Smokin J's BBQ & Taphouse

Victoria Rios a month ago

I had higher expectations for such a high priced restaurant. I chose the burnt ends and I was pleased with the size of the burnt ends and flavor, the beans were ok (could have a little of a kick to them, waaaay too sweet), DO NOT waste your money on the corn bread, there was no flavor in the "honey butter" and the corn bread itself was just not worth the money or the carbs. Honestly what I disliked the most was the service. Our server was awkward and it just didn't feel welcoming. It felt as if because it was slow at the time they didn't put much effort into being welcoming. The server was only outgoing as we walked out, which is odd. I do appreciate the gentleman that came to check on us and if our server had his energy I think my review woulda been a little lighter. Unfortunately my sister that came with me did not like her food and as I tried it, the ribs, mac and cheese, and corn bread all tasted so bland. It was also uncomfortable to eat in the restaurant because of how hot it was inside.. It was cooler outside. I believe this place has potential, just not really living up to it or maybe it was a bad day? not sure.

Jeremy Wolf 2 months ago

We tried them for the first time, food was delicious I got the J’s brisket sandwich and an order of Texas Twinkie’s. They had one single Twinkie left so they gave it to me on the house and took the order off my bill. The guy in the wheelchair is extremely friendly and helpful and the young girl with curly hair (sorry didn’t get her name) was also awesome. Oh and the banana pudding! Soo good!

Connor Jewiss 2 months ago

Visited Smokin J’s for the first time while on a trip to SD and it was incredible. Highly recommend the Saloon Tea cocktail, which was delicious. The brisket was some of the best I’ve ever had, and the tallow fries are the real deal. The mac and cheese and beans do not disappoint either. The BBQ sauces are another stand out area, with as much attention as the rest of the food. The spicy BBQ is a must try - not too spicy to put off newcomers, and an excellent flavour profile for fans of spicy food. Everyone working here was super friendly as well, could not have asked for any better service! Would definitely come back here if I ever find myself in SD again. My only suggestion would be a small all meat platter (for 1 or 2) so I can sample some more meats without sides - not that the sides weren’t delicious!

Terra Draco 4 months ago

This is a good bbq place in downtown San Diego. The atmosphere is great and the food was really good. They have off brand foundation soda that was okay. The cornbread is amazing. I recommend the TV dinner because you can get your choice of meat and two sides. The potato salad looks different, but tastes like regular potato salad and the Mac and cheese is good, but not super cheesy. The pulled pork is plain and has no sauce, but the bbq sauce provided was good. The service was great. We went on a Saturday around 1:30pm so there were only a few other people there.

Karoadtrips 6 months ago

We visited in December 2025. From the outside, the place immediately catches your attention — it’s an interesting building with a lot of character. Inside, the vibe was good, but because of the large open space, it didn’t feel as cozy as you might expect from a restaurant. The acoustics also weren’t the best, which made it a bit louder than ideal. The cocktail I ordered lacked a well-balanced, flavorful combination, and in my opinion, it wasn’t worth the price. The food menu was somewhat limited due to their upcoming holiday closure, but what we did have was very good and full of flavor. I also took a banana pudding dessert to go — it was good, though not exceptional. Overall, I would recommend sticking to the BBQ meat options, as those were definitely the highlight of the experience.