The food is always delicious. The pulled pork sandwich, with the house-made pickles, is one of my favorites. The sauce is the perfect mix of spicy and sweet, and there's a variety to choose from. When I'm in the area for work, and they're open, I make it a point to stop for a meal. The outdoor seating, right by the creek, is the right setting for such tasty food (also, the brownies are as big as your face and are fantastic!). Thanks to Jen and Ben (the owners) for keeping this place in my favorite spots with their friendliness, great service, and amazing food! Stand out hits: Mac and Cheese, Pulled Pork sandwich (love those house-made pickles!), the 'cued Beans, 1/2 Chicken, Cornbread, Collard Greens... actually, I've yet to have a bad thing here. read more

The Smoke Joint - View of the Wilowemoc Creek from my table. - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

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This place indicated on its website, through Yelp, and on maps that it was open for business. We even called the place first but it was a cell phone and there was no answer. We drove a little while to get there to find out it was closed. Just a waste of our time and fuel. read more

This little gem of a barbecue joint was a very nice find. There was a group of us who went for lunch. Plenty of parking, plenty of seating, and really good food. Most of the seating is outdoors under cover. The restaurant is pretty rustic, which totally fits with the vibe. The staff was super friendly and helpful. The food came out quickly and was delicious. I would recommend this place, and I will definitely be back. read more

The Smoke Joint - Brisket sandwich - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

It's been awhile since I enjoyed good bbq... and was reminded of it after stopping by The Smoke Joint!! Made a last minute decision to stop at this bbq on my way home. Realized how convenient it was to stop off after the exit and get back on the highway afterwards, not knowing how great this decision would be... It was raining hard, cold, miserable. And yet, when I walked into the Smoke Joint, it was like walking into a warm friend's house. Questions were asked and answered; crucial decisions about food were made. Even though the rain was falling hard, couldn't resist sitting outside under the well covered outside area to listen as the nearby stream made its way. It was peaceful, listening as the rain fell, our food was brought out. Did I mention how good the food was?!? Oh, my... I am already planning my return... and picked up a tshirt to wear so I can remind myself that impromptu stops on the road can be game changers... The Smoke Joint - worthy of your time. read more

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I wish I could've 10stars! We judge BBQ KCBS COMPETITIONS-this is championship food! Perfect ribs brisket and chicken! Caution-HUGE PORTIONS, we wanted the pork, but over ordered & happily had leftovers. Great service, funky outdoor vibe-what's not to love? Loved the mustard and the jalapeño sauces, hubby loved the traditional! read more

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Best smoked brisket around. Reasonable prices and quick service. Eating outside is a plus

Great and super friendly service in this hometown-feel BBQ joint. The brisket was tender and flavorful with a beautiful Smokey flavor. The ribs were full of flavor but had some cartilage areas that distracted from total enjoyment. The made-to-order fried chicken sandwich was moist and tender inside and beautifully crisp on the outside and had a tasty aioli sauce on the side. The sides were okay-we tried the beans and collard green lacking some seasonings. The real star of the sides is the Cole slaw which we all agreed was the best we've ever had. Great T-shirt selection and nice outdoor seating. read more

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Stopped in while visiting friends in The manor and it was so good. Cant wait to come back again

Little roadside stand off 17 on the way downstate, picnic tables under a pavilion- if it was just a tiny bit warmer it would have been nice to sit out there. Had the brisket sandwich with a side of fries. The brisket was pretty good, and the fries were great, and the coleslaw was probably the best I've ever had. Pickled onions and cucumbers were a perfect complement to the brisket. Service was friendly and attentive, there was 70s yacht rock playing, and overall a perfect stop on a long drive. Would definitely stop again. read more

Shania Twain's song that don't impress me much should have been playing here. My friends picked this spot. Can't lie it's in a really cute little town, along a little rippling stream and has a nice outdoor area but this couldn't save the food. The cashier was not very helpful. I found it to be very over priced and confusing to be honest to order. My husband was really upset when he found out how much I spent on an order of wings for him (It was like $14.) The cornbread is not moist. I had the fried chicken sandwich. Not much to report on. I didn't much care for their cole slaw. Their sauces were ok. My daughter had the mac and cheese. She had to be prodded to eat it. This place has potential with this location but they HAVE TO STEP IT UP! Bottom line- pricey and not worth it. read more

The Smoke Joint - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

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We had ribs, brisket, slaw, mac & cheese and cornbread and I enjoyed all of it. The slaw is a bit different , my wife didn't like it as much as I did but we agreed on everything else. Coming from NC and spending a good amount of time in TX , I wasn't sure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised. Good BBQ! read more

The food was ok. Might stop by again if I was in the area. Chalk the visit up to them reopening for the season. The fried chicken sandwich was incredibly salty. The meat lacked flavor without sauce. One sauce bottle hand their hot sauce in it but labeled their regular bbq so that ruined it for the kids. Service was ok, the server was not very friendly the cashier was. Nice location on the river, would go when it's warmer out so we could sit outside. Inside seating area was a bit small. Was a bit frustrated when I asked the cashier what drinks came with a combo and she pointed me to the back of the menu, then was up charged for two of the three drinks. read more

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We were staying in Livingston Manor for a weekend getaway and decided to pick up lunch from The Smoke Joint on a Friday afternoon. I placed an order on the website and the order was packed and ready when we arrived. The ribs were pretty average and the pulled pork was dry. They tasted better dipped in the bbq sauce. The mac and cheese was not cheesy at all. It was just a container of pasta with a soupy sauce on it. The coleslaw was alright, though. Not too much mayo. The brisket was fantastic and definitely the best of the bunch. It was fatty and super flavorful. I would just order a bunch of the brisket next time. read more

The Smoke Joint - Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, coleslaw, mac & cheese - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

Unassuming spot makes a great stop off of 17. Friendly people serving very good bbq. Great options for platters and sandwiches.

****** Pescatarian's Review of a BBQ Restaurant****** We stopped here for lunch while camping at Butternut Grove Campground. The service was great, everyone was so friendly. We ate outside and I loved the set-up, there were lots of picnic tables with sauces and napkins at each table. There was also a fire pit that they lit while we were eating; overall it was a really nice space to eat and enjoy company with, especially if you are with a large group or have small children. Food wise I had the mac and cheese, coleslaw, cornbread, and 6 piece fried shrimp. I really liked the mac and cheese and I would 100% order that again. The coleslaw was also good and I also liked the cornbread, but I thought it was a little too dry. The fried shrimp had a good flavor but were not properly deveined, which is a big ick for me so I didn't finish them. A side note on the meat, my friends thought the ribs were dry and one person's fried chicken sandwich was not cooked all the way through in the center. read more

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Very good ribs, It is a nice place to have a meat. I recommend it to everyone. We will definitely come again read more

Seasonal Closing as of Nov 2, 2023 through estimated April 5 2023. Food is awesome. See my other review. Sad they're closed but they have almost all outside sitting. read more

The Smoke Joint - Season Ended Nov 2, 2023. Estimated re-open date is April 5, 2023. - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

I finally ordered from here after seeing so many great reviews. The website was down, but I was able to place an order over the phone and even pay for it. It took about 15 minutes for the order to be complete. The customer service was excellent and the lady who took my order was very friendly. I love that they put the sauces on the side, allowing us to be able to engage if we want it or control how much we want on the BBQ. I ordered a 16oz nutty, which came to about $20. It was incredibly strong and actually made with natural fruit juices, not processed drinks. The ribs were absolutely delicious. The wings were delicious. The cornbread was good. The collards were good as well. The salad was good and VERY inexpensive, compared to the same Iceberg that is almost $30 in NYC. My party and I loved the food and definitely will be back! Edit: the ONLY thing that was not a 10/10 was the collards. While tasty, I knew something was missing. The TURKEY. You HAVE to put the turkey in there. You know better :/ read more

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On our way back home, we stopped by this place for lunch. The exterior is certainly very inviting at it has smokers outside, and with ample benches and shade for people to dine at outdoors. We got the Tight Lines special which feeds 1-2 people which comes with 1/2 lb brisket, 1/2 rack pork ribs, 2 sides and cornbread. They ran out of ribs that day so we were offered wither chopped BBQ pork or 1/2 chicken. We chose the former. We felt the pork was on the dry side and slightly underwhelmed. The collard green and mac n cheese along with the cornbread rock. We also got a 10 pieces tiger fried shrimp with an aoili sauce. Now those shrimps were large and nicely fried. That dish was really good. Food wise, we would give it 3 stars. The workers there are very friendly and courteous. read more

The Smoke Joint - Tight Line order - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

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Food: Overall, I found this place too expensive for what we got. The brisket was pretty good (very smoke flavored, if you like that), mac and cheese was fine but nothing exciting, and the wings were kind of soggy (wouldn't order again). If the brisket came with a side, it wouldn't feel overpriced, but sides are $5 extra and not very big. The menu says the brisket comes with slaw, pickles, and onions, but it comes with literally a tablespoon of slaw, 3 thin onion slices, and two very thin pickle slices. I also asked to make a combo with water instead of a soft drink and was up-charged 50 cents even though water is 50 cents cheaper on the menu. It's not a bad place to stop, but I didn't feel the value was there for the price. Location: You order at a counter, then pay, then get your food at a picnic table, and clear your own trays. Their property is right along a pretty creek that's hard to see. If they cleared some brush, the creek would really stand out as a feature. read more

The Smoke Joint - Menu - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

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brisket was undercooked fatty and salty no flavor Not the worst but ranks very low not worth returning to read more

Owner was throwing a tantrum like a child insulting his seemingly very sweet workers. I understand the sailor language in the kitchen environment but this guy was just a plain PoS calling a teenage girl stupid and belittling her. Had already placed my order so I stuck around to eat. Got the brisket - was pretty bland and the bbq sauce couldn't revive it. We also got the wings, which I thought were ok but my SO did not enjoy due to a chemical flavor, they did seem as if they'd been sitting out for quite some time. Easily the worst I've ever seen staff treated in my life. Everybody has their days... but this seemed like the norm. I would be horrified to see this guy at his worst. Shameful. read more

First, let's talk about the service: super-helpful and extremely pleasant. Then, let's talk about the food: excellent! I'm so glad we ordered way too much so that we could have a great meal of leftovers the next day. Things we ordered (and loved them all): shrimp, brisket, ribs, chicken, beans and cornbread. Can't wait to go back! read more

The Smoke Joint - Brisket, ribs, chicken, beans, greens, cornbread - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

Food: very tasty! I really liked the brisket and then Mac and cheese and then corn bread and also all the Cole slaws. I give 5 stars. Atmosphere: so nice. I like how the restaurant is near the creek. Service: very good and friendly staff. read more

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Awesome barbecue spot. Came for lunch and tried the sliced 14 hour Brisket sandwich, chopped bbq pork sandwich, fries and 'Cued beans. Everything was delicious! Lots of parking (they have a lot) and outdoor seating, too. read more

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This place is surprisingly disappointing! My wife and I were up in the area this weekend and she suggested BBQ. This place had some nice reviews on both Yelp and Google. Maybe the standard for good food up there is so low, that based on what else is available, this place is amazing! My wife and I were not impressed in the slightest. I really want to give this place a 2, but their cornbread is SO AMAZING, it bumped it up. It is soft, just the right amount of chew, super corny! Perfect mix! I also think that their BBQ sauce is killer! If you buy a bottle, it is really pricey at $16. They could easily sell it for $8 and make an amazing profit! They would have gotten another point for that if it wasn't for the price. So we tried all their food except the shrimp. I will also add that we traveled 1 hour away after getting our food. I made sure to not make cold food a factor. I do not understand the setup too well... I asked for extra sauce at the end, and instead of them getting it for me, I had to go back and order it at the front window, then come back and pick it up at the side. That does not make sense. It also took 5 minutes to fill up my jar... We got the Long Drift which includes: Brisket Ribs Chicken 4 sides (slaw, beans, mac n cheese, fries) 2 cornbread We also ordered an extra lb of brisket and 1 lb of pork. If you blindfolded me, I would not be able to tell any of the meat apart. It was all bland and tough. The chicken was dry. The BBQ sauce made it taste so much better! The brisket was very fatty, but not in a good way. There were parts of it that were inedible, and I had to throw a decent amount away because it was pure fat. Usually it is sliced nicely, but this was rough chopped! We had pieces the size of MnM's to pool ball sizes! Super inconsistent! It was also cut with the grain instead of against it. It was harder to eat. Ribs were tough! They needed another few hours to become more tender! I had to use a knife to get the meat off, I added BBQ sauce and it was so much better! Chicken was black on the outside, and super dry on the inside! Added BBQ sauce and it was so much better! The skin was an inedible chewy... The pork came in weird shapes as well, no consistency! No real flavor... BBQ sauce saved it. It was also a tad bit tough. The best side was the slaw! It was a creamy vinaigrette! Just the perfect amount of sauce, and slaw was crispy! Beans were the second best, but needed way more cooking. They are supposed to be soft and pillowy, but it was hard and grainy instead. Mac n cheese was super grainy But the pasta was cooked nice! Fries were actually pretty good and held up nicely in the car ride! Even heating up the food in an oven, it didnt really help the food. Id avoid! The location is terrible! There is not enough parking, and you have to double park everywhere. The outdoor area is nice, and they did just enough to put a covering outside. Picnic tables could be nicer, maybe treat the wood or something like that. Also do not sit on the wood logs! There are nails in them. All in all, go for the cornbread and BBQ sauce, but skip the rest... Do not travel more than 5 minutes to go here. read more

This is a great spot for great BBQ! My favorite is the Chopped Chicken Sandwich. The corn, corn bread and baked beans are all go to choices for me as well. read more

I've been wanting to eat here forever but I don't live close and any trip through had been before they opened for the day. Finally got here when they're open and it's worth the wait. Food is excellent, the staff is very friendly and they have ample outdoor distanced seating. Order from one window and pick up on the side. The smoker is massive and smells amazing. They just opened it to throw a batch of ribs in and the wood smoke smell is amazing. A must visit in the area. read more

The Smoke Joint - Side pickup door, where they serve from and the magic happens. - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

Hands down some of the best BBQ! Highly recommend! Friendly staff and great outdoor atmosphere. read more

The Smoke Joint - Ribs, brisket, beans & greens. - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

I had this when its location was still in Brooklyn, NY back in 2015. I came all the way from Chicago just to try it after seeing it on Diners, Drive Ins & Dives. It was my first time ever on a plane, I planned the entire trip around this restaurant. The service was great, the food was even better, I went back twice before leaving NY. I plan on coming back and taking the drive to its new location. read more

Stopped in yesterday while traveling home from the NYC area. It was a cooler day, which kept me inside and missing the nice seating area and pavilion-esque structure outside. You can tell this is a smaller, family run operation by the character of the property; this is not a commercial style where you get smoked meat done in several hundred pound increments. It is a smaller homemade batch style where the pit master can improvise and adapt as changes in the wood and the meat keep them on their toes. There was a nice smoke ring on the meat which was refreshing to see; evidently I wasn't in love with the spice rub on the bark of the brisket but that is 100% my specific palette, and not reflective of quality- there's a different spice blend for every person. I also found the sauces available a little on the sweet side for me, whereas I prefer a smokier style but they were certainly still fine for use with the brisket and BBQ dry rub fries I had. I think this property would be best enjoyed on a hot summer day where you could sit outside, but even the second to last weekend open I still had a quality meal at a reasonable price. read more

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We saw this cute place and couldn't wait to come back and try it. AMAZING! We tried the pulled pork, pork ribs and the brisket. Lean, smoky and delicious. You almost don't need any sauces, but they're well worth it. Great collards, mac-n-cheese and cornbread. Very friendly staff and a wonderful (and safe) outdoor seating area. We'll be back for sure! read more

The Smoke Joint - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

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Delicious food, big portions, and dog friendly . They gave my Daisy water . We order a family meal for 3 and added wings and Mac and cheese . read more

The Smoke Joint - Cole slaw, bbq fries, Brooklyn style wings, brisket, ribs, corn bread and Mac and cheese . Everything was delicious and fresh - American Near Me - Livingston Manor, New York

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This place is a tourist trap - the clue should have been the huge billboard advertising on the highway. We were visiting the Catskills and stopped here for dinner. My fiance ordered the ribs which came with only a tablespoon of coleslaw and no pickles. The mac and cheese was room temperature. The shrimps were burned. It's NYC prices for tiny portions. read more

Great great great. Traditional bbq with all the sides. Love the collard greens. Love music. Nice servers. A little slow because they were understaffed, but who's in a rush anyway? read more

It's a shame I didn't take a picture of this beautiful place. The brisket was savory, and the cornbread was so good. The pork rib was a bit dry for my taste, but still above average. The staff was friendly and welcoming. We decided to buy more cornbread to take home. read more

A must visit if you're stopping by Livingston Manor. This place serves delectable food for BBQ season. Pulled pork and brisket sandwiches hit the spot! read more

Who would have thought that some of the best bbq would be in the middle of nowhere NY? I have had the fried chicken sandwich which was a special along with some Mac and cheese, the brisket meal with slaw and today the brisket sandwich with bbq beans and corn bread.. every meal I have had has been amazing, perfectly cooked with delicious flavors and a mix of spices that are balanced perfectly. This place is a must visit if you are in the area, and the area is beautiful. read more

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Didn't expect much in upstate NY, but the ribs were so good that for a moment I thought I was in North Carolina. The cole slaw had a nice tang too. The chicken white meat was a bit dry but I returned the next day to take a few racks home for the family. The BBQ sauce is really good but I prefer the ribs dry and adding my own sauce as I go. read more

I stopped here for lunch on my way to my camping trip. The food was ok. It tasted very organic but nothing special. The place looked like it's better at night than during the day. I was constantly bombarded by flies but it is outdoors so they can't help that. I would still recommend it but I would not set high expectations. read more