First time visit and the Rueben Sandwich is the best Rueben I've ever eaten! Service was great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambiance was spot on[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. We will definitely be repeat customers! read more

We came here to see a band we really enjoy and they were great! We hadn't been to S&B before and it was quite the drive to get there. Even tho we planned to arrive well before the band would start playing to have dinner, we were lucky to find a parking place, let alone a table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior inside is really lovely.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff is terrific and the food was very good. I had the pastrami Ruben with the tomato & cucumber salad. Both were very tasty. My spouse had a BLT and a salad which she enjoyed. For dessert we shared the butter toffee bundt cake that has a caramel glaze and is topped with a small scoop of local ice cream. It was absolutely incredible!! We wanted to order another, it was so good! If we're in the area sometime I'd like to stop in for lunch and that mouth watering bundt cake. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I would hesitate to come back in the evening, only because as the night went on there were some patrons so drunk that the atmosphere started feeling really amped up in a concerning way, like a fight was about to break out at any moment.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's not a big place inside so it could quickly get out of hand.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I can say when something like that happens anywhere, it's not a situation to find yourself in as an innocent bystander. Had it not been for that element it would have been a really enjoyable night out, but alcohol and aholes don't mix well together. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm still going to rate it high for the delicious food, friendly and attentive service, the beautiful interior, and the great music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Stopped in around 2 with my husband after realizing we were headed in the wrong direction across North Carolina and needed a quick lunch. Found this place on Yelp and went with it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Seat yourself setup, but plenty of seating available.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server, Madison, was at the table in under a minute with menus, and food came out in less than 12 minutes. She was efficient and attentive without making us feel rushed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a gastropub, meaning a casual bar-style restaurant that puts more focus on food quality than a typical bar menu. The space reflects that. Mix of standard tables with chairs, booths, and a small lounge area with cushioned chairs and a sofa.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] He ordered the Reuben, I had the pulled pork with collards. Prices were reasonable at $12 for the pork and $13.50 for the Reuben, each with one side. We both wanted the cucumber tomato salad, but they were out. The pulled pork came with a red, vinegar-leaning sauce. Not sweet and not strictly Lexington style, more of a house take on North Carolina barbecue. Still flavorful and satisfying. The collards were good with small bits of bacon that added flavor without overpowering. The Reuben was decent, but the toasted brioche bun stood out. Good texture and held everything together the way it should. The pasta side was fine, nothing memorable. Total bill came to $27.26. We both stuck with water, which keeps things simple and keeps the cost down. Overall, a solid stop for a quick, easy lunch. Nothing over the top, but everything came together the way it should. Must order: Pulled pork with collards Heads up: Sides may run out, have a backup in mind read more

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The food was good, service was ok, the ambiance was beautiful. We're Texans so we are super picky about our brisket and this was most definitely nice tender brisket. The flavor was good but not earth shattering. If you aren't a brisket snob, you'll love this place! The bar aspect of this restaurant was really cool looking. We went at an off time and there were a good many people there. Service was pretty slow and not attentive. read more

The Smoke and Barrel - Bars Near Me - Sanford, North Carolina

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Mostly sandwiches and several platters... I've tried about a third of the menu and it does not disappoint. Highly recommend the Cuban and their chicken or beef Philly. Service is prompt and polite. We didn't have to try hard to get our server's attention. Always helpful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Located in the historic heart of Sanford, the establishment is well maintained and modern without losing the feel of yesterday. Floors, tables, and seating were clean and not sticky[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. I recommend you give the smoke and barrel a try! read more

Located in downtown area. Big open spaced room with booths and tables. Large bar area with seats. Some outside seating if you can get through the smokers and cigarettes. Service was quick and offered suggestions off the menu. Our orders were the Cuban and the Brisket Plate. The Cuban, pulled pork, ham, cheese pickles (relish) was served hot. Bagged kettle chips was a disappointment but didn't offer fries. The Brisket Plate was a large portion of tender brisket. Quite a bit of fat but had a good taste and flavor. The cheesy smashed potatoes were just out of the oven, hot, hot. Good taste, very cheesy. read more

The Smoke and Barrel - Cuban with Kettle Chips - Bars Near Me - Sanford, North Carolina

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My friend and I grabbed lunch here and had a good experience. It was the beef cheesesteak with a beer for me and the brisket plate with a beer for him. The draft list had a good mix of different styles of beer. We both really enjoyed our meals. I also thought that the portions for the price were good too. read more

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This place never disappoints. All meats smoked and cut onsite. Tonight I had the quesadilla with pork. So good! Just a great vibe, great service and a great beer selection. read more

The Smoke and Barrel - Monthly bottle choice. Solid local cider. - Bars Near Me - Sanford, North Carolina

Heard about this place from my hotel. I was in town for one night. Went by on a Monday night. Place was active. I got a seat at the bar as there were a few open seats. Seemed like a regular was next to me. Got quick and friendly service from a lady bartender. She helped me with ordering a local made beer with low alcohol ...you never know these days with beer. I ordered the grill cheese brisket sandwich. Was surprised they didn't offer fries but was happy to take the cheese mash potatoes. Food was good, beer was cold, service was very good. I was just hoping for a little more southern BBQ options. Price was very reasonable. read more

Omg! My friend got so sick. I won't go back. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very dark and very loud.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service wasn't very good either

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Quant little restaurant located in downtown Sandford.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We went at lunch time and they were busy but still had some tables available so we didn't have to wait. Our service was a little spotty due to them only having one waitress for the floor and one bar tender. This is defiantly a great place to try if you are looking for an extensive list of options for beer (most of them NC brews). My husbands and I did struggle a little with this restaurant and the food options. We recently started Paleo for health reasons and found our options here VERY limited. We also had a picky eater with us and that also had some challenges. Our son ordered the BLT on Sourdough and overall it was a great looking sandwich. The bacon was cooked perfectly the only issue we had with it is that the restaurant ONLY offered sourdough bread. So if you do not like sourdough, or can not eat sourdough due to an allergy, there is no alternative bread option (our picky eater prefers plain white bread). My husband and I were very limited on our choices due to most of the options had bread/starch and some type of sugar in the recipe. We opted for the beef brisket and fresh collard greens. They only have ONE option for BBQ sauce here and its a traditional BBQ sauce with sugar (it is not the vinegar based like most NC BBQ sauce) so we had to eat the meat dry. Thankfully the meat was very tender and flavorful so we didn't have to have a sauce to make it taste better. They did have a regular vinegar that we were able to add to the collards and they were pretty good as well. To me personally I did not feel that I got a good value on the cost of the brisket plate; 2 strips of meat and a small side bowl of collards was not worth $13.00 TO ME. Same for the $11 BLT. I realize there are over head cost in operating a business with good food, but this is MY personal opinion. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall the restaurant was very clean and is a great option if you happen to be near by[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]I've only ever drank here not eaten but the vibe was pretty cool and the service was good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Prices were good too. read more

It was okay. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The placed seemed a little dirty inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The kitchen staff looked a little rough. Not very appetizing to prepare food. read more

We come here every Thursday for the sampler plate. Food is always consistent and very good. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Good service. Nice selection of beers, ciders. Brisket was really good; a little dry, but great char flavor! read more

Second visit, this time we just wanted to have a drink at the bar and chill a little. I had a pino wine first, but then decided to give the Porter (Edward Teach Beer) since I've recently learned I like stout. Perhaps I would enjoy a Porter? Ohh my, yes!! It was delicious! My husband enjoyed his Westbrook while I had both a pino & then the Porter. We would absolutely recommend this spot. The server was friendly and helpful, laughed at my jokes on que , just what we needed. read more

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We visited family in Sanford recently and visited Smoke and Barrel. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Love the ambiance, drinks and snacks we ordered.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] What a fun place. Our server was fantastic and we will visit again. read more

The Smoke and Barrel - Beer flight - Bars Near Me - Sanford, North Carolina

I was really in the mood for BBQ and my usual spot was closed. I found another spot and it had gone out of business. I have driven past here, but never been inside. This place is more of a pub and I think people mostly are here for the drinks and watching the game. That being said the food was actually good and reasonably priced for a sit down lunch. I have to shout out the wonderful staff. There was one person on duty when we arrived. I watched this woman wait tables, make drinks and prep plates for over a dozen tables. No one sat for any long period without her coming over to check on them. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Thus place is ridiculous. You should not have an entire band playing full force inside a small bar. You're giving people hearing damage from OUTSIDE at that point.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Also, the bartenders decided to implement a "no tip. no service" policy. They expect a tip of $3.00+ for m sh*t service and get pissy when you refuse to tip for ONE drink. An 8.50 dollar drink made terribly paired with service of that nature in fact does not serve a tip. The bartenders are trash with childlike/entitled attitude, terrible drink-making skills , and horrendous bar service. So be prepared to tip 2$ for a single drink every time with these sh*theads. read more

We had a wonderful experience here on Saturday night. We walked in and were seated quickly. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. We loved the bourbon selection. We ordered the Cuban and the Southwest Philly special- both were great! read more

The Smoke and Barrel is a down town hopping place, doing a healthy lunch business. Parking is on the road in front of their historic building. The place has a good vibe and is nicely decorated. As for the food, they should consider doing something different because they suck at barbecuing. The beef brisket is overcooked and sliced incorrectly. The brisket used on the sandwich was a accumulation of the dry pieces that broke off during slicing and not chopped meat. The pulled pork (which the Carolina's are famous for) was nothing special. Send this pit master to school. The service was okay considering how busy they were. There are many better places to get barbecue, so I will not be going back. read more

Wife and I went here recently. She ordered a brisket quesadilla and had a brisket grilled cheese. She REALLY enjoyed the pasta salad. My grilled cheese was solid but quite greasy so I didn't get to really taste the flavor of the brisket or the bbq sauce. I was a little disappointed that the kettle chips weren't made in house but no big deal. We also got the pita and cheese dip. We got it warm and I would definitely think it was odd to get it cold. read more

I honestly can't believe I haven't written a review about this place. The hubs and I have been frequent visitors to S&B for years. The food is always good and fresh. I can't lie, I'm super stoked that soup season is back. I have a fav when it comes to drinks, and I rarely veer. When I tell you that this is the place that has the best margarita in town, I mean it. The hubs enjoys trying out beers as they are rotated. They are always nice to provide a sample prior to him making his final decision. But do you know what keeps us coming back, practically weekly? The people. The service is amazing and there are three ladies in particular that have captured our hearts...Rebekah, Emily, and Kaylen. Each of them knows us by name and greet us like family. They know about our lives, and we know about theirs. Rebekah is kind and funny...like a really good friend you always enjoy seeing. Emily makes the best damn margarita. There has been many a day where her smile and her margarita have turned my frown upside down. Kaylen probably knows us best. My margarita is entered practically before I hit the door. She reminds the hubs of the beers he has liked or hasn't liked in the past. She is always smiling and cheerful. This is no shade to the other servers and bar staff there. We've never been treated poorly. But if not for these three, I don't know that our experience would be the same. [[HIGHLIGHT]]S&B is kinda like our own small-town Cheers. It feels like family. It's something that can't be faked.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As a veteran of the customer service industry, I place a high standard on service. Good, quality customer service is lacking in a lot of places these days, but not at S&B, and especially not with Rebekah, Emily, and Kaylen. They are the best. We are grateful. And they are what keep us coming back. read more

We walked in at 11:30. We ordered food and by 12:30, our food STILL was not out. Other tables that came in after us had food before us! This is the worst service that I have ever had at a restaurant. I will NOT be back!! read more

100% would recommend. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Food, atmosphere, and service were all great![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was packed so we had to sit at the bar for a work lunch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I understood why it was so busy the second I tasted the Club sandwich on special. The candied bacon was phenomenal. read more

The food was really good, creative dishes that are well prepared. Service was very professional and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance was very nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The establishment is in an older historic neighborhood and the building has been nicely restored.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] From the cheery service to the excellent food, it was an excellent experience. I would definitely recommend this place and would return if I'm in the area again. read more

Excellent food,drinks and service!!We are from New Jersey and hard to please...Great ,fun,service by Kaylen,tremendous burgers and bartender Eddie makes a killer Old Fashioned!! Can't miss this in Sanford!! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Amazing ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Really good food. Service was spotty only because the poor waitress was on her own it appeared and then the bartender so it was ALOT. Busy nights should have 2-3 waitresses. Particularly when it's standing room for a table. read more

I am optimistic that I will be able to make this a 4 or 5 star review after trying their pulled pork. For this visit I ordered the brisket plate with collards which included two pieces of toasted bread. The collards were among the best I've had. The smoke flavor was so good I won't use vinegar in the future. The sauce was amazing - truly wonderful with just enough heat. The disappointment was in the brisket. Usually too fatty for my palate the cust I received were dry and tough. I have a smoker and my guess is that the selected cut was too lean or it wasn't smoked long enough. Not a bad meal, but surely not the best that they have served. If they sold product by the pint, quart or pound I think they could do a great take out business, but currently they do not offer bulk sales. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Don't visit this establishment if you have more than 4 people in your party.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Tried to have lunch there today as we're in town for work purposes. We had a party of 5 and as the sign directs, we seated ourselves at an 8 top as we're coworkers and didn't want to sit on top of each other.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Waitress informed us we needed to move as this table was usually held for larger parties. We advised her we would like to sit where we were. Please not the restaurant was not busy. She stated she'd have to ask the manager IF we could sit there. After about 10 mins roughly, the manager rudely approaches our table and tells us the same thing, that they usually save those for larger parties. After she saw how perturbed we were, she stated she would LET us sit there.....nah, you can have your table and your brisket I wanted. Good customer service there. I'll be spreading the word. read more

Sat at bar. Waitress there was horrible. Not very crowded yet we had to flag her down for drink and food. Took WAAaY too long for food- like ridiculous long. Brisket was bland yet tasted exactly like plastic wrap. Felt like I was eating nast. No notification on how overly spicy bacon and collards were. read more

Always a good time here. I've been genuinely impressed with every meal I've gotten here, especially for the price point. Friendly staff, good selection of drinks. read more

This is a very nice place. Unassuming and simple with authentic, good quality food. I had the brisket plate and liked it very much. The meat was smoky, juicy, and it had a really nice bark as well. read more

My wife and I frequent the S&B two to three times a week, great food and drinks, great people!' And [[HIGHLIGHT]]love the live music on Friday nights![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We have been here maybe 20+ times. For some reason, I never left a review. Each and every time,PERFECT! Great service, great people and the food is above normal bar and grill standards. Awesome in so many levels. read more

arrived early because of the band plaging had no issue waiting to get a table for 35 minutes. after being seated it took 45 minutes to get our food the waitress was great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]However they allowed too many people in we were literally surrounded at our table by a large group, who leaned on our chairs, yelled over our heads to each other and I literally turned around and in my face was a males crotch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This same large group blocked the way to the restrooms.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] management obviously has not control. Definitely your local dive bar, we won't be back we will wait for 80s Unleashed to play at a more upscale establishment. read more

Food is average. We got there at 7pm but pork chop special was already gone. Service was good.

Amazing food ,[[HIGHLIGHT]]great place to hang out[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] ,staff is friendly .[[HIGHLIGHT]]Have life bands some nights[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Service was good. It was as a little packed when I went in but it died down after a while. Love the ambiance and vintage look. It's different and unique. The hubby got the pork chop sandwich with chips. He did not like the gravy on the sandwich but the pork chop cooked perfectly, I love the bretzel and my hoagie with both my ranch and blue cheese. The side of brisket was amazing with the bbq sauce. Would definitely recommend this restaurant...... I will be back!!!! read more

The Smoke and Barrel - The bretzel with hot mustard - Bars Near Me - Sanford, North Carolina

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Ambiance was great. Food was outstanding and the staff and service was awesome. Highly recommend.