was perfectly smoked and really tender. The brioche buns were amazingly soft. We sat right by the river for lunch and it was delightful! The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because their ordering process is a little clunky. Food comes out fresh and fast tho. read more

Switchback Smokehouse - Classic, old school $2 beers with really good BBQ. Can't beat the river side seating on a nice CO day. - Smokehouse Near Me - Kittredge, Colorado

Another visit today and the same great friendly service and great food. They opened up the patio so we could bring our dog in since the open area is snow covered. Such a great place and a cool little town and creek side setting. Kids love it too. Worth a trip! read more

The food was really and the staff were really nice. The only problem we had was that we couldn't try everything on the menu. I guess we'll have to come back. read more

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I haven't had barbecue this good in a long, long time. Half a slab with Mac and their standard sauce is the bomb! We finished it off with some of their homemade chocolate cake. Excellent. read more

Switchback Smokehouse - Couldn't brave the obvious storm coming so I had this amazing barbecue instead. - Smokehouse Near Me - Kittredge, Colorado

Easily the best bbq in Denver with an authentic BBQ pit environment. Make sure you order the days special sandwich regardless of the day if week. You can't go wrong with the ribs but the cooks show their art in their daily special. Come on Thursday for the sandwich and grab a beer on the patio. read more

You really have no CLUE what kinda skidmark BBQ was SUPPOSED to smear across your tongue until you've dipped your mouth-wiener in this thinly-sliced smoky holiness of pink juiciness... read more

Best Roasted Duck Ever! If you are in Kittredge and like BBQ, definitely stop by. Just get their early before they run out of food. read more