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    The Smoke Shop- Harvard Square

    4.1 (120 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Order The Smoke Shop- Harvard Square Takeout or Delivery

    The Smoke Shop- Harvard Square Photos

    THE SMOKE SHOP- HARVARD SQUARE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Honestly so disappointed by this place and I feel like it's a complete scam/waste of money - it seems like the people giving the best reviews are paid or sponsored. For $52, the measly portion they give you is outrageous. I placed takeout and when I opened the bag I was genuinely shocked by how sad the meat looked - especially compared to pretty much every other bbq spot I've tried, even within the Boston area, and I had high hopes for this place (granted it did come with two tiny sides which were mediocre at best). I got the beef rib special which I've seen videos from food influencers online and what they advertise is completely not what the regular person will receive. It's advertised as a giant meaty bone but you barely get a tiny thing. I will say, the service I received from the man at the counter was absolutely wonderful and he even offered to give me a sample of the zucchini salad (this was delicious) without me even asking and he was so gracious taking my order. But the food itself doesn't hold any weight and disappointed is an understatement.

    Mac and cheese Sandwich
    Kaylena M.

    Absolutely delicious delicious food and drinks. I may be dreaming about this food forever. Knocked off a star for service which OK to be honest, I felt like none of the workers wanted to be there. They also gave us the check while we were still in the middle of eating, which is never good.

    June M.

    If you have tried Brisket in Texas, this restaurant will not live up to that standards. What I like about this place is they have outdoor seating and extremely friendly staffs.

    Wing bbq plate with cucumber salad and cornbread
    Lynn N.

    We were craving some barbecue so ended up at the Smoke Shop on a Sunday night. We were seated quickly and I really dug their style with the meat cleaver light fixtures and their logo that has a pig embedded into a flame! I got their wings and my husband got a pulled pork sandwich. Our food came quickly and was solid. As my sides I got the cucumber salad and the cornbread which were good but the pickles actually were the star of my plate! It was a nice dinner and helped satisfy our bbq craving.

    Corn bread
    Michael B.

    Right off Harvard , while it's a small chain it has a local joint vibe . Buffalo chicken wings are outstanding with a smoky kick making them lil unique . Bbq isn't overcooked and quite juicy. Spicy Bbq sauce is good addition to the delicious bbq . Don't skip the Mac and cheese . Try this place , You will be pleasantly surprised.

    Bacon Burnt Ends Plate
    Gabriella D.

    Great spot for barbecue in Boston. They've got the classics, alongside some unique meats, such as Pork Belly Burnt Ends, to choose from. Their sides are also pretty tasty, and they've got lots of choices. When we went, it was nearly empty inside, so the ambiance was pleasant and service was timely. They've got both indoor and outdoor seating options. Would definitely recommend for the meat eater.

    Whiskey menu

    Great BBQ and an amazing whiskey menu! Always a stop for me when I come to town. Service is good and the ambiance is just right.

    Pit Boss: Brisket, St. Louis Ribs, Chicken Wings, Pimento M&C, Zucchini Salad, Texas Toast.
    Kit D.

    Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to kindly announce that this may be my new all time favorite restaurant in Harvard Square. WOW. This is finger-licking good stuff... great BBQ! The service here is super personable, we had a great time! My girlfriend and I stopped here for dinner on a Thursday and were thoroughly impressed. We are both fans of smoky flavor, so this was perfect. We ordered the Pit Boss combo (platter) to share, it was the perfect size and so delicious. It came with a choice of three meats and three sides-- for our meats we got the brisket, famous St. Louis ribs, and chicken wings. For our sides we got the pimento mac & cheese, zucchini salad, and Texas toast. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!! The meats were so smoky and tender, cooked well. My favorite was definitely the brisket-- it was the best brisket I have ever had. I also really enjoyed the STL ribs-- a classic, you can't go wrong. The wings were great too! I liked the mixture of drums and flats. I wish they had a choice of sauce to go with though. The sides also did not disappoint! We really enjoyed the Texas toast, the garlic butter was FANTASTIC. The pimento mac & cheese was also great, awesome with breadcrumbs, though I would've liked a stronger pimento cheese flavor. And the zucchini salad was pretty good as well. Paired this with some pickled jalapeños, onions, watermelon, and sweet pickles-- can't go wrong at all!!! We were so full and happy! WE WILL BE BACK VERY SOON!

    Drink menu
    Erika R.

    Came here for dinner a couple nights ago, we were walking around Harvard Square and decided to follow our noses to this place when looking for a place to eat. We snagged a table outside, classic picnic table style tables. Dinner plates here are very generous! I ordered the half rack of ribs, cornbread, collard greens and watermelon. Pretty decent barbecue, sides were good too, though I wish they had a little more spice to them. All in all good dining experience and service.

    Annie G.

    Very good experience with a group of friends here. The chicken wings (wasn't pictured here) were very flavorful. The spicy version was a bit of a challenge for some of my friends, but I found it delicious. The meat was tender, especially the beef brisket. Service was great too, they checked on us frequently to add water.

    Pit Boss
    Jireh H.

    Instead of being a maverick, it is sometimes well advised to just heed the advice of fellow foodies in certain areas of cuisine ESPECIALLY if they are absolute fanatics about it. Here, I was warned early during my move here that most - if not all - BBQ spots in the immediate area would be a letdown. It wasn't a case that they weren't good...but they were now missing an element of consistency of what made them once great. I obviously did not heed that advice and followed the other rule of thumb when it comes to BBQ. That is, be there when they first open as that is when the ingredients are often just off the smoke process and resting prior to being served. This way...nothing stays in hot hold for too long (or whatever holding process they choose to follow) that results in the meats drying out. So I placed an online order right before they opened thinking this would indeed be the case...and was absolutely wrong. I wouldn't dare say in the moment that I was served a reheat but it might as well be. Ribs were dry, brisket was really dry, and the pulled chicken was only edible after drowning it with the provided sauce. That in itself proved my fellow foodie right and I didn't want to tell him what had transpired to avoid the "I *told* you so". I am going to just guess that it was an off day. Everyone has one for all possible reasons. I'm going to sit this one out for a while and try again another time. In the meanwhile, I'll keep my hopes up that my fellow friend can be proven wrong by what this area has to offer.

    Owen M.

    I recently spent a month in France, and this was my first meal back. Was an absolute experience and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. I got a plate with smoked turkey, mac n cheese, and collard greens, alongside some wings. Everything was fantastic, and then include some free picked veggies and a slice of watermelon. The small details like that, and the wide variety of free sauces, made this meal damn near euphoric. Great service too! I don't write reviews often but thought this one deserved it. 10/10 will be coming back.

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    11 months ago

    Yummy food! brisket is good and so are French fries. Best brisket outside of Texas that I've had.

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    10 months ago

    Excellent guys. Extraordinary service. Cosy ambiance. The Smoke Shop is trully recommendable!

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    The Smoke Shop- Harvard Square Reviews in Other Languages

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    The Smoke Shop- Harvard Square - bbq - Updated June 2026

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